Indian-origin woman, living in US with green card for 27 years, detained by ICE
PTC News Desk: An Indian-origin woman who has been residing lawfully in the US for 27 years and has held a Green Card since 2013, has been detained Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Venkata Vasamsetty who is a public school teacher working with special-needs students in North Carolina, has no criminal record and is the mother of two US citizens and grandmother of two US citizen children, according to her family and immigration attorney.
Venkata Vasamsetty, a public school teacher who works with special-needs students in North Carolina, was reportedly detained by US immigration authorities despite having no criminal record. According to her family and lawyer, she is the mother of two US citizens and grandmother of two US citizen children.
According to Newsweek, Vasamsetty was taken into custody on August 11 during a scheduled ICE check-in in Charlotte. She was later held at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia, more than 500 kilometres away from Charlotte.
Her detention is linked to questions over whether she gave up her lawful permanent resident status after spending several months in India in 2022.
WHY DID VENKATA VASAMSETTY TRAVEL TO INDIA IN 2022?
Vasamsetty had travelled to India in July 2022 to take care of her elderly parents, according to her attorney Helen Parsonage and family friend Zoe Wilson. However, her return to the US was delayed after she contracted Covid-19 and developed other health problems.
Wilson said Vasamsetty became seriously ill and was hospitalised in India for nearly two weeks. After being discharged, further medical issues prevented her from travelling back immediately.
She finally returned to the US in February 2023, around seven months after leaving.
Under US immigration rules, Green Card holders can travel abroad, but a long absence may lead authorities to question whether they still intend to keep the US as their permanent home. An absence of more than 180 days can result in additional scrutiny when a permanent resident returns.
- With inputs from agencies
