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Help family stay together after ICE separation

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UPDATE: Siham and Naseem reunited!
Please help us raise funds to keep reunited family together

Dear supporters, due to a technical problem with gofundme, we needed to create another page to collect donations: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-and-celebrate-siham-and-naseem  We will also have a fundraiser THIS SUNDAY November 22nd at 2pm EST to come together, hear from Siham, do some merch giveaways, and more!! Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1ImHOi15a 
Zoom registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrdeqhqjkpGtQRk2aWr4sBc8IgEEFd5ueq

Please feel free to share widely! Siham and Naseem can use all the help they can get to heal from this ordeal, cover legal expenses, and get reestablished!

The Justice4Siham campaign is raising funds for Siham Byah to help keep her united with her son, Naseem and get him the education and therapy he needs after years of separation and costly legal battles.

Siham, a Moroccan-born activist and asylum seeker, was detained by ICE November 7, 2017 and her son Naseem (then age eight) was taken into DCF Custody. Siham was deported at the end of 2017 after having been incarcerated for two months with nothing but the clothes on her back, no notification to her lawyer or family and no word if she would ever see her child again.

We are overjoyed to announce that Naseem has joined Siham, who has since moved to Turkey!!! This loving family will be able to stay together as long as Naseem stays in school! We are seeking donations to cover transportation costs as well as get Naseem the therapy and education he needs to stay with his mother and heal from this years-long ordeal. Let’s help get justice for Naseem! Keep this beautiful family together!

Please donate and share if you can!


-----------------  Longer update below  --------------------


Dear friends and supporters of Siham and the Justice for Siham coalition, we write to share some incredible news: Siham and Naseem have been reunited indefinitely! This victory is a huge testament to Siham’s resolve and perseverance, Naseem’s resilience in the face of uncertainty and trauma, and the continued support from so many of you.

However, in order to make this arrangement permanent, Siham and Naseem still need your support. Siham had initially planned and paid for Naseem’s travel to Turkey, only for the flight to be cancelled without a refund due to COVID-19. Ultimately Siham had to borrow money to get Naseem to Turkey on time. In addition, Naseem showed up after facing emotional abuse and neglect, and needs to be able to stay in a school that will be supportive for him. This is also critical for keeping Siham and Naseem together. As an American child who requires all his subjects to be taught in English, he requires an American or an International school, the tuition for which is outrageously high. Let’s celebrate this milestone win by making the reunion permanent!

Remember how far this family has come. Siham Byah, Moroccan-born activist, single mother, and asylum seeker, was detained November 7, 2017, at which time her then-eight-year-old son, Naseem, was taken into DCF custody. Just as Siham had organized against police brutality on the outside, she demanded better treatment for her fellow inmates while in ICE detention. In response, she received freezing conditions, solitary confinement, and threats in retaliation. Siham was held for two months and later deported in late 2017 in retaliation for her activism (one day before she was supposed to start her asylum proceedings) with nothing but the clothes on her back and no word if she would ever see her child again. 

For years, Siham advocated tirelessly to get Naseem back. She completed a home study coordinated through ISS (International Social Service) and provided DCF (Department of Children and Families) with all required documents more than once. She was shocked and devastated to find out on Wednesday, October 24th, 2018, DCF met and gave their final recommendation to place Naseem with his biological father until his eighteenth birthday. This recommendation was based on unsubstantiated claims, and proved that DCF had no intention of returning Naseem to his mother. The difficult situation he faced was never a simple custody dispute: There had never been any question of Siham’s parental fitness. DCF’s plans for Naseem did not represent Naseem’s best interest. It was a backup plan created to deal with the traumatic effects of state action which disregarded Naseem’s welfare in the first place. 

Nonetheless, Siham persevered and continued to fight for custody after Naseem had been formally taken from her. The truth, and Naseem’s best interest, was on her side. Siham successfully challenged their decision by invoking other jurisdictions to overrule DCF,  allowing Naseem to come live with her. Last year, Naseem was able to spend the summer living with Siham for a wonderful but short summer. And now, as per the custody agreement, he has travelled to live with Siham for good!

This fight has been long and taxing, and Siham has had to deal with new hurdles set up by ICE, DCF, and the courts every step of the way. The love between Siham and Naseem is neverending, but they need time and help healing. That’s why we are asking supporters to donate and share once again, so Siham can pay for the unforeseen travel costs which were extraordinarily high considering the COVID restrictions and political decisions to close most borders as a direct result of the mishandling of this pandemic, and also enroll him in school with all the supports that he needs, so that Siham and Naseem can thrive together.

For those that are able to donate, we have thank you goodies available! We will send T-shirts, original music from Naseem, and artwork to generous donors! So, this is a time to celebrate the hard work of this campaign, and send Naseem and Siham some love and support at the same time!

In solidarity,
The Justice for Siham Campaign
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $10 (Offline)
    • 4 yrs
  • Robert Jones
    • $30 (Offline)
    • 4 yrs
  • Bob Pierce
    • $500 (Offline)
    • 4 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $50 (Offline)
    • 4 yrs
  • Mona Paak-Zaad
    • $50 (Offline)
    • 4 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Tim Follo
Organizer
Jamaica Plain, MA

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