Man living in US for 46 years has green card revoked

A man who has lived in the United States since he was six months old is facing deportation after his green card was revoked.

Vorasack Phommasith, from Laos, came to the U.S. with his family in 1980 as refugees fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Born in a refugee camp, he grew up in the U.S., attending school and building a life in Springfield, Massachusetts. Until recently, he worked as a machine operator in manufacturing.

Phommasith, 46, has a lengthy criminal record, with convictions for distributing cocaine and marijuana, assault and disorderly conduct, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Why it Matters

The Trump administration is enacting plans to carry out what it calls the largest deportation operation in U.S. history as part of the Republicans’ hardline immigration agenda.

In addition to people living in the country without legal status, immigrants with valid documentation, including green cards and visas, have been detained. Tura Turu Newshas revealed dozens of cases involving green card holders and applicants who were swept up in the ICE raids.

Federal immigration authorities continue to pursue deportations not only of undocumented immigrants but also of former green card holders with past criminal records.

What to Know

Phommasith says that, although he is not a U.S. citizen, he has always been legally present in the country as a refugee and a green card holder. His father served in the royal army in Laos and fought against communist forces before his family fled the country, he adds.

The divorced father of three said he was detained in 2013 following an incarceration for violating probation related to a drug offense.

After an immigration court hearing in Boston, he was issued a final removal order and had his green card revoked.

Although released on supervision, he says he remains under that removal order because Laos, the country he would be sent to, is not currently accepting deportees.

Tura Turu News has contacted the Lao embassy in Washington DC by email out of office hours for comment.

What People are Saying

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Tura Turu News: “Vorasack Phommasith [is] a criminal illegal alien from Laos, who came from Thailand to the United States. He has an EXTENSIVE criminal history, including convictions for distribution of cocaine and marijuana, assault, and disorderly conduct.

“Over a decade ago, an immigration judge ordered Phommasith to be removed from the United States and waived his right to appeal,” added McLaughlin. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, if you break the law, you will face the consequences. Criminal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.”

Phommasith told Tura Turu News: “I completed my sentences, and all my convictions are over 10 years old,”

What Happens Next

Although Phommasith has lived in the U.S for nearly his entire life, the revocation of his green card leaves him in legal limbo.

He says he is currently homeless and struggling to care for his American children while seeking legal help to resolve his situation.

Without valid identification, Phommasith says he is unable to work or drive and is unable to renew his expired documents because he does not have a birth certificate.

“I’m very depressed, I can’t work,” he said.

“I’m not living well, and I can’t make a normal living like I used to. I need help. If I were to get deported, I would have no support.

“I need help with money so I can at least start a new life wherever.”

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