NEW YORK (AP) - A New York judge has ordered a bail hearing for an asylum applicant detained nearly three years, saying that the U.S. prides itself on its humanity and openness.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled Thursday that Adou Kouadio's bail hearing must be held within two weeks.

The Ivory Coast citizen has been held since entering the U.S. at the El Paso, Texas, border crossing in February 2016.

A U.S. asylum officer found a month later that Kouadio had demonstrated a credible fear of persecution in his homeland based on his political opinions.

After repeated delays in Texas, the case was moved to New York, where an immigration judge denied his asylum application and ordered him removed. His appeal is pending before a federal appeals court.

A government spokesman declined comment.

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