My Dad was Detained by ICE — Please Help Support Him and our Family

My name is Tommy and I am writing this on behalf of my dad. We left our home in Holland, Michigan on 6/24/2025, my dad and I went to his regular immigration check-in at Grand Rapids. He didn't come out for 30 minutes and 2 men came out to inform me that he was going to be detained and sent to an ice detention center in Calhoun County to review his case. I asked if I could see him and talk to him and they told me the place was too "busy". They told me that he would arrive in an hour and gave me a piece of paper to write my number down so he could contact me when he arrived. After hours of trying to contact him, my mom found out that he was sent to a completely different detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. Currently, he is detained while ICE is trying to get him deported back to Laos a country he hasn't been to since he was 8 years old.

My dad had a criminal record back in 1996 when he was 22, but that was nearly 3 decades ago. Since then, he’s completely turned his life around. My dad has been living a clean, honest, and peaceful life. He was always the first person to show up when someone needed help or a place to stay. Growing up, our house was always open. We had many friends and relatives stay with us. Anyone who was going through a hard time. At times my dad never asked for anything he just wanted to help them get back on their feet. He kept all of us together through all the tough times, always having a smile, making us laugh, and being the backbone of our family.

This was completely unexpected, and our family and friends are in shock. We weren’t prepared emotionally or financially. We don't have much set aside to support him, travel to see him, or emergency expenses. We’re trying to explore every option whether it’s hiring a lawyer, filing a stay of removal, or preparing for the worst if there's nothing we can do. Everyone is so shocked that this has happened to him he has made such a positive impact on his community and on those who have met him. He is a one-of-a-kind man. This hurts everyone who knows him. He changed his whole life around and is an amazing father, friend, brother, uncle, and husband.

100% of these funds will go directly towards supporting my dad and our family. Whether you’re able to donate or simply share this, it truly means the world to us. We’re doing everything we can to stand by him. He didn’t deserve any of this, and we just want to help him in every way possible.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and support.

– From the family of Kay Southisone