- ICE detained Loreto Javar, a seventy-six-year-old green card holder, during his citizenship interview in Tukwila, Washington.
- His family says he has stage 4 prostate cancer and missed treatments while held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center.
- ICE alleges Javar hid a Philippine conviction on his 1995 visa application, which the agency says affects his status today.
ICE detained Loreto Javar, a 76-year-old lawful permanent resident from Fife, Washington, on June 23, 2026, during a U.S. citizenship interview in Tukwila, Washington. His family says he has stage 4 prostate cancer and has missed multiple cancer treatments while held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma for more than two months as of late August 2026.
Javar also has COPD. Advocacy coverage lists diabetes and hypertension among his other medical conditions.
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His daughter, Daisy Javar, said he expected an ordinary naturalization appointment. Instead, immigration officers took him into custody during the interview.
“He was detained by ICE while attending his U.S. citizenship interview—a process he pursued in good faith.”
Daisy said her father had pursued citizenship voluntarily. The detention has left his family pressing for access to medical care while the government challenges his continued eligibility to remain in the United States.
ICE says Javar omitted a Philippine conviction from his visa application
Jason Chudy, an ICE spokesperson, said the agency detained Javar because he failed to disclose a criminal conviction in the Philippines when he applied for a U.S. visa in 1995.
Chudy said the omission would have made Javar ineligible at the time of that application. He added that the alleged nondisclosure still affects the government’s position about Javar’s status today.
“He is therefore ineligible to remain in the United States now.”
Federal officials also allege that Javar was involved in an altercation in the Philippines during the 1970s that left one person dead. One account says he told immigration officials that he spent roughly three years in jail in the Philippines before being released on parole.
The reported government case therefore centers on two connected claims: that Javar had a foreign conviction and that he did not disclose it during the visa process. Those allegations concern events that began decades before his detention.
His family and advocates cite cancer, COPD and other illnesses
Javar’s reported medical conditions extend beyond his prostate cancer. Advocacy coverage describes Stage IV prostate cancer, COPD, diabetes and hypertension.
His family says the custody period has interrupted scheduled cancer care. The missed appointments have become the central concern raised by relatives and immigrant-rights advocates.
Immigrant-rights groups and community organizations in Washington state have called for his immediate medical release. They describe him as a Filipino grandfather whose health requires treatment outside immigration detention.
One account also describes a hearing that had to be rescheduled because an Ilocano interpreter was not available. The language issue has added to advocates’ concerns about how the proceedings are being handled.
The advocacy groups’ request is focused on release for medical reasons. Their public statements also cite his age and the combination of illnesses reported by the family and coverage of the case.
Green card status does not prevent ICE detention in every case
A lawful permanent resident may still be detained or placed in removal proceedings if the Department of Homeland Security alleges inadmissibility, fraud, misrepresentation or a disqualifying criminal history. A green card alone does not bar ICE from taking custody.
The government’s reported theory is tied to the original visa application. It says the alleged failure to disclose the Philippine conviction made Javar ineligible when he sought entry in 1995.
That position does not by itself resolve the legal issues in his case. The effect of an old foreign conviction, the alleged omission and any available defenses would depend on the underlying records and the immigration proceedings.
No published federal court decision or BIA precedent involving Javar has been identified in the reporting about the case. His detention remains described through the agency’s explanation, his daughter’s account and statements from advocacy organizations.
The case combines an old immigration allegation with a current demand for medical release. Javar’s family and supporters continue to seek action while he remains in custody.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
