Canton Mom Detained at Logan Despite Green Card, Released by ICE

(CANTON) A Canton mother and legal U.S. resident, Jemmy Lindsay Jimenez Rosa, was released from ICE custody on August 21, 2025, after Customs and Border Protection stopped her at Boston’s Logan Airport over a decades-old misdemeanor. The case drew quick attention from local media and immigrant advocates and renewed questions about how officers treat green card holders with old, minor convictions when they return to the United States.

CBP referred Jimenez Rosa to secondary inspection on August 16 because of a 2003 misdemeanor marijuana conviction, according to her attorneys. Although she holds a valid green card and has lived in the country for years, she was kept for initial processing and then transferred to ICE custody, where she remained for four days before her release on August 21, 2025.

Her legal team says the offense should not have triggered detention. Under current federal standards, a single misdemeanor marijuana conviction from more than two decades ago is generally not grounds for mandatory detention or removal for a lawful permanent resident. Massachusetts lawmakers and immigrant rights groups have asked federal officials to explain the hold and how often similar cases happen at ports of entry.

Detention and release

The August 16 stop at Logan Airport began with routine screening but quickly became an ordeal. After CBP’s initial hold, ICE took custody while officials reviewed the record.

Boston 25 News reported the case, and advocates pressed federal offices for her release. With mounting attention and support from attorneys, Jimenez Rosa was released on August 21.

As of that date, both ICE and CBP said the case was under internal review but did not issue detailed public statements about the basis for the hold or the legal analysis applied.

Her family says the four-day gap left children without their mother and caused days of confusion about where she was being held and what would happen next. Attorneys for Jimenez Rosa emphasized that the record did not meet the threshold for deportation and argued that detention in these circumstances conflicts with Department of Homeland Security guidance issued in late 2024, which urges officers to use discretion in cases involving old, minor offenses for legal permanent residents.

“Detention in these circumstances conflicts with Department of Homeland Security guidance,” her attorneys said, noting the family disruption caused by the hold.

Policy context and traveler guidance

Jimenez Rosa’s experience is not isolated. Attorneys say they continue to see returning residents flagged at ports over old misdemeanors that should not lead to detention.

VisaVerge.com reports that inconsistent use of discretion at ports of entry remains a problem after DHS updated its priorities in 2024. The result can be:

• sudden family separation
• missed work
• costly legal bills for people who have long since moved past minor cases

Federal law draws lines between crimes that can trigger removal and those that generally do not. A single low-level marijuana conviction, especially from decades ago, does not normally require detention for a green card holder returning from a trip. Still, CBP can refer a person to secondary inspection, question them, and, in some cases, hold them for transfer while ICE reviews the file. That process can be opaque for families waiting in the arrivals hall.

Practical steps for lawful permanent residents

For lawful permanent residents planning trips, these steps can reduce risk and stress:

1. Carry your valid green card and any court records showing the final outcome of old cases.
2. If you have any past criminal record, consult a qualified immigration attorney before you travel. Ask whether a conviction could raise issues at the border.
3. If you are held:
   • Ask to contact your attorney.
   • An attorney can file a G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance) so agencies know who represents you. You can find the form at: https://www.uscis.gov/g-28
4. Keep a list of key phone numbers with you:
   • ICE Boston Field Office: (617) 565-3100
   • CBP Boston Port of Entry: (617) 568-1810

The official DHS page for permanent residents explains rights and responsibilities after green cards are granted and is a good starting point for general rules about travel and status: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-we-grant-your-green-card

Advocacy and oversight

Advocacy groups, including the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, say they will keep pressing for clearer checkpoints:

• when CBP should refer a case to ICE
• how long people can be held without a charging document
• what information families can get while a review is underway

They also want standardized notices that explain why a person was detained, what happens next, and who to contact.

DHS officials say enhanced screening is important for national security, but they acknowledge that long-term residents should not face unnecessary detention over minor, old convictions. According to federal officials, the agencies have started an internal review of procedures for legal permanent residents whose files show decades-old misdemeanors, with results expected later in 2025.

Local impact and next steps

For Jimenez Rosa, the immediate ordeal is over, but questions remain:

• Why did a 22-year-old misdemeanor marijuana conviction lead to four days away from her family?
• Did officers lack access to clear guidance?

Those answers now rest with the internal review and any hearings that follow.

The case has become a rallying point in Massachusetts. Community groups are organizing know-your-rights events for green card holders, focusing on travel basics, the role of secondary inspection, and how to contact counsel if a hold occurs at the airport. Attorneys are also collecting examples from other travelers to document patterns and push for policy fixes.

Boston 25 News continues to cover the case, and local lawmakers are seeking a firm accounting from federal leaders on how many legal permanent residents have been detained in recent years at Logan Airport and other ports over minor or old records.

With the holiday travel season approaching, families want assurance that trips will not end in days of silence and fear. For now, the takeaway is simple: legal permanent residents like Jemmy Lindsay Jimenez Rosa should be able to return home after family travel without being swept into custody over a dated misdemeanor. Consistent application of DHS guidance—and clear communication with travelers—could spare many families the confusion and stress that marked those days in August.