Green Card Holder Detained in Texas Begs ICE to Deport Him

(TEXAS) Amid a surge in immigration enforcement, attorneys and advocates in Texas say they now see cases where a Green Card Holder detained in a local facility pleads with ICE to deport him rather than endure months of confinement. They describe that plea, shared on Aug. 14, 2025 in several legal aid intakes, as a stark outcome of expanded federal authority, state-level cooperation, and swollen detention capacity that together make release harder and waits longer.

In early 2025, under policies advanced by President Trump, the federal government expanded expedited removal. The broader policy lets ICE detain and swiftly remove noncitizens who cannot prove they have been in the United States for more than two years. Legal permanent residents are not fully shielded: a Green Card Holder who cannot quickly show continuous presence, or who has certain criminal convictions or immigration technicalities, can find himself in custody while ICE moves ahead.

Texas has become a central stage for this push. In April 2025, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 8, directing sheriffs in populous counties to sign 287(g) agreements that allow local officers to perform some federal immigration tasks. The bill also set aside $20 million to encourage counties to cooperate with ICE, increasing referrals from county jails to federal custody, even when underlying charges are minor or later dismissed.

Money has supercharged capacity. On July 1, 2025, the U.S. Senate approved a budget reconciliation package that steers $170 billion to immigration enforcement and detention, including $45 billion for new or expanded detention centers. That marks a 265% jump in ICE’s detention budget and supports daily detention of at least 116,000 people, including in family detention sites and “soft‑sided” tents. VisaVerge.com reports that Texas detention centers now hold the largest number of detainees nationwide, making the state a bellwether for how these policies play out on the ground.

Policy shifts driving Texas detentions

Expedited removal has reshaped first contact with the system. If a person in Texas cannot quickly prove two years of presence, ICE can process the case on a fast track. For a Green Card Holder who lost documents, never updated records after a move, or has an old misdemeanor, the burden can be heavy.

People are often held while officers verify identity and status. What should be routine proof can turn into weeks behind bars if records are scattered across states.

Local cooperation under 287(g) adds another funnel into custody. A traffic stop that becomes a jail booking can trigger a federal hold request. Even when a county judge releases someone on the local case, the ICE detainer can keep that person in a Texas jail until transfer to a federal center. Sheriffs say they are following the law and focusing on public safety.

Detention conditions have grown tougher as numbers rise statewide. Reports describe overcrowding, limited medical care, and long bus transfers moving detainees across the state. One Korean‑born scientist with a green card was detained in San Francisco and transferred to Texas facilities without clear explanation or access to counsel, reflecting a pattern of long‑distance transfers that separate people from their lawyers and families.

Advocates say these moves delay bonds, slow down evidence gathering, and push some to ask for removal simply to end the ordeal.

Inside detention: why some plead to be sent away

The immigration court backlog looms over every decision. With only 800 immigration judges nationwide, hearings stretch months out. Bond requests wait in line; master calendar hearings get rescheduled; merits dates slide.

For a detained Green Card Holder, each delay means more time in a Texas cell far from work, school drop‑offs, and needed medical care. Lawyers in the state say clients sometimes weigh the chance of winning against the certainty of waiting and choose deportation to stop the clock.

Families bear the costs in many ways:

• Spouses scramble to cover rent and household expenses.
• Children lose a parent’s daily presence and, often, health insurance.
• Employers lose trained workers; in smaller towns, this can affect whole crews.
• Community trust erodes as residents fear calling police for help because a 287(g) check could pull a neighbor into ICE custody.

Advocates warn this distrust makes neighborhoods less safe, not more.

State officials defend the approach. They argue Texas must cooperate with federal authorities to keep dangerous people off the streets, saying the focus is on criminal behavior, not nationality. They point to SB 8’s structure as a way to align county resources with federal priorities.

Civil rights groups respond that “criminal” labels are often tied to low‑level offenses and that due process, not blanket detention, is what separates a fair system from an arbitrary one.

For many detained immigrants, the choice to ask for deportation reflects the reality that time in custody has itself become a punishment.

What families and detainees can do now

Attorneys suggest practical steps to reduce the risk of extended detention and to speed reunification:

• Keep proof of long‑term U.S. presence in a safe, accessible place: leases, pay stubs, tax records, school records, and medical files.
• Memorize key phone numbers; cell phones are often seized at booking.
• If someone is detained, use the official ICE Online Detainee Locator to find them and confirm custody status: https://locator.ice.gov
• Seek legal counsel quickly. Detained cases move faster than non‑detained dockets even with backlogs, and early evidence can shape bond outcomes.
• Prepare a support packet for bond: community letters, employer statements, and proof of address.

Concrete steps for locating and supporting a detained person

1. Check custody status via the ICE online locator: https://locator.ice.gov
2. Contact local legal aid organizations or an immigration attorney immediately.
3. Gather documents that show continuous U.S. presence and community ties.
4. Compile letters from employers, faith leaders, or community members for bond hearings.
5. Arrange logistics for court dates and communicate with family members who may need to provide testimony or affidavits.

How proceedings typically play out in Texas

• Some people face expedited removal if they cannot show two‑year presence.
• Others are placed before an immigration judge for bond and merits hearings, which today often face long delays.
• Everyone has the right to hire a lawyer at their own expense, but access to counsel is limited in remote Texas facilities, especially after transfers.

Looking ahead: funding, litigation, and consequences

Enforcement expansion is expected to continue through 2025 and beyond, with fresh funding and state legislation reinforcing each other. Lawsuits may test the scope of expedited removal and state‑federal cooperation agreements, but filings take time, and change rarely reaches people already in cells.

For now, Texas remains the country’s largest detention hub, and the human choices inside—fight on, or ask to go—reflect a system where extended detention and delayed process have become central pressures shaping outcomes.