I-485 Denied Despite USCIS Acknowledging 1993 JFK Detention: Motion to Reopen?

A Reddit post on r/immigration details a complex I-485 denial case involving a man who entered the US in 1993 using fraudulent documents, was detained at JFK Airport for three days, and was fingerprinted and released by immigration officers. Despite over 30 years in the US with no criminal record, a US citizen spouse with serious health conditions, and two US citizen children, USCIS denied his adjustment of status application on March 5, 2026. The denial hinged solely on USCIS's determination that the applicant failed to establish he was 'inspected and admitted' or 'inspected and paroled' under the legal standard set by Matter of Quilantan. Notably, USCIS's own denial letter acknowledged the JFK detention and release — yet concluded this was legally insufficient to meet the inspection and admission threshold required for I-485 eligibility. FOIA records returned no admission or inspection documentation. Complicating the search is the fact that the applicant entered under an alias, and the detention facility used at JFK in 1993 closed in 2004. The family faces a 23-day window from the denial date before USCIS could issue a Notice to Appear (NTA), placing urgency on next steps. The post raises three practical questions relevant to immigration practitioners and similarly situated individuals: whether a Motion to Reopen (Form I-290B) is worth filing before the deadline; how to locate INS detention records from the early 1990s via FOIA; and whether this legal theory has succeeded in immigration court after a USCIS denial on these specific grounds. This case highlights the challenges faced by long-term residents with pre-1996 entries involving documentation gaps, particularly where physical detention records have been lost or destroyed. EB-3 and family-based applicants in removal proceedings or with complex entry histories should consult an experienced immigration attorney immediately when facing similar denials.