In another case of detentions that’s happening across America, a Filipino immigrant and a green card holder was detained at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina after they returned from a vacation in the Bahamas. Sony Lasquite has resided in America for the past 23 years and worked as a banquet server in Las Vegas.
Alas, the ICE currently detains him, and his family and friends have launched a GoFundMe page last weekend to collect money for $30,000 for legal representation. His arrest is connected to a 2012 narcotics case. From 2010 to August 2012, Lasquite knowingly possessed and intended to distribute Schedule IV controlled substances, including diazepam, alprazolam, zolpidem, and carisoprodol.
Lasquite fully cooperated with federal authorities, helping to identify and bring to justice both charged and uncharged co-conspirators. In a 2014 sentencing memorandum, an attorney named Preet Bharara, who gave the verdict for his case, said, “I feel pretty confident that you’re not going to commit any crimes in the future, and I join the government in wishing you well.”
Filipino Green card holder Sonny Lasquite is facing deportation and under ICE detention after returning from the Bahamas on vacation. https://t.co/jDiRDVJwfj
— AsAmNews (@AsAmNews) August 11, 2025
As per Newsweek, the incident highlights how non-citizens, including green card holders, can be subjected to deportation proceedings even years after completing their sentences. Back in 2014, when he was sentenced, he paid a $200 fine and has had no further legal issues since the chapter was closed.
As of Monday, the fundraiser had collected nearly $11,600 from 56 donors.“Sonny Lasquite is more than a name—he is a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend whose kindness has touched countless lives,” the campaign states. Meanwhile, Sony Lasquite’s family members say that he allegedly suffered medical neglect while he was in custody.
Consequently, Immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi told Newsweek that such cases are not unusual.“Under current U.S. immigration law, lawful permanent residents—even those who have lived in the country for most of their lives remain vulnerable to removal if convicted of certain drug offenses,” Berardi said.
Democrats: Ice is detaining green card holders!!
The context: a past drug conviction made him in eligible to naturalize & susceptible to deportation.https://t.co/ZVBugxFOFi pic.twitter.com/3ufd0IWOUw
— Closeted News Junkie (@NewsCloset) August 12, 2025
“Naturalised citizens, on the other hand, cannot be deported for those same convictions, which is why we always urge clients to pursue citizenship when eligible.” As of now, Sony’s options to get out of the case and avoid deportation seem limited, as America, under the Trump administration, treats certain drug convictions as mandatory grounds for deportation.
Residents reported that officers in plainclothes are detaining people without identifying themselves, and increasing the threat of being illegally arrested. Despite immense protests, hate on social media and increased negative media coverage against Trump’s ruthless, swift, and unfair mass deportation agendas, the wave does not seem to stop.
The effect of ICE raids is visible in the economic fallout across the United States. The ICE crackdown began as a targeted enforcement action towards those who were living in the country illegally. Meanwhile, deporting so many migrants has affected the country’s agriculture sector. A new study estimates that California’s agricultural industry could face labour shortages of 20–40%. It will specifically be felt in labour-intensive crops.
A Filipino immigrant & green card holder with prior criminal charges for distributing controlled substances was detained at an airport and is currently in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
From roughly December 2010 to about August 2012, Lasquite… pic.twitter.com/5NmbpXbsr0
— Blanche Victoria (@tammytabby) August 11, 2025
This, however, has now evolved into a full-scale deportation of anyone and everyone who does not meet Trump’s criteria. For instance, Trump’s ambitious new detention centre in Florida has reportedly also kept people who were not illegal immigrants. As the fresh pictures of the prison surfaced online, people compared it to the Auschwitz concentration camp operated by the Nazis. A user tweeted, “There’s a reason we call it #AlligatorAuschwitz”
While the future of the deportation policy remains fearful and uncertain, we can only hope that people stay safe and are blessed with enough resources in case they end up in significant trouble.
