Indian Grandma With Green Card Detained By ICE!

An Indian origin grandmother in the US has been detained by ICE despite holding a valid Green Card and living in America for nearly 30 years.

Venkata Vasamsetty has been living in the US for decades and works as a teacher with special needs children in North Carolina. She owns a home, pays taxes and has no criminal record. Her children and grandchildren are also US citizens.

Venkata had travelled to India in 2022 to take care of her sick father. During the trip, she contracted COVID and her return was delayed. She eventually returned to the US in February 2023 after spending around seven months in India.

US immigration authorities later questioned her long absence and started removal proceedings, arguing that she may have abandoned her permanent resident status.

However, an immigration judge dismissed the case in May 2026 after the government failed to submit the required evidence on time. The case was closed and Venkata continued to remain a lawful permanent resident.

Despite this, she was detained by ICE on August 11 when she went for a routine immigration check in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was later taken to a detention centre in Georgia.

Her lawyers have now approached a federal court seeking her release and questioning why she was detained after her immigration case had already been dismissed. A judge has asked the government to explain the detention.

The case has created concern among her family and friends, especially because Venkata reportedly has diabetes and needs regular medical care.

The incident has also raised fresh questions among Indian American communities about the security of long time Green Card holders, even when they have strong ties to the US and no criminal record.