Green Card Holders with Past Convictions Targeted in Expanded US Deportation Efforts

Across the United States, a growing number of long-term legal residents are facing deportation proceedings as immigration enforcement policies undergo significant changes. 

The shift moves beyond a focus on undocumented immigrants to include those with legal status who have established lives and careers within the country. Recent cases highlight the increased vulnerability of immigrants, even those with legal standing. Rodney Taylor, a Georgia barber and double amputee, faces deportation to Liberia despite a gubernatorial pardon for a past conviction. His detention, shortly after his engagement, has separated him from his family and complicated his medical care. 

Taylor's case exemplifies how updated computer systems flag past convictions, regardless of severity or age, facilitating rapid detentions and raising concerns about due process. Alfredo Orellana, a green card holder and caretaker, was detained upon returning from a vacation. Similarly, Lewelyn Dixon, a lab technician with 50 years of residency, was detained due to a decades-old embezzlement conviction. 

The Trump administration's "maximum enforcement" approach, as described by immigration attorneys, has created an environment of uncertainty within immigrant communities. The anxiety extends beyond those with criminal records, encompassing individuals with pending green card applications or those who have fallen out of status. 

This policy shift has expanded the definition of "enforcement priorities," impacting individuals who have contributed to their communities and built their lives in the U.S. While green card holders enjoy many of the same rights as citizens, they remain subject to deportation proceedings if they have committed a crime.