August 13, 2025
LOS ANGELES – Another Filipino green-card holder was detained by immigration authorities recently as he returned from vacation, and his family is appealing for public support to fund his legal battle.
Sonny Lasquite, who was charged with distributing controlled substances more than a decade ago, was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following his detention by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the airport last month.
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“In July 2025, Sonny was unexpectedly taken into immigration detention due to a 2012 conviction. Since then, he has had no further legal troubles and has been a law-abiding, contributing member of his community,” according to a GoFundMe, set up on behalf of his family to raise funds for his legal representation.
“Sonny Lasquite is more than a name – he is a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend whose kindness has touched countless lives.”
The GoFundMe said Lasquite, the breadwinner of his family, has lived peacefully in the United States, “working hard, caring for his elderly mother, and always putting others before himself.”
“But today, Sonny, a green-card holder, is facing a crisis that could take him away from everyone who loves him,” it added.
“Now, he is at risk of being deported to a country he has not called home for many years. His detention has been especially hard on our elderly mother, whose health is declining under the weight of this stress. Sonny himself has also faced medical neglect during detention, including delayed access to his blood pressure medication and proper care for his recent fever.”
Lasquite’s detention is similar to the cases of other Filipino green-card holders, including Lewelyn Dixon and Maximo “Kuya Max” Londonio, who were detained at the airport as they returned from vacation and taken into custody due to long-resolved criminal records.
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ICE records reviewed by Newsweek show Lasquite – who is being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Stewart County, Georgia – was arrested due to a 2012 narcotics case. He lived in the US for 23 years and worked as a banquet server in Las Vegas.
Court records show that from 2010 to 2012, Lasquite possessed with the intent to distribute narcotics, but immediately took responsibility for his actions and cooperated with the federal government in identifying co-conspirators, according to the Newsweek report.
The court sentenced Lasquite to time served, with no additional prison time, and ordered him to pay $200, the report said.
Three other Filipino nationals with criminal convictions are facing deportation: a 29-year-old Massachusetts resident with a prior rape conviction, an individual charged with terrorism-related offenses in Philadelphia and another one currently held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility.
“They are convicted criminal offenders who have already served their sentences and are being processed for removal,” Rovald Valdez, Assistance to Nationals (ATN) officer with the Philippine Consulate General in New York, told Inquirer.net USA. “The Consulate stays in regular contact with their detention centers to check on their welfare.”
As of Tuesday, the GoFundMe for Lasquite’s legal representation had raised more than $13,000.