Stories
The following are a few of the 8 people we have been able to bond out with the $40,000 that has been donated.
JOSÉ
José is a father, who for nine months, was detained by ICE and unable to care for his daughter. Jose moved to the U.S. when he was 15-years-old--more than two decades ago. He was granted a $20,000 bond but raising that amount is personally out of his reach. As a result, he was stuck in detention and unable to defend himself or provide crucial evidence to a judge that could allow him to obtain permanent legal status.
After nine months, we were able to pay most of José's bond and gain his release. Now José is staying with his cousin while he prepares for his hearing in July. He is able to see his 9-year-old daughter and collect evidence to try to stay in the United States with his daughter and community of more than two decades.
MARCO
Miguel is a 34-year-old from Mexico. He has been in ICE custody since December 2015. He is the father of four USC children. Miguel came to the US as a teen fleeing abuse at home and school because of his intellectual disability. He was sexually assaulted by a guard while in detention, whom he still has to see regularly at the detention center. As a result of the abuse he suffered in Mexico and here in detention, Miguel is suffering form PTSD and depression. He hopes to be released so that he can help support his children and his US citizen grandfather, who is suffering from serious health problems, while he waits for a visa to be approved based on being the victim of a crime.
Alexis
Alexis is a 26-year-old man from Mexico who has lived in the United States since he was a baby. Alexis was granted a bond, but unfortunately lacked the resources to pay it, and had to fight his immigration case from detention. After spending almost a year and a half in ICE custody, the immigration judge granted Alexis asylum. Notwithstanding his grant of asylum, the government sought to continue to detain Alexis while it pursued an appeal in his case. With your help, Alexis was finally able to leave ICE custody on March 15, 2018, while ICE pursues its appeal. Alexis is so excited to start putting his life back together after his extended detention. He is especially looking forward to starting GED courses and getting a job. Alexis is grateful to all of you for your help in freeing him!