Our family is facing one of the most heartbreaking moments of our lives. This morning, while my father was working at his mechanic shop, something he built from the ground up, he was detained by ICE. We are now in a race against time to raise the funds needed for legal representation to stop his deportation and keep our family together.

My father came to the U.S. at just 14 years old. Since then, he has built a beautiful life here. He is the proud owner of not just one but two small businesses: a trusted mechanic shop and a beloved taqueria that serves our community with heart. He is a husband to April, a loving father to his two daughters, Joanni and Julisa, and to his youngest son, Jayden, who is still in high school. He is also a proud grandfather to two young grandchildren who absolutely adore him.

He is our rock, our foundation. The one we go to for advice, for laughter, for comfort. He has spent decades working hard, paying taxes, and building something meaningful not just for his family, but for the community. He greets everyone with warmth and humor, and his love touches everyone he meets.

We are deeply afraid, not only of losing him, but for the conditions he may face in ICE custody. We’ve seen members of our community suffer, sleeping on concrete floors wrapped in aluminum blankets and in the worst cases, losing their lives. We cannot let that happen to our father.

We are pleading for any kind of help; no amount is too small. Legal defense in immigration court is costly, but it’s our only hope to bring our father back home where he belongs. Every dollar raised will go directly to his legal fees and help us fight for his right to stay in the country he has called home for over 30 years.

Please help us keep our family whole. Share, donate, pray, whatever you can do means the world to us.

With deepest gratitude,

Joanni, Julisa and the Valencia Family