Immigration Battle: The Story of Subramanyam Vedam's Fight Against Deportation
A Pennsylvania man, Subramanyam Vedam, who spent 40 years in prison before his murder conviction was overturned, is currently facing deportation. Vedam, also known as "Subu," is detained in Louisiana, where immigration officials were planning to deport him. However, two separate court orders have halted his deportation for now. An immigration judge and a U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania have issued stays on his deportation while his case is under review.
Vedam, who came to the U.S. from India as an infant, grew up in State College, Pennsylvania. He was serving a life sentence for a friend's death in 1980, but his conviction was overturned this year. Despite being released from state prison, he was immediately taken into immigration custody due to a no contest plea he entered for LSD delivery charges when he was around 20 years old.
The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is seeking to deport Vedam based on the drug conviction, despite his wrongful imprisonment for four decades. His lawyers argue that his time served in prison, during which he earned degrees and helped other inmates, should be considered in his immigration case. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that the murder case reversal does not affect the drug conviction and that ICE will continue to enforce immigration laws.
Vedam's family is relieved that the deportation has been temporarily halted by the courts while his immigration case is being reviewed. They hope that the Board of Immigration Appeals will ultimately decide against his deportation, considering the injustice he has already faced by spending over 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit and living in the U.S. since he was a young child.
In conclusion, Subramanyam Vedam's deportation has been put on hold by court orders as his case undergoes further review. His family and legal team are hopeful that his deportation will be deemed unjust, given his wrongful imprisonment and long-standing ties to the United States.