About a month ago, my mom was detained by ICE while we were on our way to see a lawyer. We had worked so hard to find someone who could help her get a visa, but our worst nightmare came true in an instant. My mom has lived in the US almost her entire life, raising me and my two siblings here. Growing up, she faced many hardships and trauma, starting work at a very young age and continuing to work hard into her 50s to provide for us.

Our family has endured a lot, including domestic violence when I was in middle school and my little sister was in elementary. My mom’s partner used her lack of English and immigration status to control her, taking away the money she earned and making it hard for us to leave. When we finally escaped, we were homeless for about a year, showering outside with a hose and using store bathrooms. There were times when we didn’t have anywhere to cook and had to buy food out. One traumatic memory I’ll never forget is when her partner tried to hurt my mom but ended up hurting me instead. My mom begged him to let us leave so she could take me to the hospital.

Despite everything, my mom has always put us first and worked tirelessly to give us a better life. Now, with her in detention, we are struggling to cover the costs to help her. The funds from this fundraiser will go toward legal fees, commissary and food expenses for my mom while she is in detention, and phone calls so we can stay connected. Any help you can give will make a huge difference for our family during this difficult time. Thank you so much for your support.