Press Release
The Death of Imam Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir: When Refuge Becomes Tragedy

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed the death of Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir, a 46-year-old Eritrean national, who passed away on December 14 while in ICE custody at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania. According to ICE, Imam Abdulkadir reportedly experienced chest pain and received attention from on-site medical staff and emergency medical services. His death, one of several in-custody fatalities reported at ICE facilities, remains under investigation and has renewed scrutiny of detention conditions and access to adequate healthcare for detainees.

The Muslim community mourns the loss of Imam Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir, a respected brother whose passing has caused deep grief among his family, loved ones, and the Ummah at large. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and pray that Allah grants him mercy and elevates his rank.

Equally distressing are the circumstances surrounding his detention. Imam Abdulkadir reportedly spent 215 days in custody awaiting a hearing, raising serious concerns about prolonged detention without resolution. Reports of inadequate medical care and harsh conditions of confinement point to systemic failures that place detainees at grave risk. These conditions, coupled with prolonged uncertainty, reportedly contributed to severe medical distress and ultimately to his death.

Beyond this individual tragedy, the case reflects a broader and deeply painful reality facing Muslims worldwide. Across many regions, Muslims endure persecution, arbitrary detention, and repression at the hands of regimes and their enforcers for refusing to submit to unjust political and social orders. As a result, countless individuals are forced to flee their homelands in search of safety, dignity, and the freedom to live according to their beliefs.

Tragically, many who seek refuge encounter further injustice in lands they believed would offer protection. Imam Abdulkadir’s death stands as a stark reminder that displacement does not guarantee safety, and that systemic injustice continues to follow the vulnerable across borders.

This is not an isolated incident, but a reflection of the fractured condition of the Ummah which is scattered, exposed, and deprived of a unified authority capable of safeguarding Muslim life and dignity. Without a protective framework that ensures justice, representation, and accountability, Muslims remain vulnerable wherever they reside.

We ask Allah (swt) to grant mercy to Imam Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir, to grant patience and strength to his family, and to unite and protect the Ummah. May Allah (swt) restore for this Ummah a shield that upholds the sanctity of Muslim life, unites its people, and provides safety, dignity, and justice for Muslims across the world.

Haitham Ibn Thbait
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir
in America