Help working farm and vineyard protect their only employee

Our beloved Ulises, Arlyn’s only employee of nearly 8 years, has had his last appeal declined and we have been told to expect a deportation date in early August. We are crushed and angry and taking action all at once. This is a person who has made the absolute best of circumstances he did not choose for himself. I hope you will join me in taking various forms of action over the next days and weeks to support him as we navigate complex legal and logistical issues. To be clear, this is not an ICE issue; Ulises has NOT been detained and is currently safe. Despite that, the situation is extremely serious.

If you have visited our farm, you have likely heard me sing Ulises' praises. He works twice as hard and three times as smart as anyone I know. He is raising his children to thrive in academics, athletics, and socially. Ulises contributes to his community daily, including paying taxes.

Ulises is a key part of everything we do at Arlyn. In the vineyard, yes, but also with livestock, orchard, the wines, events, all of it - it is typically just the two of us. He is the skilled tractor driver, the mechanic, the contractor, the trouble-shooter, the one who knows the land and all that grows here. Ulises is one of AHIVOY’s (professional development for Oregon vineyard stewards) first graduates and has been trained by European pruning experts Simonit and Sirch in sap flow pruning. He takes immense pride in everything he does. Our members and customers love not only Ulises but his vineyard dog and loyal companion Lucky.

While many questions remain, a few things are certain:

- Arlyn stands fully with Ulises and will muster every resource out there to support him and his family through this.

- The complexities of immigration law are substantial and every case is different. We have been advised to focus on a path that requires a specialty immigration attorney. This means privately funding his case.

Every amount is helpful and appreciated. We will share how each dollar is spent in support of Ulises legal efforts.

Please visit Calls to Action and Updates in support of Ulises to explore other ways to get involved.

Thank you SO much.