After spending over four decades behind bars for a crime later overturned, Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now has his deportation put on hold by two U.S. courts amid questions of fairness and immigration justice.
Background: 43 Years Behind Bars
Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, now 64, moved to the United States from India when he was just nine months old. He grew up in Pennsylvania and became a lawful permanent U.S. resident.
In 1983, Vedam was convicted of a murder he did not commit. He spent 43 years in a Pennsylvania state prison, maintaining his innocence throughout.
In August 2025, a court overturned his conviction after new forensic and ballistic evidence proved he had no role in the crime.
He was finally released in October 2025 — a moment that should have marked a new beginning in his life.
ICE Detention After Release
However, freedom didn’t last long. Soon after his release, Vedam was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Authorities cited a decades-old drug-related charge from his youth — a no-contest plea to LSD delivery — as grounds for deportation to India.
The move shocked his lawyers and family, as Vedam has lived in the U.S. nearly his entire life and has no ties or relatives in India.
Courts Step In
Two U.S. courts — an Immigration Court and a District Court — have now issued stays on his deportation.
The rulings mean Vedam cannot be deported until his appeal is heard by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
His attorneys argue that deporting a man who spent most of his life in prison for a wrongful conviction would be a “grave miscarriage of justice.”
Family And Public Reactions
Vedam’s family has called the situation heartbreaking. His sister told local media that Subu “does not even speak Hindi and has no one in India.”
Human-rights advocates have also demanded that ICE grant him permanent residency on compassionate grounds.
Several American civil-rights groups are supporting the case, saying it could set an important legal precedent for wrongfully imprisoned immigrants.
What Happens Next
- The BIA will review Vedam’s deportation case in the coming weeks.
- His legal team is pushing for a complete waiver of removal based on his wrongful conviction and good conduct.
- Immigration experts say this case may prompt policy discussions on protecting long-term residents who were wrongfully jailed.
