Raghu, an Indian national, now faces an uphill battle following his recent arrest. Police arrested him after discovering an old color-matched mini-bottle of “Opiumopium” perfume during a routine traffic stop in Benton, a suburb of Little Rock, on May 3. Fortunately, at the time, Raghu was in the middle of a food delivery. Yet he encountered cruel punishment when law enforcement agents errored in identifying his bottle as containing contraband.
When Raghu was stopped by police during a minor traffic stop, an officer approached Raghu aggressively. He disclosed that Raghu had a know full of opium secreted in his center console. This misunderstanding led to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detaining Raghu right away. In this recent stop, he claims that he was compliant with all laws.
Preparing for the demonstration in the fall, Raghu reflected on what happened during the incident, saying, “I wasn’t doing anything wrong when he pulled me over. His wife, Ashley Mays, followed soon after. All she knew was that the police were taking her husband to jail, and she said this did not make sense. I’m shocked on why he’s getting sent to jail,” she stated.
Raghu was then taken to a private federal immigration jail in Louisiana, where he spent 30 days in detention. The process has taken a severe toll on his home and family life. Ashley shoulders the cost solo now, as Raghu can’t work while they navigate this new period of difficulty.
While Raghu is in isolation, “My wife, who has been my biggest strength, is still getting stuck with taking all the financial burden single handedly,” Raghu told. He said, “The growing legal expenses are accumulating. We sit under the weight of being unable to send a dime and it is putting an incredible burden on our family.
Raghu is currently in the final stages of becoming an American citizen and has an American spouse, Ashley, who is a U.S. citizen by birth. Her stepdaughter was demonstrably distressed throughout the encounter. She wailed and held a prayer book to her heart as she witnessed the violence.
On May 20, a federal district court judge formally dismissed the charges against Raghu. His troubles did not end there. When he was finally released, Raghu’s immigration attorney brought him more bad news. Today, his status is “deportation,” meaning he could face imminent deportation for the most minor infraction.
“While Kapil has been released, he does carry a ‘deportation’ status now,” Laux noted, Raghu’s immigration attorney. “This allows him to be deported on the spot if he commits a petty crime, including a technical violation like jaywalking.
Raghu went to work. He wrote to ICE’s Office of Chief Counsel, asking how he could legally work through the appropriate channels to address his immigration status. In addition, his attorney has been contacting ICE on his behalf trying to straighten out his case.
Raghu’s story underscores the challenges confronting those who try to maneuver through America’s arcane legal and immigration systems. To him, and to his family as they all work to try to save him, the fear of deportation is a constant specter.