Despite a federal court order blocking his removal, a man claiming U.S. citizenship was deported to Laos by ICE. The agency maintains that the individual, who had a criminal history, was a “criminal illegal alien” and did not have a valid claim to citizenship. The deported man’s legal team is now exploring all legal options for his return after an immigration judge ordered his removal in 2006. This incident has raised concerns, with legal experts suggesting it is a catastrophic failure of the immigration system.
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After being exonerated for a murder he did not commit, Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, who had served 43 years in prison, was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE plans to deport Vedam to India, a country he hasn’t lived in since infancy, due to a previous drug conviction and an outstanding deportation order. Vedam’s legal team is now fighting the deportation order, while his family is advocating for his release, emphasizing his decades of good behavior and community service while incarcerated. Despite his exoneration, the immigration agency cited the 1988 deportation order as the basis for his continued detention, leaving his family deeply disappointed.
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Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, recently exonerated after serving over four decades for a murder conviction, has been detained by ICE and faces potential deportation to India. Despite the dismissal of murder charges against him this month, ICE cited a 1988 deportation order related to his vacated convictions. Vedam, who maintained his innocence and was a lawful permanent resident, was initially convicted in 1983, after being accused of the 1980 murder of a former classmate. His attorney argues that, given his long incarceration and pending citizenship application at the time of his arrest, Vedam should be allowed to rebuild his life in the United States.
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Donna, an Irish citizen who has resided in the U.S. for nearly 50 years and is a legal resident alien, is currently held by ICE and faces deportation. Her husband, Jim Brown, says she was arrested at customs after returning from a trip to Ireland. The arrest stems from a decade-old $25 bad check that was paid back, which the government now argues constitutes a “crime of moral turpitude,” justifying her deportation. Brown, a veteran, is fighting for his wife’s release, citing her long residency, marriage, and family ties in the U.S., but has been unable to get help from officials.
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A federal lawsuit has been filed against ICE by two Louisiana families after the unlawful deportation of their three U.S.-born children, including a 4-year-old boy, Romeo, battling stage-4 kidney cancer. The complaint alleges that Romeo, along with his mother and sister, was arrested during a routine ICE check-in and subsequently deported to Honduras without due process or the ability to make custody arrangements. The lawsuit argues that ICE violated its own policies and federal law, depriving Romeo of vital medical care and potentially endangering his life. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial, injunctions for their return to the U.S., and accountability from ICE officials.
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Luis Leon, an 82-year-old Pennsylvania resident who was granted asylum in 1987, was deported to Guatemala after visiting an immigration office to replace his lost green card. Upon arrival, he was taken into custody by ICE officers and separated from his wife, and later, the family was falsely informed of his death. The family discovered Leon was alive but hospitalized in Guatemala, a country to which he has no connection. ICE confirmed they are investigating the matter, while Leon’s family prepares to travel to Guatemala.
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Roberto Diego Alvarez Oliva, a Peruvian national with no criminal record, was arrested by ICE agents in Pennsylvania while on his way to work, leaving his wife Nicole Alvarez distraught and their infant son unattended. Alvarez alleges the agents mocked her distress during the arrest and subsequent deportation of her husband, who was subsequently transferred through several detention centers before being deported to Peru. Despite providing extensive documentation proving his contributions to the family and community, their pleas to halt the deportation were denied, leaving the family financially destitute and emotionally devastated. The family is now facing immense financial hardship and exploring expensive legal avenues to reunite.
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Jose and Josue Trejo Lopez, two brothers with no criminal records, were detained by ICE during a routine check-in, despite pursuing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Their detention, which occurred despite a New York Family Court ruling against their return to El Salvador, highlights the increasingly aggressive deportation tactics employed by federal authorities. This contrasts with previous administrations’ more discretionary approach, leaving the brothers deported to a country unfamiliar to them and separated from their mother and younger brother.
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The House Judiciary Committee rejected a Democratic amendment that would have prohibited ICE from using federal funds to detain or deport US citizens. This unanimous Republican vote against the amendment, proposed in response to alleged unconstitutional detentions of US citizens under the Trump administration, directly contrasts with the committee’s simultaneous advancement of legislation allocating significant funding for increased migrant detention and deportation. The vote follows a series of legal challenges to the administration’s immigration enforcement practices, highlighting a potential for continued conflict between the government and the courts over the rights of US citizens. This action further underscores the ongoing tension between the administration’s immigration policies and constitutional protections.
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Heidy Sánchez, a Cuban woman married to a U.S. citizen, was unexpectedly deported to Cuba, leaving behind her one-year-old daughter and husband in Tampa. Despite last-minute legal efforts and pleas from her husband and representatives, Sánchez was deported as part of a larger group of Cubans. Her deportation occurred despite lacking a criminal record and possessing an I-220B immigration document, leaving her family facing separation and hardship in Cuba. The family’s attorney plans to continue fighting for Sánchez’s return to the U.S.
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John Q. Hosedrinker