Hi, my name is Jennie and I'm raising funds for deported veteran Oscar Balladares. Oscar is fighting for his chance to remain in the U.S. with his family and restore his immigration status. In 2020, he was deported for a criminal conviction after serving nearly 4 years in the U.S. Army, including two combat deployments. He recently was allowed back in the United States on a temporary basis to receive emergency medical care through the VA.

Oscar came to the U.S. at the age of 3 and was a lawful permanent resident before his deportation. He is father to three U.S. citizen children, stepfather to three U.S. citizen children, and grandfather to one U.S. citizen child. His long-time partner, Wendy, is also a U.S. citizen.

 

In 2014, he pled guilty to a crime without being advised that the conviction would carry the consequence of mandatory deportation and a lifetime of banishment from his wife and children, his extended family, his community, and the country he volunteered to defend. The attorney that he and his family hired never advised him of the consequences. Had he known, he never would have accepted the plea deal.

 

Oscar's conviction is legally deficient and needs to be vacated so that Oscar can restore his green card and reunite with his family and community. His case is strong, but he has a short deadline to file an appeal of a lower court ruling. He needs to urgently raise $4,000 by Monday so that he may retain an attorney specializing in these cases.

 

Will you please join me in supporting Oscar and his family? This unjust conviction is the only thing standing in the family's way to bringing Oscar home. As his eight-year-old son says, "my dad is really great . . . I want us all to be together in New Mexico."

 

Any amount will help.

 

Thank you!