Hello to all! Most people online will know me as Ebi, and I am a Venezuelan immigrant in the United States. I hope that you understand that due to the delicate nature of this fundraiser and the current state of immigration, I am taking active steps to keep my identity as private as I can—anything that is not so, is public as per policy of the platform.

At the age of 14—I am now 22—my family sought for Asylum in the State of Texas; my father used to be a member of the Venezuelan Naval Air Force who, to this day, has remained in opposition to the dictatorship sustained by Nicolas Maduro—and previously Hugo Chavez. Active and inactive members of the Venezuelan military—and civilians—who directly oppose the regime are prosecuted, tortured, and even killed, including any immediate family member who may be used as a form of psychological torture—that includes me, my mother, and my younger siblings—for the crime of "treason to the patriotism." Regrettably, our Asylum plea was denied a couple years ago, but we were fortunate that the option of Temporary Protective Status opened up and that allowed us to remain here... Until recently.

Though the National TPS Alliance is undergoing an active court case against the Secretary of Homeland Security—one which had been won—the administration appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the ruling, and terminate TPS for Venezuelans by November 7th, 2025. That leaves me, my family, and about 600,000 Venezuelans without protection and prone to being returned to the wolves' den for their political dissent—Venezuela's political climate has NOT improved, and people are still being actively detained if they speak against the regime publicly, or even under the private disguise of social media.

For me, this country has been a land of a future that I knew I would never have. I have even been fortunate enough to make it into college through scholarships, and I strive to use my degree in the field of Communications to make people happier. For my parents it has allowed them to pave a path forward for us, to provide for the economy and help those they can. For my siblings, they are both still kids, all they have known for most of their lives is the United States of America, despite their status they are just like any other children of this nation. We seek to be a part of the growing economy of this country, to be of help, and improvement. Unlike the way the media would like to paint us, not all Venezuelans are terrible people, and the vast majority of us are only trying to survive.

As I have mentioned, the deadline established by the Department of Homeland Security is that of November 7th. Before then, we are seeking for a motion to re-open our Asylum case, as—contrary to the statements of the Secretary—the situation in Venezuela has only worsened over the years, and we would NOT be safe with the active violations of human rights taking place.

Today, and in the days to come I ask for your help. The funds being collected will be used towards all the legal fees required for the process to once more seek for Asylum, that includes:

Any and all amounts that can be offered to help are all appreciated.