NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Contra Costa, CA, May 19, 2026: An Indian national convicted of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child in California has been taken into federal immigration custody after completing his criminal sentence, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE said Hemant Kumar Khanna, identified by the agency as a citizen of India, was arrested on April 30, immediately after his release from local custody.
According to ICE, the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa sentenced Khanna to 18 months of incarceration after he was convicted of attempting a lewd act on a child. The agency did not release details about the victim, the circumstances of the offense, or Khanna’s immigration status in the United States.
ICE said Khanna is now being held under Section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which applies to non-citizens convicted of certain crimes classified under U.S. immigration law as aggravated felonies. A conviction under this category can make an individual subject to removal proceedings.
The case surfaced as part of a series of arrests highlighted by ICE involving foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes. Indian media outlets later reported that Khanna could face deportation proceedings following his criminal sentence.
Federal immigration authorities have not yet disclosed where Khanna is being held or when his immigration hearing may take place.
