Mohan Thapa, a central leader of Nepal’s fourth-largest national party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center. ICE confirmed that Thapa was initially taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon his arrival at a U.S. airport. According to a source, more than a dozen green card holders are currently detained at the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center alongside Thapa.
Thapa, a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, has a past criminal record in the United States. He previously pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to producing fake identification documents and conspiring to use the mail for racketeering. In exchange for bribes, Thapa collaborated with an employee of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to sell and distribute fraudulent IDs to foreign nationals. In addition to the fraudulent IDs, the case involves a local driving school that allegedly bribed MVA test examiners to pass unqualified applicants on tests for commercial driver’s licenses.
According to his Facebook activity, Thapa attended an RSP-affiliated event in Qatar on February 16 before flying to the U.S. However, CBP has not publicly disclosed the exact date and time of his detention at the airport. The Rastriya Swatantra Party has confirmed his arrest but stated that Thapa had resigned from his position as a central member before traveling to the U.S.
Under the Trump administration, CBP has intensified efforts to detain green card holders with past criminal records upon re-entry into the United States. Thapa’s detention appears to be part of this ongoing crackdown, and he is now undergoing deportation proceedings based on his prior convictions. A recently signed bill by President Donald Trump, following its passage in Congress, has further reinforced measures to deport non-citizens with criminal records.
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Thapa also has multiple pending fraud-related charges in Maryland courts, including credit card fraud. Legal experts and immigration attorneys advise individuals with prior criminal records to exercise caution when traveling internationally, as CBP has the authority to detain and initiate deportation proceedings against them.
Additionally, individuals with pending deportation proceedings, known as “Notice to Appear” cases, face a heightened risk of detention upon re-entry. Those with conditional two-year green cards, whose applications for permanent status have been denied, may also be denied entry into the U.S. and placed in removal proceedings.
Legal analysts caution that those with past convictions—including crimes involving theft, fraud, domestic violence, drug-related offenses, or violent crimes with sentences exceeding five years—should seek legal counsel before traveling.
New York-based immigration attorney Bashu Phulara previously informed NepYork that such individuals face significant risks upon re-entry, and failure to assess their legal standing could result in immediate detention and deportation.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
