On Sunday, December 7th, my best friend of 15 years was detained by ICE and deported to El Salvador after 24 years of living and working in the U.S.

In 2001, he was provided Temporary Protection Status (TPS) after surviving a devastating earthquake in El Salvador, but it expired after a 10 years. After an additional five years of trying to navigate our complex and ambiguous immigration laws, there was no way for him to legally stay, but he was scared to return to El Salvador for his safety, his entire family was here, and he had already lived in the U.S. for 15 years and built a career as a General Manager at Hilton. He does not have a criminal record.

He is leaving behind his entire immediate family in Arkansas and is now in El Salvador alone, starting his life over, after living here from the age of 18 till 42.

While in ICE custody, he was denied food and his medication for several days at a time. They kept his phone and possessions and dropped him in El Salvador with nothing and without any notice to his friends and family so that we could plan accordingly.

I am raising money to help him to start a new life. The money will go to help him with housing while he finds work, a new phone, food, and healthcare.

Thank you so much.