I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of a friend and colleague who was illegally detained by ICE on 12/26 - Jaxell is a young man from Nicaragua who dreams of becoming a doctor and has volunteered and worked in our community for several years to support himself and his mother. He and his mother are in the process of applying for asylum in the United States, a legal protected status for people who faced persecution in their home countries. As part of this process, Jaxell has to attend scheduled check-ins with ICE. At his appointment just after Christmas, Jaxell was illegally kidnapped by ICE and is now in detention and at risk of deportation.

In order to secure Jaxell's release, an immigration attorney needs to immediately file a petition on his behalf. We have lined up legal representation who are able to do this, and we believe that we have a strong likelihood of success. While the family is able to contribute to the cost of the petition, they need support to cover the full legal fees. We are raising money to cover these costs and reunite the family. Please help us support this family and bring Jaxell back to his mother, and to the neighborhood and community he forms such an important part of - none of us are free until we are all free!