Hassan M. Ahmad is an immigration and civil rights attorney and the founder and principal of the HMA Law Firm. He was a candidate in the 2019 Democratic primary for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 87th District. He earned his law degree at Tulane University in 2000 and his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His practice includes asylum, deportation defense and the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.
We have documented 2 statements by Hassan Ahmad, in 2 cases. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.
Case updates
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Role at the time: Attorney for William Lizardo and founder of the HMA Law Firm, in comments to Newsweek
Condemned
Response to this claim
William Lizardo's arrest and detention by ICE violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
“What should shock the conscience of every American is that this was a case where the government knew it made a huge mistake, sending a deportation notice to an address it knew was stale, but even after the case was reopened, they persisted in fighting to keep Dr. Lizardo detained”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Judge Blasts ICE Over 'Appalling' Arrest of Dentist · NewsweekFull article, as updated November 5, 2026
Why we used this label
The reference point is ICE's arrest and continued detention of William Lizardo. Ahmad says the government knew of its mistake and still fought to keep his client detained, which condemns that detention.
Role at the time: Immigration lawyer and advocate quoted in reporting
Condemned
Statement summary
Ahmad challenged the use of foreign-policy grounds as family-based rather than based on individual conduct.
“What struck me was this seemed to be the first time that the foreign policy ground was being used to target people based not on any conduct of theirs whatsoever, but based solely on family relationship.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)NBC Los Angeles report on the family’s ICE detentionInterviews with Maria Kari and Hassan Ahmad; DHS statement
Why we used this label
In this same interview Ahmad goes beyond identifying the legal theory: he insists collective punishment must stop and criticizes the child’s confinement. Legal analysis does not erase substantive condemnation.
Judge Michael J. Davis ordered the release of William Lizardo, a Canadian dentist ICE arrested at an immigration interview on a removal order issued after notice went to an outdated address. DHS says he overstayed and calls Davis an activist judge.
U.S. officials revoked the Hashemi–Tahmasebi family’s permanent residency and detained them, citing national-security and foreign-policy concerns tied to Eissa Hashemi’s mother. The family and its supporters say the government imposed guilt by association.
