Hartford, Connecticut - An Afghan interpreter who assisted the US military was abducted by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after leaving an appointment for his green card application.

Members of Congress have voiced concern over a former Afghan interpreter, referred to only as Zia, who was kidnapped by masked ICE agents, bundled into the back of a van, and taken interstate.

The incident occurred after Zia attended an appointment in Connecticut as part of his application for a green card under a program designed to protect those who supported US forces in Afghanistan.

"What happened to him is the worst kind of abhorrent violation of basic decency," said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal while speaking to reporters over the phone.

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"For masked agents to snatch someone off the street with no warning, no counsel, no opportunity even to know who is doing it while it's in process, is un-American," Blumenthal said. "He actually worked and risked his life in Afghanistan to uphold the values and rights that are central to democracy."

Blumenthal was joined by Representative Jahana Hayes and Massachusetts Representative Bill Keating, who represents Plymouth, the city in which Zia is currently thought to be held.

A judge has issued a stay on Zia's deportation from the US, but he remains in ICE custody, and the Trump administration has a history of ignoring such orders.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Reuters that Zia is being investigated for an unspecified "serious criminal allegation" and said that his claims "will be heard by a judge."

"Zia has done everything right," his attorney, Lauren Cundick Petersen, said. "He's followed the rules. He has no criminal history."