Charges dispute citizenship claim

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

A Honolulu man who entered the United States from Iran as a student in 1974 allegedly lied to immigration officials about his citizenship when questioned Tuesday and faces federal charges, according to documents filed in federal court yesterday.

Manoochehr Kavehpisheh, 44, is scheduled to appear today to answer to charges that he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Sorenson would not say what led officials from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to approach Kavehpisheh to ask about his citizenship.

An affidavit filed in support of the charges brought against Kavehpisheh says only that a person calling himself Alex Huss and Alexandren Hussley claimed to be from Iran and to be a citizen of the United States, but could not produce any identification or substantiate that he was a U.S. citizen.

According to the affidavit, immigration officers went to Kavehpisheh's apartment on Curtis Street and asked him about his citizen status.

He told them that he was born in Iran in March 1957 and that his citizenship papers were in Chicago with his parents, according to the affidavit, and he stated repeatedly that he was a U.S. citizen.

A further check of U.S. immigration files showed he was admitted to the United States in 1974 as a nonimmigrant student and there was no record that he ever applied for or was granted citizenship, according to the affidavit.

The arrest comes after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast. But it was unclear what role, if any, heightened concerns about additional terrorist attacks may have played in Kavehpisheh's being questioned and arrested.

Kavehpisheh couldn't be reached for comment.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.