A Father Detained: Rallying for Raunel, Brittany, and Their Children

My name is Joe Konarsky, and I’m writing to you today with a heavy heart, reaching out on behalf of a family very dear to me – the Dominguez family. I’ve known Brittany’s family for years; her father was one of my best friends. I remember vividly when Brittany and Raunel decided to move their wedding date up by several months. It was a bittersweet time, a rush of love and joy against a backdrop of impending sorrow, all so her dad could witness his beloved daughter marry the love of her life before cancer tragically took him. It’s a testament to the deep bonds of family and love that define Brittany and Raunel, and it’s that same love that’s now under an unimaginable strain.

This GoFundMe isn’t about me, though. It’s about Raunel Dominguez, a devoted husband and father; his incredible wife, Brittany; and their three beautiful, U.S.-born children: Erick, a bright 6-year-old; Kason, an energetic 3-year-old; and little Rylee, just 2 years old, who lights up any room. This is their story, and they desperately need our help.

Raunel came to the United States from Mexico around 2008, a young man in his early twenties full of hope and a powerful work ethic, seeking a better life. He met Brittany at their workplace, and what started as a workplace friendship blossomed into something truly special. I still chuckle when I remember Brittany telling her dad about Raunel asking her out. He’d brought her flowers on Valentine’s Day – a classic romantic gesture from a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. When Brittany asked her dad for advice, he, with a twinkle in his eye, said, "Well, just go out with him. It's not like you're going to marry him or anything!" Famous last words. A year later, they were promising each other forever.

Life for Raunel and Brittany has been about building a family, working hard, and contributing to their community. Raunel is the kind of man who puts his head down and gets the job done, painting industrial containers for 50, sometimes 60, hours a week to provide for his wife and children. He’s the rock of their family, a loving father whose absence is now a gaping hole in their home.

For the past three or four years, Raunel and Brittany have been diligently working through the complex U.S. citizenship process, engaging an attorney to ensure they were doing everything correctly. Part of this process involved Raunel traveling 90 miles to Oklahoma City once a year for a routine "check-in" with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These check-ins were always nerve-wracking, but they always ended with Raunel returning home to his family.

Until a few days ago.

What was supposed to be another routine check-in turned into every immigrant family’s worst nightmare. Without warning, Raunel was detained. The life they had painstakingly built, the security they had worked so hard for, was shattered in an instant. Brittany now faces the terrifying reality that her husband, the father of her children, is being transferred to a facility in Texas while they await a bond hearing. The ICE officer assured them he is not being deported at this time, but that "at this time" hangs heavy in the air, filled with uncertainty and fear.

The immediate financial burden is crushing. To even begin the process of getting Raunel home, they need to pay an upfront lawyer fee of $3,500. This will cover the critical work of filing the bond request paperwork and navigating the initial legal maze. If Raunel is deemed eligible for bond at his hearing – which their lawyers believe there’s a good chance he will be, likely in about three weeks – that bond could be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000.

But the financial devastation doesn't stop there. Brittany has a good job, and she is an incredibly strong woman. She’s already faced the unimaginable pain of losing both her parents to cancer in recent years. Now, she’s facing the prospect of raising three young children and managing all their household expenses alone. Raunel’s income was vital. Without it, the mortgage payment, two car payments, insurance, groceries, childcare – the everyday costs of keeping a family afloat – become an insurmountable mountain.

How do you explain to a 6-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a 2-year-old why their daddy isn't coming home tonight, or tomorrow, or for who knows how long? How does a mother, already grieving past losses, find the strength to be a beacon of hope for her children when her own heart is breaking?

This is where we, their community, their friends, and even kind strangers, can step in. We can be the lifeline this wonderful family so desperately needs. Every single donation, no matter how small, will make a tangible difference. Your generosity will directly fund:

Immediate Legal Fees ($3,500): To get the bond request process started and ensure Raunel has proper representation.

Potential Bond Payment (Est. $5,000 - $10,000): To bring Raunel home to his family while his case proceeds.

Essential Living Expenses: To help Brittany cover the mortgage, car payments, utilities, and food for the children while Raunel, their primary earner, is unable to work. This will bridge the gap and prevent them from losing everything they've worked for.

Raunel, Brittany, Erick, Kason, and Rylee are not just statistics in a complex immigration system. They are a loving family, our neighbors, our friends. Raunel is a hardworking man who has strived to do right by his family and this country. Brittany is a resilient mother fighting to hold her family together against overwhelming odds. Their children deserve to have their father home.

Please, open your hearts to the Dominguez family. Your contribution will be more than just money; it will be a message of hope, a symbol of support, and a crucial step towards reuniting a father with his children. It will be, quite frankly, "life-saving" in this moment of crisis.

Thank you for taking the time to read their story, for your compassion, and for any help you can provide. Please also consider sharing this campaign with your networks. Let's rally around the Dominguez family and show them they are not alone.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Joe Konarsky

(A friend fighting for a family)