Gay Couple from Oppressive Environment Seeks Freedom After Detention Ordeal

In a touching yet difficult situation, a devoted gay couple from Azerbaijan, Samir Gadirov and Tural Atakishiyev, find themselves split between their homeland's harshness and a tough U.S. immigration system. Their struggle unfolds through a glass partition at a detention center in Georgia, where they can only see each other during brief visits.

"He's inside, but I'm outside; we're living through this together," explains Samir Gadirov, 30, about his husband, Tural Atakishiyev, 40, who remains in detention. "It's like we're feeling everything together, even though we're apart."

The unexpected detention

Things took a turn in January during what should've been a simple immigration check-in in North Carolina. There, Atakishiyev was unexpectedly detained, despite only having temporary permission in America. The couple runs a small home renovation business and had built a life together in North Carolina.

Their story goes back a few years. Gadirov, a permanent U.S. resident, met Atakishiyev during a trip back in 2024, and soon after, Atakishiyev entered America on temporary terms, applied very hopefully, but has since run afoul with U.S. immigration bureaucracy. Getting married last November seemed like a step towards something more permanent, a glimmer in their quest.

But detention shattered those dreams. "I still can't believe that day," Gadirov remembers. He waited anxiously at immigration, noting staff who seemed unable or unwilling even look him in eye, uneasy with what had just happened.

There are allegations from Homeland Security that Atakishiyev failed some check-ins, a point Gadirov strongly disputes. "We did everything by book: applied asylum, got married, filed papers," he argues. "Now ICE's claim isn't true."

Every week, Gadirov drives six long hours from North Carolina down Georgia, just get a short glimpse his husband through glass. "The food's awful, and his panic meds? He's not getting them," he explains, worriedly.

"He's shed around 25 pounds," Gadirov shares, concern evident.

Facing an impossible decision

Now they're at a crossroads: keep fighting legally with Atakishiyev locked up, or return Azerbaijan, a place with harsh discrimination where their marriage's unrecognized.

They've decided leave. "I once saw U.S. as symbol freedom," Gadirov reflects. "Now, I'm not sure." He feels his husband's wellbeing and mental state matter more than any single location. "I can't see him struggle in there," Gadirov adds.

Right now, he's pushing DHS, ICE, and immigration judges release his partner so they can depart together.

"We need collaborate ICE on plane logistics, speeding process," Gadirov continues. "Everything's just so slow."

Meanwhile, he's grateful local church and immigrant support group, who've set up GoFundMe help them move forward.

Hope new beginning

Despite everything, there's hope. "We're thinking countryside, fresh start," Gadirov imagines. "He's my better half," he says, affectionately. "We could be happy in Azerbaijan, if our love's stronger than where it's found."

Their story's a glimpse what LGBTQ+ immigrants face, tangled up in current immigration system. As they look at new beginnings, they hold onto hope: a calm, loving future together.