Immigration officers detained a green-card holder who came to the United States as a child upon his return to the country after a vacation, his family said.
Newsweek reached out to his family and Department of Homeland Security for comment via Facebook message and email.
Why It Matters
Maximo Londonio, who is from Washington state, is the latest green-card holder to be detained amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
The detention of green-card holders—especially those with long-standing legal status in the United States—has raised alarms among immigrant communities and legal advocates, who warn that lawful residents with non-violent criminal records may be vulnerable to detention when returning to the U.S. after international travel as enforcement policies become more rigorous.
What To Know
Londonio, a 42-year-old Olympia resident who was born in the Philippines and came to the U.S. when he was 12, was detained at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on May 15. The detainment came as he was returning home from a family trip to the Philippines, according to the Seattle Times.
His family said he has not been convicted of any violent crimes. He was convicted on a felony charge of grand theft in 2002 and served a seven-month sentence in county jail in California, according to the report.
Since then, his family has made several trips to the Philippines and has never faced more than 20 minutes of questioning by officers when returning to the U.S., according to the report.
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson told Newsweek that anyone entering the U.S. is “subject to inspection” and that officers “routinely determine admissibility of foreign nationals using long-standing U.S. immigration law.”
“Lawful permanent residency for foreign citizens in the United States is a privilege,” the spokesperson said. “Under federal immigration law, lawful permanent residents convicted of offenses considered to be crimes involving moral turpitude, including aggravated felonies, can legally lose their status and be removed. Crimes involving moral turpitude include crimes such as grand theft and use and/or distribution of controlled substances.”
Londonio told his family on Monday that he was being transferred to the Northwest Detention Center, but the date of his next hearing remained unclear, the Seattle Times reported.
This is at least the second case of a green-card holder being detained at the airport in Seattle. Lewelyn Dixon, a University of Washington lab technician and Filipino green-card holder, was stopped at the airport in February and remains in ICE custody.
Dixon had a non-violent embezzlement conviction but did not serve any time, instead spending 30 days in a halfway house and paying a $6,400 fine.
The Trump administration has warned that green-card holders must behave like a guest while in the country or risk removal. The Justice Department has argued in court that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has the authority to reconsider and potentially revoke green-card holders’ lawful permanent residency at any time.
What People Are Saying
Crystal Londonio, Maximo’s wife, during a press conference this week, per NBC News: “Four days is too long. The lack of accountability by the United States Customs and Border Protection is failing him right now. … I’m a U.S. citizen, you failed me.”
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) President Brian Bryant, in a statement: “Like so many across our country, our IAM Union Brother Maximo is simply trying to be the best husband and father he can be and provide for his family. To our knowledge, there has been no evidence to support the U.S. government’s continued detention of Maximo. We call for his immediate release.”
What Happens Next
Londonio was reportedly scheduled for transfer to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma and awaits a hearing to determine his status and the next steps of his case. Advocacy organizations and his family members continue to press for his immediate release.
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