Indian-origin grandmother held by ICE despite court win

Venkata Vasamsetty, a 13-year Green Card holder who has lived in the US for 30 years, was detained by ICE on August 11 during a routine check-in at its Charlotte office. The detention came nearly three months after an immigration judge terminated removal proceedings against her on May 19, ruling that the government had not proved she abandoned her residency.

The case began after Vasamsetty spent seven months in India in 2022-23, caring for an ill father and recovering from Covid. At Raleigh-Durham Airport, DHS questioned whether the extended absence showed intent to forfeit her Green Card. Vasamsetty, a teacher in North Carolina with no criminal record, complied with all ICE reporting requirements. Her daughter, an immigration attorney, and family friend Zoe Ji Wilson said that ICE detained her without warning and that the agency filed a new Notice to Appear only after the arrest.

Vasamsetty is held at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia. The Times of India and Greatandhra report she is severely diabetic and was taken without insulin or medications. Her lawyers have filed an emergency habeas corpus petition. A federal judge on August 13 ordered immigration authorities to explain within three days the legal basis for her detention.