Latest news with #Amatorio
GMA Network
11-08-2025
- GMA Network
Filipino green card holder who helped US bust drug syndicate faces deportation
NEW YORK – The family and friends of a Filipino arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are seeking help as he is currently detained at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. Border Patrol agents at Charlotte International Airport in North Carolina arrested 44-year-old Sonny Lasquite, a green card holder from Pampanga, on July 28, 2025. According to Dory Hirano, a family friend of Lasquite, they had just returned from a vacation in the Bahamas when he was stopped by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the airport. Joji Hirano, Lasquite's best friend and also a green card holder, told GMA Integrated News that both of them were detained on secondary inspection. Hirano was released after almost an hour, but Lasquite was put on hold after a red flag popped up in the CBP system. Court records show that Lasquite was convicted on August 14, 2012 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Schedule IV controlled substances, and for distributing alprazolam and zolpidem. Documents obtained by GMA Integrated News reveal that Lasquite played a key role in dismantling the international operations of his associates. His cooperation with the US Attorney's Office and federal agents led to the conviction of seven individuals, including the group's leader. Because of this, the US Department of Justice recommended a sentence of zero to six months' imprisonment for his guilty plea. In a letter dated July 2014, former US Attorney Preet Bharara, in his sentencing memorandum submitted to Honorable Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald of the Southern District of New York, stated that Lasquite was instrumental in stopping and prosecuting those involved in drug distribution. 'Lasquite provided substantial assistance to law enforcement by supplying information about other people, including those with whom he had conspired to violate federal law,' the document stated. As a result, the court sentenced Lasquite to time served, meaning he was not imprisoned further, and ordered him to pay only $200 in criminal monetary penalties. Since his 2012 conviction, Lasquite has not been involved in any wrongdoing. He has been working as a banquet server in a casino in Las Vegas, supporting his mother. He has lived in the United States for 23 years. Immigration lawyer and Bergenfield, New Jersey Mayor Arvin Amatorio told GMA Integrated News that Lasquite's cooperation was significant but does not guarantee that his deportation will be stopped. "His cooperation with US authorities is significant, but it doesn't automatically stop deportation unless law enforcement steps in to sponsor a special visa or DHS uses prosecutorial discretion," Amatorio said. According to Amatorio, due to the seriousness of his conviction, Lasquite faces the risk of being deported to the Philippines. "Sonny is in danger of deportation because, under US immigration law, any lawful permanent resident convicted of distributing controlled substances—even with a short sentence—can be removed from the country. His conviction counts as both a controlled substance offense and an aggravated felony, and it also involves moral turpitude since it's a serious offense showing intent to break the law." He added that Lasquite's options to stop deportation are very limited. "These grounds block most forms of relief, like asylum or cancellation of removal. There are still limited options. He could apply for withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture if he can prove serious danger in the Philippines. Another path is post-conviction relief, where the criminal conviction is overturned for legal reasons,' Amatorio said. Lasquite's family has already spoken to representatives of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC which is currently monitoring his case. —KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
24-05-2025
- GMA Network
PH consulate in contact with Filipino green card holder detained in US
Los Angeles, CA - The Philippine Consulate General has been coordinating with US immigration authorities regarding the detention of 42-year-old Filipino green card holder Maximo Londonio. Londonio, who was returning to the US after a vacation in the Philippines, was intercepted by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and placed under administrative proceedings due to a 2002 conviction for grand theft. He is currently detained at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Facility in Tacoma. 'The Philippine Consulate has been notified of the arrest of Filipino nationals by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (CBP-SEA-TAC) and has verified their detention in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Tacoma, Washington (ICE-Tacoma)," the Philippine Consulate told GMA Integrated News in a message. "The Philippine Consulate, through its ATN (Assistance-to-Nationals) Section, and in cooperation with the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Portland, Oregon, has also been coordinating with U.S. immigration authorities to ensure that the detainees are treated in accordance with the law and that their rights are respected,' it added. Consulate representatives have also spoken with Londonio's family and are closely monitoring the progress of his case. 'The Consulate likewise remains committed to extending appropriate assistance to Filipino nationals across its jurisdiction regardless of immigration status, while respecting U.S. laws as well as individual privacy.' "Unfortunate" According to immigration lawyer and Bergenfield, New Jersey Mayor Arvin Amatorio, green card holders with prior convictions are not guaranteed protection from detention or deportation. 'It's unfortunate to hear about Maximo Londonio's predicament. Even if a conviction, such as the one he received in 2002, is over two decades old, U.S. immigration law can still consider it grounds for denial of entry or detention—especially for crimes involving moral turpitude,' Amatorio told GMA Integrated News in a message. 'If ICE considers his conviction a deportable offense, it will likely issue an NTA (Notice to Appear). The NTA is the charging document used in removal or deportation proceedings,' added Amatorio. For this reason, Amatorio advises green card or permanent resident holders to apply for naturalization as soon as they become eligible. 'For those in similar situations, I urge them not to hesitate and to explore naturalization if they meet the eligibility criteria. It can significantly impact their lives.' —VAL, GMA Integrated News
