Paperwork Errors and Legal Limbo: The Case of Dr. William Lizardo
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The detention of a Canadian dentist during a green card interview underscores the systemic volatility facing skilled professionals in the U.S. immigration system.
The ordeal of Dr. William Lizardo serves as a stark reminder that for skilled professionals navigating the U.S. immigration system, proper documentation and professional credentials do not always provide a shield against administrative failure.
As CBC Toronto first reported, Dr. Lizardo, a 32-year-old dentist originally from Mississauga, Ontario, was taken into custody by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Oct. 23 during a green card interview in Minnesota. Despite having moved to the U.S. on a student visa in 2019 to attend the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and subsequently marrying an American citizen, Lizardo found himself detained at the Sherburne County Jail and ordered to be removed from the country.
Court documents cited by CBC Toronto reveal a series of administrative failures that led to the arrest. While Lizardo's petition for an alien relative was approved in January 2025, his request for permanent residency was denied in January because he failed to provide a certified document from Ontario. The situation escalated when notices for subsequent hearings were sent to the wrong address. Although Lizardo had filed changes of address with both the post office and U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), he missed the hearings, leading to his detention.
U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis, in ordering Lizardo's release, described the facts of the case as "appalling." The judge noted that Lizardo had no prior arrests during his time in the U.S. and that ICE had no reason to believe he was a flight risk. The court found that Lizardo's constitutional rights had been violated.
Beyond the legal proceedings, the case highlights the precarious nature of professional stability for newcomers. According to court documents, Lizardo worked in dentistry within federally-designated shortage areas until his work authorization expired; following this, he volunteered at a low-cost clinic in Burnsville, Minnesota.
Lizardo's lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, told CBC Toronto that the entire situation was the result of a "paperwork error." Following a ruling by an immigration court on Oct. 28 that Lizardo had provided sufficient evidence of a lack of notice, and the subsequent order from Judge Davis, Lizardo was released on a Sunday evening. He is currently awaiting a final decision from USCIS regarding his green card application. Ahmad noted that the court order ensures Lizardo cannot be detained by ICE again while awaiting that decision.