My name is Joanne and my mom is 93 years old. She still lives in her condo and there are several women who work part time caring for her. One of them, I will call her J to protect her, had applied for Asylum. Her last hearing was the week after Trump's inauguration and her application was turned down. She has a Green Card so has been in the US legally, but ICE doesn't care about those little details and we assume she is on a list somewhere and in danger of being picked up and either imprisoned, saddled with an ankle monitor, or deported to who knows where.

J has wisely decided to self-deport. She will have to return to her country first, where she is not safe, and then apply to live in a safer country where she can start over again building a life. It is stressful, sad, and scary.

J needs funds for the plane ticket back to her country of origin, money on which to live in a South American country where there are few opportunities for work and her safety is not guaranteed, and then funds to travel to the country in which she hopes to build her new life. Again.

J is a wonderful person and my mom and I will miss her. Like so many people, she has truly deserved to be treated better by the US government. I hope this fundraiser will make her life a little easier as she navigates all her travels and expenses.

Please donate what you can to make J's travels go as smoothly as possible. Even $20 will make a huge difference. Thank you!

PS: I don't want to bring attention to J from ICE, so the photo is of me!