Passenger's Green Card Taken Away at Los Angeles Airport: Girl Deported Despite Legal Status in the US
A viral TikTok video has become a warning to green card holders about what not to do at the airport. According to a woman, her niece's green card was taken away at the Los Angeles airport, writes Fox 11. Human rights activists offer advice to help ID card holders know their rights.
Photo: Artiom Storojenco | Dreamstime.com
In the video, which has been viewed more than 2,5 million times, the woman claims her niece, a nursing student and green card holder, was deported after returning to Los Angeles from Laos.
"Customs stopped her, took her green card, cut off a corner, put my niece in a room with three other people and said that if a person has had a green card for less than two years and leaves the United States, they are not allowed back in," the woman said. "They take the green card."
On the subject: Seven pitfalls when applying for a green card based on marriage
Can green card holders travel abroad?
Immigration attorney Jose Osorio, who is not involved in the case, explains that green card holders can travel abroad for up to 180 days without issue. However, he warns that some travelers are pressured to sign documents like Form I-407 when they return to the U.S.
What is Form I-407
Form I-407 is issued by the Department of Homeland Security. It is called a Record of Relinquishment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status.
Filing Form I-407 voluntarily renounces your permanent resident status in the United States.
“A person can be interrogated alone, without a lawyer, and sometimes, out of misinformation or desperation, he signs documents without realizing that he is thereby depriving himself of his rights,” Osorio explained.
Many social media users are warning against signing this form.
"If you are asked to sign an I-407, don't do it," one advises. "You have the right to request a meeting with an immigration judge."
Another user noted: "So many people sign documents without reading them. That's why I say this all the time: make sure you don't sign anything."
What are the rights of a green card holder?
As Osorio said, customs officers are only allowed to ask three types of questions:
- Establishing identity;
- Confirmation of permanent resident status;
- Routine customs related questions such as having food items from overseas or carrying over $10.
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"The most important thing is to know your rights," Osorio emphasized. "Don't sign anything that takes them away. If you don't understand what the document says, don't sign it."
Only an immigration judge has the authority to revoke a person's permanent resident status. However, if someone signs a waiver at the airport, it is virtually impossible to reverse the decision.
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