Syed Haider Najib, a 30-year-old Phoenix resident originally from Afghanistan, was sentenced on June 22, 2026, to 22 months in prison for possessing a firearm while illegally present in the United States. Senior United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes issued the sentence after Najib pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Najib has been unlawfully in the U.S. since at least March 8, 2018, following the denial of his asylum application and a final order of removal by a U.S. Immigration Judge. Although ordered removed to a third country due to conditions in Afghanistan, a suitable country could not be found, leading to his release from custody. Federal law prohibits individuals illegally present in the U.S. from possessing firearms.
In 2023, FBI special agents discovered photographs and videos of Najib with a firearm on social media. A subsequent search of his home and car in October 2023 by agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations uncovered an AR15-style rifle, a high-capacity magazine, and over 175 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle. As part of his plea agreement, Najib agreed to forfeit the rifle and abandon the ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Phoenix Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with prosecution handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix.