Indian-Origin Vedam Exonerated After 43 Years, Detained by ICE

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Subramanyam Vedam left a Pennsylvania prison on October 3, 2025, after courts exonerated him of a 1980 murder — and then ICE agents detained him minutes later under a decades-old order of removal. The 64-year-old Indian-origin lawful permanent resident, who arrived in the United States 🇺🇸 as an infant and has lived here nearly his entire life, now faces deportation to India despite his wrongful conviction being vacated in August. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the case has shocked both criminal justice advocates and immigration lawyers who say it exposes a gap between freedom in criminal court and punishment in the civil immigration system.

The original murder case against Subramanyam Vedam began in State College, Pennsylvania. He was convicted in 1983 for the killing of Thomas Kinser and sentenced to life without parole. Years later, newly uncovered FBI records, ballistic findings, and suppressed investigative notes showed that key evidence never reached the jury. In August 2025, a Pennsylvania court vacated the conviction, ruling that authorities violated his due process rights by withholding exculpatory material. That decision cleared the path for his release after 43 years.

But the same day his prison gates opened, ICE executed an old removal order rooted in a separate drug offense from his teenage years. ICE is enforcing a deportation order that dates back to the 1980s, tied to Vedam’s past conviction for LSD possession with intent to distribute. Because immigration law treats certain drug offenses as deportable, the order remained active even while he was incarcerated. Exoneration for murder does not automatically fix that. In immigration law, removal is a civil process, separate from criminal court outcomes. Without formal action in immigration court to reopen the old case, the order stands.

“When a man loses four decades of his life to a false conviction, deporting him now is the ultimate miscarriage of justice,” said a civil rights attorney following the case.

Immediate ICE detention raises legal questions

The legal conflict sits at the heart of how two systems operate. Criminal courts can clear a defendant, but immigration judges must separately address any order of removal.

Vedam’s legal team now has to work on multiple tracks:

1. File a Motion to Reopen Removal Proceedings with the immigration court, arguing that the exoneration and the passage of more than four decades are new facts that warrant a second look. This is a written filing supported by court records and legal arguments. While there is no standardized form for this motion in immigration court, lawyers follow strict filing rules set by the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
2. Seek a Stay of Removal using Form I-246, Application for a Stay of Deportation or Removal. If granted, the stay would temporarily block removal and can be renewed as needed.
3. Request humanitarian parole so he can be released from detention during the court process, citing his age and health after four decades in prison. Humanitarian parole requests are submitted to USCIS on Form I-131, Application for Travel Document with supporting evidence of urgent humanitarian reasons or a clear public benefit.

Advocates also urge ICE to use prosecutorial discretion — an authority that allows the agency to pause or stop certain removals in compelling cases. They argue Vedam was punished for a crime he did not commit, and removal now would separate him from his U.S.-based family and medical care.

Human rights organizations have asked ICE to release him immediately on humanitarian grounds, saying deportation to a country he barely remembers would be a second, lifelong penalty. Legal groups note that the removal order stems from a youthful drug case and reflects older enforcement practices that did not account for the severe consequences after a wrongful conviction is overturned.

The legal path ahead and available relief

Vedam’s counsel will likely combine several filings and requests to maximize the chance of relief.

Key steps and available relief:

• Motion to Reopen
  • Asks the immigration judge to review the decades-old order in light of the vacated murder conviction and changed circumstances.
  • If granted, the judge can terminate the old case or hold new hearings.
• Stay of Removal
  • Protects against sudden deportation while the motion is pending.
  • Filing the stay can be paired with requests for bond or release on parole.
• Humanitarian Parole / Medical Parole
  • If medical needs are acute after 43 years of incarceration, attorneys can seek release under ICE’s medical parole policies.
• Prosecutorial Discretion
  • Advocates request ICE use its authority to pause or decline enforcement in this compelling circumstance.

Practical actions families and attorneys often take:

• Locate the detained person using the ICE Detainee Locator.
• Obtain certified criminal court records to show any vacated convictions or new evidence.
• Collect proof of family ties, stable housing, and medical needs to support parole or discretion requests.
• Prepare sworn declarations, affidavits, and community support letters to strengthen motions.

Policy experts stress a structural point: exoneration does not cancel a civil deportation order unless an immigration judge or the Department of Homeland Security takes separate action. Old orders can still be enforced many years later, so lawful permanent residents with set-aside or overturned convictions must pursue immigration relief even after criminal exoneration.

Wider impact on immigrant communities

Vedam’s case carries practical lessons for multiple groups:

• Green Card holders
  • Even decades-old criminal cases can trigger removal. Verify that any past charge is fully resolved and consult an immigration attorney before travel or status changes.
• H-1B and L-1 professionals
  • Criminal or tax issues can complicate future Green Card eligibility; plan carefully with counsel.
• F-1 students on OPT
  • Keep SEVIS records current and maintain proof of work authorization to avoid status issues that can echo years later.
• Citizenship applicants (N-400)
  • USCIS reviews lifetime history; certified court records may be required even for dismissed cases.

Advocates are pressing Congress and DHS for reforms tailored to exonerees, including:

• Automatic review of removal orders when a criminal conviction is vacated.
• Clear standards for humanitarian parole for those cleared by criminal courts.
• A fast-track process to resolve legacy deportation cases rooted in now-overturned convictions.

Supporters say these steps would prevent the system from replacing one loss of freedom with another. Critics warn that every case is different and should be reviewed individually, though many agree current timelines can keep people in limbo.

Community response and stakes

Back in Pennsylvania, supporters describe Vedam as a neighbor whose life was consumed by a mistake the state now admits. They note he has no ties in India, needs medical care in the United States, and would be cut off from family if deported.

ICE, meanwhile, points to the existing order and the underlying drug offense, which remains a deportable ground. Both sides agree that immigration judges — not criminal courts — must now decide the next steps. The central question is how quickly relief can arrive and whether Vedam can await that decision outside detention.

The stakes extend beyond one man. Wrongful conviction cases often reveal errors that took years to uncover. When those errors collide with old deportation orders, the result can be detention that feels like a second sentence.

Immediate checklist for similar cases

If someone finds themselves in a similar situation, these steps can help right away:

• Gather certified court records showing any vacated conviction or exoneration.
• File a Motion to Reopen with supporting declarations and evidence.
• Submit Form I-246 to request a stay while the motion is pending.
• Ask for humanitarian parole using Form I-131, especially for age or health concerns.
• Use the ICE Detainee Locator to keep family informed and coordinate legal visits.
• Prepare proof of U.S. family ties, housing plans, medical records, and community support.

As for Subramanyam Vedam, his freedom now depends on the civil immigration process. His attorneys are moving to reopen his case and halt removal while the court reviews the new record. If the case is reopened, an immigration judge could terminate proceedings or grant other relief. If not, ICE could move to deport him to a country he last saw as a baby.

For many in immigrant communities, his story is a stark reminder that legal innocence in criminal court does not automatically bring immigration safety — unless records are updated, motions are filed, and relief is granted in the right forum. Supporters argue the system should not replace a prison cell with an immigration hold, especially after a court finds the original case was flawed. Whether through court rulings, ICE discretion, or new policy, Vedam’s case will test how the United States balances fairness with the strict letter of immigration law.