Columbia man deported to Netherlands after ICE detention for decades-old drug charge
Feb 9, 2026 · Utrecht, Netherlands, Netherlands

Owen Ramsingh, a Columbia resident and lawful permanent resident, was detained by border patrol at Chicago's O'Hare Airport in September 2025 after returning from visiting his father in the Netherlands. ICE cited a cocaine possession charge from his teenage years as grounds for deportation. After spending approximately four and a half months in detention facilities across Chicago, Texas, and New Mexico, Ramsingh was deported to the Netherlands on February 8, 2026, and banned from the United States for 8-10 years. His wife and daughter remained in the United States.
Timeline
Feb 8, 2026—Ramsingh deported to the Netherlands and banned from the United States for 8-10 years
Sep 2025—Owen Ramsingh detained by border patrol at Chicago's O'Hare Airport after returning from visiting his father in the Netherlands; ICE cites cocaine possession charge from his teenage years
Sources
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