Green Card Holder Detained by ICE After Returning From Brother's Wedding
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Federal immigration authorities detained a legal permanent resident pursuing his Ph.D. at San Francisco International Airport as he returned from his brother's wedding.
Tae Heung "Will" Kim, from South Korea, has been living in the country since he was 5 years old and holds a green card. The 40-year-old is currently a doctoral student at Texas A&M University, where his research focuses on developing a Lyme disease vaccine, according to The Washington Post.
Immigration officials detained him on July 21 during secondary inspection after he arrived from a two-week visit to South Korea for his younger brother's wedding.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has ordered the government to carry out what Republicans call the largest deportation operation in United States history.
In addition to people living in the country without legal status, immigrants with valid documentation, including green cards and visas, have been detained. Newsweek has documented multiple cases involving green card holders and applicants who were swept up in the ICE raids.
Immigration authorities have said that lawful permanent residents could have their green cards and visas revoked if they are found to have broken the law.
What To Know
In 2011, Kim was charged with minor marijuana possession in Texas, according to his attorney, Eric Lee. He completed a community service requirement and later obtained a nondisclosure order, sealing the offense from public view.
"If a green card holder is convicted of a drug offense, violating their status, that person is issued a Notice to Appear and CBP coordinates detention space with ICE ERO. This alien is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told Newsweek.
Lee told The Washington Post that Kim has been denied access to legal representation. According to Lee, the government has not provided a reason for his detention, and immigration authorities have prevented Kim from speaking with an attorney or directly contacting his family, aside from a brief phone call to his mother on Friday.
"If the Constitution doesn't apply to somebody who's lived in this country for 35 years and is a green-card holder — and only left the country for a two-week vacation — that means [the government] is basically arguing that the Constitution doesn't apply to anybody who's been in this country for less time than him," Lee said.
Kim's mother, Yehoon "Sharon" Lee, told The Washington Post that she's deeply concerned about his well-being.
"He's a good son, very gentle," she said.
Sharon Lee first arrived in the U.S. with her husband on a business visa in the 1980s and eventually became a naturalized citizen. But by that time, her sons, including Kim, were too old to receive citizenship through her automatically. Both boys remained legal permanent residents, having grown up almost entirely in the U.S.
Federal agent outside the Immigration Courtrooms of Federal Plaza in New York.
Federal agent outside the Immigration Courtrooms of Federal Plaza in New York.
Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx
What People Are Saying
Sharon Lee told The Washington Post: "I immigrated here to the States—I thought I understood it was a country of equal rights where the Constitution applies equally."
Eric Lee told The Washington Post: "This is somebody whose research is going to save countless lives if allowed to continue—farmers who are at risk of getting Lyme disease."
"Trump always talks about how much he loves the great farmers of America. Well, Tae is somebody who can save farmers' lives."
What Happens Next
Sharon Lee told The Washington Post that she is worried about her son's health as he remains in detention.
"I'm most concerned about his medical condition. He's had asthma ever since he was younger," Lee said. "I don't know if he has enough medication. He carries an inhaler, but I don't know if it's enough, because he's been there a week."
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