Two US courts have temporarily halted the deportation of Subramanyam Vedam, a 64-year-old Indian-origin man who spent 43 years in prison for a wrongful murder conviction, offering a glimmer of hope in his fight to remain in the United States.
Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, a legal permanent resident of the US since he was nine months old, was convicted in 1983 for the murder of his former roommate in Pennsylvania and sentenced to life imprisonment. He maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration, and in October 2025, new evidence led to his exoneration, making him the longest-incarcerated person in Pennsylvania to be cleared of a crime. However, upon his release on October 3, he was immediately taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which sought to deport him based on a 1988 deportation order and a separate drug conviction from 1984.
The drug conviction stemmed from a no-contest plea to charges of selling LSD when Vedam was 20 years old, for which he received a concurrent sentence of two-and-a-half to five years. While his murder conviction was overturned, the drug offense remains on his record, and ICE has cited it as grounds for removal. Vedam’s lawyers argue that the 43 years he wrongfully spent behind bars—during which he earned multiple degrees and tutored fellow inmates—should far outweigh the minor drug charge from his youth.
Last week, an immigration judge issued a stay on his deportation, pending a review by the Board of Immigration Appeals, a process that could take several months. On the same day, a US District Court in Pennsylvania also granted a stay, though that case may be put on hold awaiting the immigration court’s decision. These legal interventions prevent Vedam from being deported immediately and provide time for his legal team to present their case.
Vedam’s family emphasizes that he has no meaningful connections to India, having lived in the US since infancy and not speaking Hindi. His niece, Zoë Miller-Vedam, stated that he has a Philadelphia accent and is unfamiliar with modern technology, making deportation to a country where he has no close relatives particularly harsh. They hope that the Board of Immigration Appeals will recognize the injustice of deporting someone who has already endured decades of wrongful imprisonment.
The case underscores broader issues within the US immigration system, where non-citizens, even long-term residents, can face deportation for past convictions, regardless of subsequent exonerations. Vedam’s situation highlights the need for reforms that consider the totality of circumstances, including wrongful imprisonment and rehabilitation.
Looking ahead, the Board of Immigration Appeals will decide whether to review Vedam’s drug conviction and the deportation order. If they rule in his favor, he could be released and allowed to remain in the US with his family. Otherwise, he may face deportation to India, a country he barely knows. For now, the court stays offer a temporary reprieve, but his future remains uncertain as legal proceedings continue.