Venkata Vasamsetty (middle) has been granted bail but her immigration case continues as DHS calls her a flight risk and claims she can leave the country.
But she was still called for her immigration check-in on August 11, when she was detained. The DHS cited Vasamsetty’s travel history between the United States and India, telling the judge that she spent 61 days in the United States in 2019, 96 days in 2021 and 67 days in 2022. Her family claimed that she won the legal case as it was proved that Vasamsetty did not intend to abandon her residency in the US by her overstay in India. Vasamsetty’s family also said they are disputing her travel dates overall, arguing that no exact timetable was brought in or agreed to as evidence to explain how they arrived at the numbers they did, ABC11 reported.
During Tuesday’s bond hearing, Department of Homeland Security attorney Abby Cannon said Vasamsetty was not a danger to the community but she posed a significant flight risk. Vasamsetty’s attorney, Helen Parsonage, argued that these trips were mostly for caring her aging parents, including her father before his death.
Bayse pointed to Vasamsetty’s long-standing ties to the United States, including her husband, two US-citizen daughters, grandchildren, a home, tax returns dating back to at least 2012, business ties, and her work as an elementary school substitute teacher. So he denied the request for the minimum bond and set bail at $7,500. The judge set a September 24 deadline for the government to do so.
Because vasamsetty has the resources and history to travel internationally, the judge did find that some flight risk exists. He found that DHS had not met its burden of proving that she would flee if released. Judge Chad Bayse agreed that Vasamsetty’s history of compliance weighed heavily in the decision. Vasamsetty must appear at all future court dates, comply with court orders and avoid arrests, illegal drugs and harmful contact with others. DHS has the right to appeal the bond decision.
He also said that Vasamsetty did not have any criminal history.
Parsonage argues that Vasamsetty was unlikely to flee and she never missed an immigration court appearance or ICE check-in in her earlier removal case.