Hello All,

I write this with mixed emotions. My name is Amber. I am Richard's ex-wife and mother of his son. Some of you may have read or heard that Richard was arrested by ICE for being an "illegal alien and having a criminal history of possessing methamphetamine to distribute." These allegations are false. I'll tell you the truth. Richard is a permanent resident of the United States. His green card has not expired or been revoked. It has been more than 18 years since he has been here legally. Secondly, he was neither distributing nor selling methamphetamine. It was for personal use. Under false pretense, he accepted a plea deal. He was not informed of his rights as an immigrant and how accepting the deal would affect his right to legally be here.

When our son learned of his father's current situation and that he might be deported, he cried. He had tears and a pain in his eyes that I had never seen before. We all cried because he was hurting, and we felt helpless because we couldn't fix it. Because he is part Haitian, he fears for his safety as well. If his father is deported, he fears he will never see him again. He needs his father. Richard needs him just as much, as well as his entire family, since everyone he knows and loves is in the United States. Everyone around him knows he is a loving father, brother, son, and friend. As a hard worker, he works long hours to provide for our son as well as my eldest son, who is not his biological child.

He realizes what he did was foolish. According to Padilla v. the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010), deporting him while his rights were violated is illegal. On behalf of him, his family, and friends, we demand justice. He deserves a fair hearing. Legal immigrants should have the same rights as everyone else and be treated fairly. Families and friends should not have to worry about ICE taking them away from their homes.

It's a battle we're fighting, but we need your help. The lawyer fees are very expensive. Family and friends are contributing as much as they can, even selling personal belongings. We are left with no choice. This is a very challenging situation for us. Even the smallest contribution counts, so if you can, please do so. It would be appreciated if you shared this post, even if you cannot contribute, so that someone else may be able to assist.

Please message me on messenger at Ballard Amber if you want to donate directly to me rather than through the website.

Thank you for your time and consideration!!!

Sincerely,

Family and Friends