Subramanyam 'Subu' Vedam was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years for a murder he did not commit and was recently exonerated, only to be detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation to India. Vedam had maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration, and several appeals eventually led to new evidence clearing his name. However, upon his release, he was immediately taken into custody due to a 1988 deportation order related to his past convictions.
His family is now waging a battle against his deportation, underscoring that Vedam’s ties to India are extremely limited, having immigrated to the United States when he was just nine months old. His sister, Saraswathi, expressed dismay at the situation, as Vedam has gone from a familiar prison environment to a detention facility, facing new hardships without the acknowledgment of his past good behavior as an inmate. Vedam himself stated, 'I want us to focus on the win,' signaling his desire to not only reclaim his freedom but also to highlight the injustice of being deported to a country he barely knows.
Vedam was originally convicted for the 1980 murder of his college roommate, Tom Kinser. The case was complicated by circumstantial evidence and a lack of physical proof linking him to the crime. His family and legal team continue to advocate for his release, emphasizing that his decades of good behavior, educational achievements, and community service should play a role in his immigration case. They argue that deporting him to India would amount to a second injustice against a man who has already faced an unimaginable ordeal.
His family is now waging a battle against his deportation, underscoring that Vedam’s ties to India are extremely limited, having immigrated to the United States when he was just nine months old. His sister, Saraswathi, expressed dismay at the situation, as Vedam has gone from a familiar prison environment to a detention facility, facing new hardships without the acknowledgment of his past good behavior as an inmate. Vedam himself stated, 'I want us to focus on the win,' signaling his desire to not only reclaim his freedom but also to highlight the injustice of being deported to a country he barely knows.
Vedam was originally convicted for the 1980 murder of his college roommate, Tom Kinser. The case was complicated by circumstantial evidence and a lack of physical proof linking him to the crime. His family and legal team continue to advocate for his release, emphasizing that his decades of good behavior, educational achievements, and community service should play a role in his immigration case. They argue that deporting him to India would amount to a second injustice against a man who has already faced an unimaginable ordeal.
