Afghan family, detained in California despite visas, to be released: lawyer

LOS ANGELES - A family of refugees from Afghanistan detained by immigration officials at Los Angeles International Airport last week even though they held valid visas will be released, their attorney said Monday.

Public Counsel attorney Talia Inlender, who is part of a team of lawyers representing the couple and their three young children, said the family would be released Monday.

The couple and their children were granted Special Immigrant Visas in return for work the father performed for the U.S. government in Afghanistan that put the family's lives at risk, the International Refugee Assistance Project said in its court filing seeking their release. But upon arrival in Los Angeles on Thursday, they were detained by agents of U.S. Customers and Border Protection.