ICE Detains Filipino Green Card Holder Over Decade-Old Drug Conviction

Sonny Lasquite, a Filipino immigrant and lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for 23 years, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after returning from a vacation in the Bahamas, due to a 2012 narcotics conviction. Although Lasquite cooperated with federal authorities during his original case, which involved possession and intent to distribute Schedule IV controlled substances, and was sentenced with a $200 fine in 2014, he now faces deportation proceedings despite no further legal issues since then. His family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for his legal defense, highlighting the emotional and medical challenges he has faced while in detention. Legal experts note that lawful permanent residents remain vulnerable to detention and removal under current U.S. immigration laws if convicted of certain crimes, even if those convictions are years old. This case exemplifies the broader enforcement measures affecting green card holders and other immigrants, raising concerns about the humanitarian impact on families dependent on detained individuals. Similar detentions have occurred among other Filipino green card holders, underscoring a pattern in immigration enforcement at U.S. airports.