ICE detains grandmother with green card since 2013 after seven-month absence

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Venkata Vasamsetty, a green card holder and permanent U.S. resident since 2013, on August 11 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Vasamsetty was transferred to the Irwin County detention center in Georgia, despite an immigration judge having closed her deportation case in May. The judge had concluded that the government did not prove she had abandoned her residency. Her family asserts she has no criminal record.

The situation began in July 2022 when Vasamsetty traveled to India to care for her ailing father. She became ill and was hospitalized for nearly two weeks, which delayed her return. She eventually came back to the United States in February 2023, after spending seven months abroad. Upon her arrival at Raleigh-Durham airport, the Department of Homeland Security questioned her about the length of her absence, raising concerns about potential abandonment of her status.

However, an immigration judge dismissed the case on May 19, 2026, ruling that the government did not meet the "clear and convincing" standard of proof. Despite this ruling, ICE detained her during a subsequent check. According to her legal team, officials in the Charlotte ICE office stated that their internal records had not been updated following the judge's decision. U.S. immigration law considers permanent residents absent for over 180 days as seeking re-entry, subjecting them to increased scrutiny. Absences of a year or more can, in certain cases, invalidate a green card.

Vasamsetty's attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition on August 12 in a federal court in Georgia. On August 15, the government acknowledged her right to a bond hearing. Vasamsetty remains in custody awaiting this hearing. Her family has reported that she suffers from diabetes.