Greggy Valerio Sorio | Photo from Migrante US
NEW YORK — Filipino community groups and immigrant‑rights advocates are condemning the deportation of Greggy Valerio Sorio, a 37‑year‑old green card holder who suffered severe medical deterioration while detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington. Sorio, known affectionately as “Kuya G,” was deported to the Philippines after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) denied his final stay request, despite his recent hospitalization, chronic illness diagnosis, and toe amputation.
According to reporting from the Anchorage Daily News, Sorio was anemic, vomiting blood, and passing blood in his stool before he was finally taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in late October. Doctors diagnosed him with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and a bone infection forced the amputation of one of his toes. His attorney, Louise Carhart, said Sorio now uses a wheelchair and requires ongoing medical care.
Advocates Warned He Was Too Sick to Fly
At least 60 advocates rallied in the rain outside the Tacoma detention center, urging ICE to halt the deportation and transfer Sorio to a hospital. Protesters held signs reading “Stop medical violence,” arguing that deporting a medically fragile detainee amounted to negligence.
“We’re saying that they have blood on their hands and that they need to intervene,” said Noah Ajeto of the Tanggol Migrante Movement, who joined representatives from BAYAN WA, Malaya Movement Tacoma, and UFCW 3000.
Sorio was initially escorted to a 9:30 p.m. Philippine Airlines flight, but airline staff removed him from the plane after advocates alerted them to his condition. He was later held at Sea‑Tac Airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Criminal Convictions Triggered Removal Order
Sorio’s deportation stemmed from a series of criminal convictions dating back more than a decade. According to ICE records cited by multiple outlets, Sorio was convicted of: reckless injury (2010), reckless endangerment (2016), fourth‑degree assault (2017), burglary (2019) — the conviction that placed his green card in jeopardy, and recklessly causing injury (2024).
After completing a prison sentence in Alaska, Sorio was transferred to ICE custody in February 2025. An immigration judge issued a final removal order in early October, and his stay of removal was denied the weekend before his deportation.
Carhart emphasized that the legal case was not in dispute. “It’s not like we were saying he wasn’t convicted of these things… we just wanted to get him health care,” she said.
DFA Confirms Deportation, Says It Sought Humanitarian Consideration
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed Sorio’s deportation, stating that ICE had deemed him “medically cleared for removal.” DFA officials said they had conducted welfare checks, coordinated with ICE on his medical needs, and “repeatedly appealed for humanitarian consideration” so he could recover before being flown home.
However, the DFA acknowledged that the U.S. government has the sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and removal orders.
According to DFA briefings reported by Inquirer USA and Rappler, deportations of Filipinos from the United States have been rising, with dozens removed in 2025 and many more in active removal proceedings. Philippine officials have said these cases often involve long‑time residents with mixed immigration histories, underscoring the need for sustained legal assistance and early intervention for Filipinos facing removal.
Policy Analysis: How U.S. Law Made Deportation Almost Inevitable
Sorio’s case highlights the rigid structure of U.S. immigration law when lawful permanent residents (LPRs) are convicted of certain offenses. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA):
- Crimes such as burglary, domestic‑violence‑related offenses, and crimes involving moral turpitude can trigger removal proceedings for green card holders.
- Once an immigration judge issues a final removal order, ICE is obligated to execute it unless a stay is granted.
- Medical conditions can delay deportation only if ICE’s Health Services Corps determines that travel poses a significant risk.
In Sorio’s case, ICE determined he was medically fit to fly — a decision that effectively closed the last avenue for postponement. Advocates argue that this determination ignored the severity of his condition and reflects systemic failures in ICE’s medical care system.
A Case That Resonates Across Filipino Communities
Sorio migrated to the U.S. in 2007 and lived in Kodiak, Alaska, with his partner and two U.S.‑citizen children. His deportation has sparked renewed concern among Filipino American communities.
Advocates say Sorio’s ordeal — from delayed medical care to deportation despite disability — underscores the need for oversight of ICE detention facilities and reforms to protect medically vulnerable detainees.
