Archive · 4 Nov 2025
US Courts Order ICE to Halt Deportation of Indian-Origin Man Wrongfully Imprisoned
Imagine a man named Subu who came to the U.S. when he was very little.
He was accused of a serious crime, murder, and went to jail for a really, really long time – over 43 years!
That's longer than many people have been alive.
But recently, a judge said he was innocent of that murder charge, and he got to leave prison.
However, right after he got out, the immigration police wanted to send him back to his home country.
Subu's lawyers argued that he spent so much time in jail wrongly and had tried to do good things while inside.
Two different courts agreed to stop the immigration police from sending him away, at least for now, while they figure things out.
Two US courts have ordered immigration officials to halt the deportation of Indian-origin man, Subramanyam ‘Subu’ Vedam.
Vedam spent over 43 years in prison for a murder charge that was recently overturned.
He was released from prison on October 3 but was immediately taken into immigration custody by ICE.
ICE seeks to deport Vedam based on a past drug conviction, while his lawyers argue his wrongful imprisonment outweighs it.
An immigration judge and a US District Court have stayed his deportation pending further review.
- Who
- Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, an Indian-origin man, and US immigration officials (ICE)
- What
- Two US courts ordered ICE to halt the deportation of Vedam, who spent over 43 years in prison for a murder conviction that was overturned.
- When
- The murder conviction was overturned this year, and Vedam was released on October 3. The court orders were recent.
- Where
- Pennsylvania, USA, and Alexandria, Louisiana (immigration facility).
- Why
- Vedam's murder conviction was overturned after over 43 years of imprisonment. ICE sought deportation based on a past drug conviction, but courts have intervened to halt deportation pending further review.
Vedam's Defense
ICE/Department of Homeland Security
Impact of Wrongful Imprisonment
Vedam's Defense
Vedam wrongfully spent over 40 years in jail, earned degrees, and taught fellow inmates, which should outweigh past drug charges.
ICE/Department of Homeland Security
Overturning a murder verdict does not negate a separate drug conviction; ICE will enforce federal immigration law.
- Name
- Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam
- Age
- 64
- Nationality
- Indian-origin
- Country of Residence
- USA (Pennsylvania)
- Legal Status
- Legal Permanent Resident
- Time Wrongfully Imprisoned
- Over 43 years
- Original Arrest Year
- 1982
- Release Date from Prison
- October 3