| Photo via Facebook
SEATTLE, WA — Filipino immigrant Loreto Javar, a 76‑year‑old green card holder battling stage‑four prostate cancer, is facing deportation after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during what was supposed to be his routine U.S. citizenship interview in Tukwila, Washington. His arrest has sparked outrage among Filipino American advocates who say the detention is both medically dangerous and morally indefensible.
Javar, who has lived in the United States since 1995, was taken into custody on July 18 after ICE agents confronted him about a decades‑old homicide conviction in the Philippines — a 1970s altercation that resulted in a death. He served roughly three years in prison before being released on parole. ICE claims he failed to disclose the conviction when applying for his U.S. visa, making him “inadmissible at entry” and therefore subject to removal.
He is currently held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, the same facility where multiple detainees have reported medical neglect.
Detained Despite Green Card and Critical Illness
According to ICE, Javar’s omission of the conviction constitutes a violation of immigration law, regardless of his long‑term residency or medical condition. But advocates say the agency is ignoring the reality of his health: Javar is undergoing treatment for advanced prostate cancer, requiring regular medical appointments and monitoring.
“He is a cancer patient who needs consistent care. Detention is interrupting that care and putting his life at risk,” said Tess Zenarosa of the Malaya Movement Tacoma, one of the groups leading the campaign for his release.
Javar told supporters during a monitored call that he fears missing critical treatments. “I just want to continue my medical care. I’m scared I won’t get what I need here,” he said, according to advocates who spoke with him.
His family says he had no intention of hiding his past and believed the matter had been resolved decades ago.
How ICE Arrested Him
Javar arrived at the USCIS office in Tukwila expecting a standard naturalization interview. Instead, ICE agents were waiting. After brief questioning, they placed him in handcuffs and transported him to the Tacoma detention center.
“He thought he was finally becoming a U.S. citizen. Instead, he was arrested in the same building,” said Alyssa Reyes, an organizer with Tanggol Migrante.
Advocates say the arrest mirrors a pattern of ICE detaining immigrants at citizenship appointments — a practice criticized by civil rights groups for discouraging lawful applicants from seeking naturalization.
Community Mobilizes to Stop Deportation
Filipino American organizations across Washington have launched a campaign urging ICE to release Javar on humanitarian grounds. The Malaya Movement, Tanggol Migrante, and Filipino Community of Seattle have organized rallies, letter‑writing drives, and medical advocacy petitions.
“We are asking ICE to exercise discretion. Loreto is elderly, ill, and poses no threat. Deporting him now is cruel,” said a Seattle‑based physician who reviewed Javar’s medical records.
Supporters also argue that deporting a cancer patient to the Philippines — where treatment access may be limited — would be tantamount to a death sentence.
A petition calling for his release has gathered thousands of signatures.
Humanitarian Parole
Javar’s legal team is seeking humanitarian parole and a stay of removal while they challenge ICE’s determination. His next immigration hearing is expected later this month.
Advocates say they will continue fighting.
“Loreto deserves dignity, care, and the chance to live out his remaining years with his family,” Reyes said.
