ICE Detains Lyme Vaccine Scientist Who’s Lived in U.S. for 35 Years Over 14-Year-Old Marijuana Charge

Tae Heung “Will” Kim (right).

Tae Heung “Will” Kim, a 40-year-old biomedical researcher and green card holder from South Korea who has lived in the U.S. since he was 5, was taken into custody by federal immigration authorities on July 21 while returning from his brother’s wedding abroad. Kim, who has lived in the U.S. since the age of five and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Texas A&M University, was stopped by Customs and Border Protection at San Francisco International Airport and has remained detained ever since.

The justification: a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge from 14 years ago, for which Kim completed community service. Although cannabis is now legal for medical or recreational use in most U.S. states, it remains a federally controlled substance—still grounds for deportation under immigration law, regardless of how minor or dated the offense may be.

Kim is reportedly being held in poor conditions, with limited access to food, rest, and medical care, and without contact with his attorney or full communication with his family. Reports also indicate that federal officials told Kim’s attorney that constitutional protections do not apply to green card holders in this type of detention.

The case highlights the continuing danger that minor marijuana offenses pose for immigrants, despite widespread state-level legalization. Federal immigration law has not adapted to modern marijuana policy, allowing even old, nonviolent charges to trigger detention and possible deportation.