Loreto Javar, a 76-year-old Filipino green card holder who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a citizenship interview in June, has been released on recognizance while his deportation case moves forward.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington and the Philippine Consulate General in Seattle said Javar was released from ICE custody Sept. 1 on the condition that he report for future immigration proceedings. His next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28. The release allows him to pursue medical care outside detention.
Javar, who has lived in the United States since 1995, was detained June 23 during an interview connected to his U.S. citizenship application in Tukwila, Washington. He had been held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma for more than two months.
Medical concerns
The case drew public attention because Javar is undergoing treatment for advanced prostate cancer, according to his family, advocates and reporting by The Seattle Times. They said his detention disrupted appointments connected to his cancer care and other health needs.
The Philippine Consulate General in Seattle said it made two consular visits to Javar, on July 1 and July 22, and coordinated with the Philippine Embassy in Washington after learning of his detention. The Consulate said Javar had already retained a lawyer and that it sought to coordinate its assistance with his legal strategy.
The Consulate said it explored ways to help obtain documents from the Philippines that Javar and his attorney believed could be relevant to his immigration case. It also sent a formal request to ICE on Aug. 25 asking the agency to consider Javar’s medical condition and any appropriate assistance it could provide.
The Embassy and Consulate thanked ICE for its cooperation and described the release as a humanitarian gesture. ICE has not publicly stated that the consular request was the reason for Javar’s release.
Claims of advocacy groups
Migrant and community organizations, including Malaya Tacoma, Tanggol Migrante Movement-Washington state and BAYAN Washington, welcomed Javar’s release but disputed the Consulate’s characterization of its role. In statements shared online, the groups said the release resulted from public pressure and organizing by Javar’s family and advocates. They also said the family had sought help from the Consulate earlier in his detention and accused Philippine officials of overstating their involvement.
The Embassy and Consulate said their assistance included welfare visits, coordination with Javar’s attorney and communication with ICE about his health and documents needed for his case. Consular officials may assist citizens and communicate with host-country authorities, but they do not have authority to decide or direct U.S. immigration proceedings.
Case remains pending
Federal authorities have said Javar’s detention was related to allegations that he did not disclose a past criminal conviction in the Philippines when he applied for a U.S. visa in 1995. Court documents cited by The Seattle Times say the underlying matter involved a 1970s incident in the Philippines in which a person died.
Javar has said he is innocent of the charges in the Philippines. He told immigration officials that he served about three years in prison there before being released on parole, according to court documents and statements from the Philippine Consulate. The allegations have not been resolved in his current immigration case.
Javar’s release does not end the deportation proceedings or the advocacy surrounding them. His family and migrant-rights groups have called for continued public support at ICE check-ins and court hearings, while the Philippine Embassy and Consulate said they will continue to provide appropriate consular assistance consistent with their authority.
