Community Support for Yero's Legal Defense

Help Yero Ba Fight for His Freedom

( * Above photos-Drexel students write letters of encouragement for Yero and other detained asylum seekers.)

My name is Octavia, and I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of my friend Yero Ba ( Haj as he is known affectionately to many), an asylum-seeker from Mauritania who has been living and working legally in the United States for the past three years.

Yero came to the U.S. fleeing one of the world’s least known but most brutal systems of oppression. Although slavery was officially abolished in Mauritania in 1981, its legacy persists. Dark-skinned Africans remain marginalized, targeted, and subject to systemic violence under the dominance of lighter-skinned Arab-Berber elites. Yero belongs to this persecuted community. He risked everything to escape and seek the safety and dignity that every human being deserves. * Do check out a 2012 CNN video story on Mauritania-Slavery’s Last Stronghold.

Despite his courage, Yero’s future now hangs in the balance. At his annual ICE check-in, something he had attended faithfully and without incident in previous years,he was suddenly detained. He faces the terrifying prospect of deportation back to a place where his safety and freedom cannot be guaranteed. He is awaiting his asylum hearing, which is months away.

Why We’re Raising Funds

The money raised here will go directly toward Yero’s legal defense fees. Immigration cases are complex and expensive, but with a strong legal team, Yero has a real chance to secure asylum and remain in the United States safe, free, and able to continue contributing to his community.

Immigration legal defense is costly. In addition to attorney fees, asylum seekers must cover the high expenses of expert witnesses (such as country specialists or cultural experts), professional translation and interpretation services, and mandatory filings. These costs can quickly rise into the thousands of dollars. For Yero, having access to expert testimony and accurate translation could make the difference between winning his case and being sent back to danger. Your support ensures he has every resource needed to present a strong defense.

To ensure full transparency, all funds will be transferred directly to his attorney’s office to cover legal costs. Updates will be shared regularly so every donor knows exactly how contributions are being used.

How You Can Help

Donate what you can—every dollar brings us closer to securing Yero’s freedom.

Share this campaign widely with friends, on social media, within your community.

Stand with Yero and let him know he is not alone, and that compassion is stronger than injustice.

Together, we can make sure Yero’s story does not end in silence or deportation. We can help him continue his life here, where he belongs. Thank you for your generosity and solidarity.