Vedam Freed After 43 Years, Detained by ICE Immediately

(PENNSYLVANIA, USA) Subramanyam Vedam walked out of a Pennsylvania state prison a free man after his murder conviction was vacated in 2025. Moments later, he was placed in ICE custody on a decades-old immigration detainer first issued in 1988, restarting a legal fight that could decide whether he can remain in the United States 🇺🇸. His case blends two stark realities: a wrongful conviction that kept him behind bars for 43 years and an immigration system now moving to enforce an old deportation order.

A judge vacated Vedam’s 1983 conviction in the 1980 killing of his roommate, Thomas Kinser, after finding serious problems with the case. The record showed missing evidence, deceased witnesses, and an undisclosed FBI report that cast doubt on the weapon used. The Centre County District Attorney’s Office declined to retry the case and dropped the charges, clearing the path for Vedam’s release.

He was immediately transferred to the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in central Pennsylvania based on the 1988 deportation order and detainer that had remained active.

Conflicting Narratives: ICE vs. Family and Lawyers

ICE described Subramanyam Vedam as a “career criminal” and convicted drug trafficker, citing the long-standing order as the legal basis for enforcement.

Vedam’s family and legal team strongly dispute that framing, pointing instead to the judge’s ruling and the collapse of the murder case. They argue the immigration order rests on a history that no longer reflects today’s facts.

His lawyers have filed a motion to reopen his immigration case and asked for a stay of deportation while that motion is reviewed. The government has until October 24, 2025 to respond.

“The sudden shift from prison release to ICE detention erased the relief of the prison release,” supporters say, emphasizing how the transfer replaced one legal system with another that follows different rules and timelines.

Immediate Transfer to ICE and Personal Background

Vedam was born in India and came to the United States as an infant, arriving at nine months old. He has spent his life in the United States 🇺🇸 and Canada 🇨🇦. His family says he has no ties to India beyond birth.

The sudden shift from prison release to ICE detention hit them hard, stirring fear that he could be removed to a country he has not known since infancy. For families in similar situations, the handoff from state custody to immigration authorities is often the most stressful moment, because it replaces one system (criminal justice) with another (immigration enforcement) that follows different rules and timelines.

While serving time for the now-vacated conviction, Vedam built an academic record through correspondence programs, including a master’s degree completed with a 4.0 GPA. He mentored other inmates and taught classes, according to supporters, who say those efforts show who he became during incarceration. To them, the idea of deportation now—after a judge overturned the core case that kept him locked up—feels unfair and out of step with reality.

Legal Tools and Timeline

The immigration posture is anchored in the 1988 deportation order. ICE often treats such orders as immediately enforceable unless a court or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) pauses removal.

In practice, two legal tools can slow or stop removal while a case is reconsidered:

1. File a motion to reopen with the immigration court or the Board of Immigration Appeals, asking the tribunal to review new facts or legal error.
2. Request a stay of removal, which can be sought from the immigration court/BIA or from ICE directly using Form I-246, Application for a Stay of Deportation or Removal.

• Individuals and attorneys can find the form on the agency’s website: Form I-246 (ICE).

Vedam’s team has already moved to reopen proceedings and asked for a stay while that motion is pending. The response deadline—October 24, 2025—sets a near-term marker for what happens next.

What This Means for Similar Cases

This case spotlights a hard question: what should happen when a person’s criminal case collapses after decades, but an old immigration order still stands?

• In immigration law, removal can rest on different grounds than a conviction that is later vacated. Some orders stem from separate offenses. Others rely on the same case, but the legal effect of a vacatur can vary based on the reason the conviction was set aside and the wording of the immigration statute.

For people like Subramanyam Vedam, the path forward usually depends on three issues:

• Whether the original removal grounds still apply after the conviction is vacated, and if the vacatur was because of legal error rather than for immigration relief.
• Whether new facts—such as lost evidence and undisclosed reports—support reopening in immigration court.
• Whether equity factors, including long residence, family ties, and rehabilitation, should guide the use of enforcement discretion.

Immigration courts have power to reopen if there are strong legal or factual reasons. ICE can also use discretion to pause removal in rare cases. But timelines are tight, and the rules are technical. Families often need to act fast, gather records from old criminal files, and present clear arguments on why the deportation order no longer fits.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, cases involving vacated convictions and long-standing detainers often hinge on detailed legal filings that tie the criminal court’s decision to specific immigration standards. The stakes are high: a denied motion can lead to swift removal, while a granted motion can reset the entire posture of the case.

Practical Steps for Families in Similar Situations

Families facing a similar scenario can consider practical actions to preserve options and delay removal:

• Get certified copies of the criminal court order vacating the conviction and any written findings that explain why.
• File a motion to reopen with the proper immigration body, making clear how the vacatur changes the legal analysis.
• Request a stay of removal while the motion is pending, including supporting letters and proof of community ties.
  • For requests to ICE, use Form I-246 available here: Form I-246 (ICE).
• Keep proof of long-term residence, education, work history, and family support, which can help show equities and stability.

Stakes and Next Steps

The human stakes are evident. Vedam’s family describes shock at the prospect of deportation to India after a lifetime in North America. For them, the words “immediate transfer to ICE custody” erased the relief of the prison release. For immigration officials, the presence of a final order triggers a set of duties that move quickly unless a court or the agency says otherwise.

As the October 24, 2025 deadline approaches, Vedam’s legal filings will likely decide whether his case is paused, reopened, or fast-tracked for removal. The core legal question is whether the collapse of the murder case—and the reasons behind it—justify reopening immigration proceedings issued decades ago.

The outcome will ripple beyond one person: it will signal how the system treats old orders when new facts undo the foundation that once supported them.