Dear friends, family, and supporters,

I want to share our story with you.

My husband, Somphet Naenphan, came to America at the young age of 3, sponsored with his family in 1985. Growing up in a new country with parents who didn’t speak English was already a challenge, and in 1995, when Somphet was just 14, he lost his father. That loss changed everything and made the road ahead incredibly difficult.

Life wasn’t easy for Somphet. He moved between California, Iowa, and Minnesota, feeling lost without a father to guide him. At 15, he made one mistake—one he did not fully understand at the time would follow him for decades. After serving his time, he worked hard to turn his life around, determined to be better and do better.

In 2010, after being laid off and returning to work on what should have been a fresh start, ICE arrived at his workplace on his first day back. He was shackled and detained for six months. During this time, he was pressured to sign documents without legal counsel, using fear and misinformation.

After his release in January 2011, Somphet did everything asked of him. He faithfully checked in with immigration year after year, applied for work permits and identification, and continued supporting our family. Despite constant delays and obstacles—some of which caused him to lose jobs—we spent over $6,000 just to keep him legally authorized to work and remain compliant.

Then, on Halloween 2025, we received a letter requiring Somphet to report for a routine “update order of supervision” appointment on November 5th. That day became a nightmare. We packed up our children, drove him to the appointment, and watched as he was detained. The drive home without him was one of the most painful moments of our lives. I cried alongside our oldest son, terrified of how we would survive without the man who has always held our family together.

On December 15th, Somphet was deported to Laos—a country he has never lived in. During the deportation process, he was shackled for over 70 hours while in transit. No human being should ever have to endure what he experienced.

On December 31st, Somphet was released from the detention camp in Laos. He is now free to move about the country, with the requirement that he check in with local authorities every three months. While we are deeply grateful for his release, this marks the beginning of an entirely new and overwhelming phase.

Previous donations was put towards keeping the family afloat, providing commissary, and transportation for visitations during his detainment in Baldwin, MI.

Future donations will go towards this next chapter. Rebuilding from the ground up. Somphet must secure employment, obtain reliable transportation—such as a motorized bike—to get to and from work, and begin the process of securing essential legal documents, including a driver’s license. These steps are critical for his survival and stability in a country that is unfamiliar to him.

Donations will also help support our family as we work to obtain passports for myself and our children, an essential step toward reuniting them with their father after so much separation and trauma.

Somphet has always been our sole provider while I stayed home caring for our three-year-old, who is on the autism spectrum. This sudden transition has been devastating, emotionally and financially, but we are doing everything we can to keep our family strong.

A message from Somphet:

“I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who has reached out, donated, shared our story, and kept my family and me in your prayers. Even from so far away, I feel the love and support, and it gives me strength every day.

I am in good spirits and staying hopeful as I take this one step at a time. I am especially grateful to my sponsor, Joe, who has graciously stepped up to support and guide me through this new chapter of my life. I am deeply indebted to him for his kindness, patience, and belief in me as I navigate a future I never expected.

Thank you all for reminding me that I am not alone.”

Ways to Help

If you are unable or prefer not to donate through GoFundMe, you can also support our family directly through the following options:

CashApp: $SOMPHONEJ

Chime: $Somphet-Naenphan

PayPal: @SomponeJaili

Your support—whether through donating, sharing our story, or keeping us in your prayers—means more than words can express. This fundraiser will help cover living expenses, support our children, and allow Somphet to rebuild his life with dignity, safety, and hope.

No contribution is too small. Every act of kindness reminds us that we are not alone.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us during this incredibly difficult time. This is not the end of our story—it is the beginning of a new chapter.

With gratitude,

The Jaili–Naenphan Family