This is what Subramanyam Vedam, known as “Subu” to his family, now faces. He’s having a hard time figuring out life in the free world after being recently released from prison. Vedam has served over forty years in prison for a conviction on a murder charge. This year, that conviction was finally overturned, but Tohar now finds himself in immigration custody. Now, two courts are taking a closer look at his case. Now, they’re pressuring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to halt deportation proceedings against him.
Vedam underwent this journey and reached this milestone only because his parents brought him to the United States when he was just nine months old. A legal permanent resident, his citizenship application had been accepted before his 1982 arrest. In 1983, he was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. A year later, he was handed a second sentence of two-and-a-half to five years for another drug conviction.
Finally, after the felony conviction was eventually overturned in a long-awaited decision, on October 3, 2023, Vedam was released from state prison. Yet despite his electoral victory, directly upon his victory he was taken into immigration custody. Now, he lives in a short-term facility in Alexandria, Louisiana. One of the most frightening aspects of this facility is that it’s equipped with an airstrip, increasing the chances of deportation.
Vedam’s legal team has been fighting tirelessly to stop his deportation. As the interim measure, they won a stay in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The shadow of uncertainty hangs over this good news as the immigration court’s recent decision could still stall the case. Vedam’s family continues to seek a positive resolution.
“We’re also hopeful that Board of Immigration Appeals will ultimately agree that Subu’s deportation would represent another untenable injustice.” – Saraswathi Vedam
Even after these significant legal defeats and misfires, many public officials continue to downplay the potential impacts of his vacated conviction. As we expected, by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin, that one very key clarifying point. More importantly, she noted the vacated conviction does not prevent ICE from enforcing federal immigration law.
At 64 years old and 40 years wrongfully incarcerated, Vedam deserves to be released to live the free life he was deprived of. His case illustrates not only the complexities of immigration law, but the greater issue of wrongful convictions. His family hopes that justice will prevail, so that their son can finally begin living his life fully and freely, outside of prison walls.