Scientist Detained at San Francisco Airport – Green Card Holder
Korean Scientist Detained at Airport Sparks Concerns Over Green Card Holder Rights
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A Korean-born scientist with a green card is being detained by U.S.immigration authorities after being pulled for secondary screening at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), raising concerns about the increasing detention of legal permanent residents over past criminal records. The case has prompted warnings from legal experts advising green card holders to reconsider international travel.
A Week in Detention: Uncertainty Surrounds Scientist’s Case
dr. Kim, whose full name is being withheld pending legal counsel’s strategy, was stopped at LAX after returning from a trip to South Korea. According to his attorney,Eric Lee,the reason for the secondary screening remains unknown.
“We have no idea where he is going to end up,” Lee stated.”We have no idea why.”
Kim has been held in a windowless room beneath the airport terminals for over a week, with limited dialog. He was briefly allowed to call his family last week, and received conflicting information regarding his potential transfer. A Senate office indicated he would be moved to an immigration facility in Texas, while the Korean Consulate informed his family of a different destination.
The detention has sparked worry from Kim’s mother, Yehoon “Sharon” Lee, who expressed concerns about his health. “He’s had asthma ever since he was younger,” she told the Washington Post. “I don’t know if he has enough medication. He carries an inhaler, but I don’t know if it’s enough, because he’s been there a week.”
Past Marijuana Charge Fuels Detention, Raises Legal Questions
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed to the Washington Post that Kim is in Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) custody pending removal hearings. A CBP spokesperson stated that a green card holder convicted of a drug offense potentially violates their status, triggering a Notice to Appear and coordinated detention with ICE.Kim has a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge from 2011 on his record. His attorney, however, questions weather a decades-old, minor offense justifies the current detention conditions.
“If every American who had a tiny amount of weed in their car was detained under these conditions…” Lee argued, calling the situation “absurd.”
Kim has been a long-time resident of the U.S., having arrived with his parents on business visas in the 1980s. While his parents later became naturalized citizens, Kim was too old to qualify for automatic citizenship at the time.He has maintained a green card and has been contributing to American society, recently enrolling in a doctoral program at Texas A&M University where he is researching a vaccine for Lyme disease. Prior to his studies, he assisted with his family’s doll-manufacturing business following the death of his father.
Growing Trend: Increased Detentions of Green Card Holders
Kim’s case is not isolated. Reports have been increasing nationwide of U.S. permanent residents being detained at airports, even for minor criminal records. This trend has prompted legal experts to advise green card holders to avoid international travel,fearing they may be denied re-entry.
“More green card holders are being detained over criminal records, lawyers say,” NPR reported in june 2025.
The situation highlights a growing anxiety within the immigrant community regarding the potential for deportation, even for those with decades-long ties to the U.S. and no serious criminal history. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from the L.A. Times regarding Kim’s case.