My name is Oscar Quintero Frias. After five years of building a life, a career, a business, and a community in Bellingham, Washington, I am now being held in immigration detention, separated from my children, my work, Cof&, and the life I have worked so hard to build.

Today, with humility, I am asking for your help so I can have the legal representation I need to navigate this process and continue the story I began building here five years ago.

My Story

In 2021, I legally came to the United States from Colombia with the hope of working and building a better future for my children.

I am the father of three children: Antonella, 7; Samuel, 14; and Luciana, 15. I am also an Electrical Engineer with more than 20 years of professional experience. That same year, I obtained my license to practice as an Electrical Engineer in the state of Washington.

But my story in this country has never been limited to my profession.

In 2021, Cof&, my Colombian specialty coffee shop in Bellingham, was born. What began as a small business gradually became a way for me to share my roots, contribute to the local economy, and, above all, build community.

Through an incredible amount of hard work and dedication, Cof& continued to grow and earn its place in the Bellingham community. In 2024, the city recognized and honored our contribution to the community and to the economic development of downtown Bellingham.

You can learn more about that journey on Instagram at @cofy.wa and on Facebook at cofywa.

Alongside running the coffee shop, I continued developing my professional career. Since March 2025, I have worked as a Senior Electrical Engineer for an American engineering firm.

Over the past five years, I have worked, built a business, practiced my profession, created jobs, and contributed positively to the city that opened its doors to me. I have also built relationships, friendships, and a community that I now consider an important part of my life.

You can learn more about me and part of my story on Instagram at @oskrfr1as.

I never imagined that after everything I have worked to build, I would find myself writing these words while being held in a detention center due to an immigration proceeding.

Why I Need Your Help

I urgently need to raise funds to cover the cost of legal representation and a possible immigration bond. Having proper legal representation is essential for me to navigate this process and have the opportunity to present my case.

While I remain detained, I must also cover significant expenses directly related to my detention and ongoing immigration proceedings.

Your donations will help cover:

• Legal representation and attorney fees

• A possible immigration bond

• Phone calls and communication while I am detained

• Food and personal hygiene items inside the detention center

These expenses add up quickly on top of the legal costs we are already facing.

How You Can Help

If you have ever visited Cof&, shared a cup of coffee with me, worked alongside me, crossed paths with me somewhere in Bellingham, know my story, or simply believe that every person deserves the opportunity to have proper legal representation and navigate their case with the support of their community, I am asking you today, please, to help me.

Any donation, no matter the amount, can make a meaningful difference.

And if you are unable to donate, sharing this campaign can be just as meaningful. It may help my story reach someone who is able to contribute.

For the past five years, I have tried to give back to this community through my work, my profession, and my business.

Today, I am the one asking that community for help.

My greatest wish right now is to be reunited with my children and to have the opportunity to continue working, contributing to my community, and building the life I have worked so hard for throughout these years.

Every donation, every share, and every act of support helps give me the opportunity to continue the life and story I have worked so hard to build.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about my story.

Thank you for donating, for sharing this campaign, and for standing with me during this incredibly difficult time.

With gratitude,

Oscar