In a dramatic operation that has ignited a firestorm of criticism, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested Bajun Mavalwalla, a former US Army soldier and social media personality with a massive online following.
The detention comes a mere three days after his application for a visa extension was formally rejected, plunging his future in the country he served into severe uncertainty.
From Service to Social Media Stardom
Mavalwalla, who served honourably in the US military, later found fame on TikTok under the username @notreallybajun, amassing over 850,000 followers. His content, often focusing on military life and humour, built a significant and engaged community.
His arrest at a federal immigration office in Baltimore, where he had attended a scheduled appointment, has been labelled by his lawyer as a calculated "ambush," arguing it demonstrates exceptionally bad faith by the authorities.
A Complex Legal Battle
At the heart of the case is Mavalwalla's immigration status. Born in Pakistan and raised in Australia, he initially entered the US on a student visa. After joining the army, he held a green card but did not pursue citizenship.
Following his military service, he transitioned to a series of work visas. His recent application for an O-1 visa, reserved for individuals with "extraordinary ability," was denied by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which did not recognise his TikTok success as meeting the high bar for the classification.
Outpouring of Support and Outrage
The news of his detention has triggered an immediate and powerful backlash online. Supporters and veterans' groups have flooded social media with messages of support, using hashtags like #FreeBajun.
Many are framing his arrest as a profound betrayal, asking how a nation can detain a individual who wore its uniform and swore to defend it. A Change.org petition demanding his release has already gathered tens of thousands of signatures, highlighting the public relations challenge now facing the Biden administration.
Mavalwalla is currently being held at a detention centre in Virginia as his legal team prepares to fight his potential deportation. The case continues to develop, raising serious questions about the US immigration system's treatment of non-citizen veterans.
