A New Hampshire resident, Fabian Schmidt, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) upon returning from Luxembourg.
Despite holding a valid green card, Schmidt was subjected to harsh treatment at Logan Airport, including interrogation, sleep deprivation, and lack of access to medication. He collapsed and was hospitalized before being transferred to the Wyatt detention facility.
Schmidt’s family is uncertain why his green card was flagged, though a dismissed marijuana charge and a missed court hearing may be factors. His family, with legal support and help from the German consulate, is seeking his release on bail.
Now, many ask, can a green card holder be deported?
Revoking green cards is not new. Many Telugu people also got their green cards revoked especially on the grounds of not fulfilling the stay-period in the USA.
A green card allows foreign nationals to live and work in the U.S. permanently, but certain actions or criminal offenses can lead to deportation.
Immigration law mandates that only an immigration judge can revoke a green card, and individuals have the right to defend themselves in court. However, the government can initiate removal proceedings without a conviction in some cases.
Immigration experts warn that the current administration is increasingly targeting individuals with legal immigration status.
Even minor offenses, like marijuana possession, can make a green card holder deportable, except for possession of 30 grams or less for personal use.
What needs to be understood is that even Green Card holders are foreigners in the USA, holding passports from other nations and only granted conditional permission to reside in the country.
However, many Green Card holders mistakenly feel like citizens, assuming they have permanent status in the U.S. But that’s not true. Unless a Green Card holder obtains an American passport, they have no right to live in the country permanently.
What Donald Trump and ICE authorities should realize is that there are many fake Green Card holders in the U.S. Catching them would greatly benefit the nation.
Announcing a bounty for whistleblowers could expose an alarming number of fake Green Card holders.