Francisco's Freedom Fund
Donation protected
Francisco Erwin Galicia, an Edinburg, TX High School student was detained by both Customs Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 26 days! Francisco was born in Dallas, TX in December of 2000.
He showed proof of his citizenship at the Falfurrias, TX checkpoint (100 miles from the Mexico border) in the form of a Texas ID, Social Security Card, and wallet-sized birth certificate. Despite this valid ID, Border Patrol still detained him and would not allow Francsico to call his mother nor an attorney for THREE WEEKS.
It wasn’t until Claudia Galan, Francsico's attorney contacted Samantha Magdaleno from One Michigan for Immigrant Rights that the two were able to join efforts and push both legal channels and public support to get Francisco released from ICE's custody.
Now that Francisco is released, his fight is far from over. Francisco was originally traveling to North Texas to try out for a college soccer scholarship. He missed this opportunity due to incompetence from CBP now he is unsure how he will afford college next year.
For 26 days Francsico's mom who sells tamales for a living had to put her business on hold. She was constantly trying to find out what was going on with both of her sons and help them.
As if this wasn’t enough, Marlon Francisco's 17-year-old brother signed voluntary departure papers without being able to talk to his mother or attorney first. He signed after being held by CBP for two days being denied the opportunity to call his mom. He said. "I signed because I did not want my mother to continue worrying about me. I wanted to tell her what they were doing to my brother. I knew if I did not sign that my mother could get sick from worrying about both of us." Marlon sacrificed himself as a minor to selflessly help both his mom and brother and is now living in Mexico, a country he is unfamiliar with. Marlon qualified for Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), however, Trump's administration has put a stop to that program and we are awaiting the Supreme courts decision while innocent children are being deported.
As a result, he will not be able to graduate from High-School. This family needs all-hands-on-deck going forward. They are committed to pushing for both accountability and justice to make sure this does not continue to happen in our country.
However, they are in need of your financial support to pay for the time and resources this fight will require. Please share and consider donating today.
He showed proof of his citizenship at the Falfurrias, TX checkpoint (100 miles from the Mexico border) in the form of a Texas ID, Social Security Card, and wallet-sized birth certificate. Despite this valid ID, Border Patrol still detained him and would not allow Francsico to call his mother nor an attorney for THREE WEEKS.
It wasn’t until Claudia Galan, Francsico's attorney contacted Samantha Magdaleno from One Michigan for Immigrant Rights that the two were able to join efforts and push both legal channels and public support to get Francisco released from ICE's custody.
Now that Francisco is released, his fight is far from over. Francisco was originally traveling to North Texas to try out for a college soccer scholarship. He missed this opportunity due to incompetence from CBP now he is unsure how he will afford college next year.
For 26 days Francsico's mom who sells tamales for a living had to put her business on hold. She was constantly trying to find out what was going on with both of her sons and help them.
As if this wasn’t enough, Marlon Francisco's 17-year-old brother signed voluntary departure papers without being able to talk to his mother or attorney first. He signed after being held by CBP for two days being denied the opportunity to call his mom. He said. "I signed because I did not want my mother to continue worrying about me. I wanted to tell her what they were doing to my brother. I knew if I did not sign that my mother could get sick from worrying about both of us." Marlon sacrificed himself as a minor to selflessly help both his mom and brother and is now living in Mexico, a country he is unfamiliar with. Marlon qualified for Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), however, Trump's administration has put a stop to that program and we are awaiting the Supreme courts decision while innocent children are being deported.
As a result, he will not be able to graduate from High-School. This family needs all-hands-on-deck going forward. They are committed to pushing for both accountability and justice to make sure this does not continue to happen in our country.
However, they are in need of your financial support to pay for the time and resources this fight will require. Please share and consider donating today.
Organizer and beneficiary
Samantha Magdaleno
Organizer
Detroit, MI
SanJuana Galicia-Chapa
Beneficiary
