The Washington Post reported on the 29th that Tae Heung “Will” Kim, a Korean-American scientist holding a green card, was detained without cause by immigration officials at San Francisco International Airport upon returning to the United States on the 21st after a two-week trip abroad to attend his brother’s wedding. He was denied access to a lawyer and has been detained for over a week.
In response, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told the Post on the 29th: “Green card holders convicted of drug offenses that violate their status will receive a notice to appear in court, and CBP will coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detention. The alien is currently being detained by ICE and awaiting deportation proceedings.”
Kim’s attorney, Eric Lee, stated that Kim, 40, has lived in the United States since age five and holds a green card. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at Texas A&M University, researching a Lyme disease vaccine. Jin Taixing faced a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge in Texas in 2011, but he completed community service and successfully petitioned for the charges to remain confidential, keeping the conviction sealed from the public record.
Eric Lee noted that the government has not explained the reason for Jin’s detention, and immigration officials have refused to allow him to speak with a lawyer, allowing him only a brief phone call with his mother on the 25th. Furthermore, the only communication his family has with him is what they believe to be “secondhand text messages,” text messages sent by immigration officials on Jin’s phone while he was present. When the family asked if Jin slept on the floor or if the lights were on all day, the text message replied, “Don’t worry.”
Because immigration authorities have not provided further information, it is impossible to contact Jin’s family directly. It is speculated that his detention may be related to the 2011 drug charge. However, immigration law has long had a waiver process that allows certain minor offenses to be overlooked to avoid threatening legal permanent resident status. Jin’s past offenses easily qualify for a waiver.
Eric Lee. Lee further expressed discontent, stating that he had called CBP officials to ask whether the Fifth and Sixth Amendments (rights to due process and counsel) applied to Jin, and they replied “no.” The government was apparently saying, “A person who has lived in the US for 35 years and holds a green card and leaves the country for a two-week vacation is not subject to the Constitution.”
Eric Lee called the Trump administration’s detention of Jin’s actions ironic. “Trump always says he loves America’s great farmers, and if Jin’s research continues, it will save the lives of countless farmers at risk of Lyme disease.”
The Washington Post noted that President Trump’s aggressive crackdown on immigration, including the removal of undocumented immigrants with minimal or no criminal records, has also affected immigrants with valid visas or green cards. Some foreign-born researchers have been detained by the Trump administration and charged with being “national security threats” simply for expressing opposition to US foreign policy toward Israel.
