Georgia court grants bail to Rajahmundry-born teacher detained by US immigration authorities

A federal court in Georgia has granted bail to Rajahmundry-born teacher Venkata Narasamamba Vasamsetty, 57, nearly two weeks after she was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), The Times of India (TOI) reported.

The bail order has brought relief to her family, which is seeking clarity on why she was detained despite being a long-term US resident and holding a green card.

Venkata was taken into ICE custody on August 11 after authorities raised concerns about the length of her stays in India. Her family said she has lived legally in the US for nearly 30 years and obtained her US green card in 2013.


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She works as a teacher with the Wake County Public School. Her family said the prosecution strongly opposed her bail plea.

A family member told TOI that the prosecution had allegedly not opposed bail in eight other cases involving Mexican nationals who had crossed the US border illegally. He alleged that Indians living and working in the US contribute significantly to the American economy and pay substantial taxes, yet face “disproportionate treatment”.

Venkata is from a village near Amalapuram in the Konaseema region. She moved to the US in 1999 after her husband, a software professional, had settled there.

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The couple later built their life in the US and raised two daughters. One daughter is a doctor and the other is an immigration lawyer.

Venkata made frequent trips to India to visit her ailing father. Her relatives believe these repeated visits eventually became a factor in the immigration proceedings against her.

According to her family, she was handcuffed after her detention and taken in a closed detention van to a facility in Georgia.

The court's decision to grant bail has provided temporary relief to the family. However, they continue to seek answers about the circumstances that led to the detention of a long-term US resident and the treatment she received in custody.