Immigration judge blocks deportation of Vedam imprisoned 43 years for wrongful murder conviction

An immigration judge rules on April 3, 2026, that Subramanyam Vedam, 64, a legal permanent resident from India, cannot be deported, overturning a deportation order attached to decades-old drug charges. Vedam spent 43 years in Pennsylvania prison for a murder he maintained he did not commit before a judge vacated the conviction in August 2025 after attorneys revealed prosecutors had withheld ballistics evidence during two trials. ICE arrested Vedam the day after his murder conviction was overturned. His immigration judge applies the rehabilitation standard under INA Section 240A(a)(3), finding he poses no danger based on his literacy work with inmates and family ties. DHS has until May 4, 2026 to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. Old deportation orders never expire, even when attached to separate proceedings from an exonerated person.