Help ICE Detainee & his Family
Donation protected
Hi all,
Many of you who are reading this already know about the situation, but for anyone who hasn't heard yet, one of my friends was kidnapped by ICE. I'm not listing his name, because he's in ICE custody, and his lawyer is working on a long-shot bond request - I don't want ICE to target him for having details of his situation publicized.
This GoFundMe is to do four things:
1. Support his wife & toddler with rent, food, and other living expenses (he was their sole support)
2. Support the weekly cost of phone calls and extra food for my friend (calls are 10 cents/min and they keep him sane. Video calls are also possible - great for the kiddo! Food is provided irregularly, and it's disgusting. Sending food from the prison commissary ensures that hunger isn't adding to his distress) For more info on the food, beyond the article below, see https://www.facebook.com/LaResistenciaNW/
3. The family's financial needs are still unclear, especially if my friend is deported.
4. Any funds raised beyond the $5,000 target, or if the family doesn't need the whole $5,000, excess funds will be donated to IMIRJ, an organization that helps asylum seekers & other immigrants in the Portland, OR area. https://www.imirj.org/
Background:
I mentor a handful of young (20-something) asylum seekers. On June 1, one of them was in my backyard with his partner & their toddler. They were picking blueberries and raspberries, and the toddler clearly liked the blueberries better. This was a healthy, happy afternoon, a respite from the challenges of surviving on low wages & struggling to adapt to US culture.
On June 2, my friend received an unexpected text telling him to report to the ICE (Immigration & Customs) office in Portland the following day.
I was worried, so I and a lawyer accompanied him to the ICE office on June 3. Despite that, ICE took him prisoner, with no charges and no timeline for release. He's been a prisoner since June 3.
A local paper just did a story on him & on the situation. The link is below. Please read and share widely.
Remember, this isn't a random, anonymous "foreigner." He lived in my house for 2-3 months. I taught this guy to drive, and laughed at him when he didn't want to take his road test on my stick-shift car. This is someone who stopped by regularly to proudly show off his young son. In short, the man described in this article is my friend. And it's inhumane what's happening.
Nell
Here's a link to the article:
Organizer
Nell Whitman
Organizer
Beaverton, OR