A Korean American green card holder has reportedly been detained at a U.S. airport for over a week after being denied entry upon returning from a family wedding overseas.
According to the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium — NAKASEC — 40-year-old Taehung Kim was taken into custody on July 21 at San Francisco International Airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection during secondary inspection. Kim, who was returning from South Korea after attending his younger brother’s wedding, remains held at the airport without release.
NAKASEC’s Organizing Director, Youngwoon Han, stated, “Kim’s family reached out through our immigrant hotline to report the detention and request assistance. We were told that Kim entered the U.S. via San Francisco and was attempting to transfer to a domestic flight to Texas when he was detained during the entry process.”
Alarming Conditions in Detention
What is particularly concerning, Han emphasized, is that Kim has not been informed of the specific reason for his detention, nor has he been granted access to legal counsel or allowed contact with his family.
Conditions at the facility where Kim is being held have also raised alarm. Reports indicate that the lights remain on 24 hours a day, only water is available to drink, food is limited to items from the commissary, and detainees must sleep in chairs rather than beds.
According to a Washington Post article published on July 29, Kim immigrated to the U.S. with his family at age 5 and is currently a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University, where he is researching treatments for Lyme disease.
No Grounds for Detention Revealed
Although CBP has not disclosed the reason for Kim’s detention, his legal team suspects it may be related to a 2011 charge for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Kim reportedly completed a court-ordered community service sentence for the incident.
Eric Lee, Kim’s attorney, stated, “The government has yet to reveal the grounds for his detention, and Kim has been denied both legal representation and family contact. He suffers from chronic asthma, but we don’t even know if he is receiving necessary medication.”
According to the report, Kim was only able to speak with his mother, 65-year-old Sharon Lee, on July 25 — four days after his initial detention.
’Human Rights Abuse’
“During that call, a CBP officer acknowledged denying Kim access to an attorney,” Lee added. “They even claimed the Constitution does not apply to someone like him, who has lived in the U.S. for 35 years. Kim has already taken responsibility and paid the price for his past. Like anyone else, he deserves the chance to continue with his life.”
Kim’s mother also issued a statement, saying, “I came to this country with my children believing in the American promise of freedom and equality. My children know no home but the U.S. Taehung should not be punished or treated unjustly simply because of a mistake he made or because he is not a citizen.”
NAKASEC and the Immigrant Defense Project have both criticized Kim’s ongoing detention as a clear violation of human rights, noting that under U.S. law, the maximum detention period during entry inspection is 72 hours. Kim has now been held for over a week.
“This is a blatant human rights abuse,” said Han. “Kim still cannot freely communicate with his family. We are coordinating with the office of his congressional representative and organizing public pressure to secure his swift release.”
Han also noted that with increasing immigration enforcement, even minor past offenses are increasingly leading to entry denials. “Green card holders planning international travel should ensure all necessary documents are in order and be fully prepared for reentry inspection,” he advised.
