A family torn apart by ICE
Donation protected
Our thoughts and prayers goes to Yonacel and her two boys as she deals with her family being torn apart by I.C.E. Her husband, Nima Karimi, is in process of being deported back to his home country due to a technicality with his Visa. Nima has been a modeled citizen, with no criminal record, who has worked hard to provide for his family and help his community. With his business shut down and no source of income, his wife faces immense uncertainty for her and her two boys as they await the outcome of her husband's case.
Nima’s story isn’t unusual. After managing several restaurants during his time here, he decided to open two of his own. Matteo’s Pizza and the soon-to-be-opened Sebastian’s, both in San Pedro and named after his sons.
“I’ve been working here, building up a life, creating a family,” Nima said. “I know what I’m good at. I’m good at the restaurant business. That has always been my dream. I used to work 20 hours a day just so my family could have everything they need.”
But, on the day after Valentine’s Day, everything changed.
“Out of nowhere, two police officers came to my house. I don’t have a criminal record. I wasn’t even home, my wife answered the door.”
“I never imagined they would be from ICE.”
After the surprise visit, Nima was held in an ICE detention center which forced his restaurant to close and brought work on Sebastian's to a halt. He says that loyal customers inquire almost daily about when the restaurants will reopen.
“That means that whatever I have done, I now have nothing.”
Nima spent an agonizing two months in ICE detention which he described as inhumane. He recalls being treated like a number, stripped of his dignity, and mischaracterized as a dangerous criminal.
“One of my customers hired a lawyer for me and people would take turns visiting. The community really came and showed support.”
On March 22, he was released on $10,000 bail with a GPS ankle monitor and court date set for Oct. 10. Since his release, Nima has been working with a lawyer while receiving summons from ICE, requesting that he meet at a jail, their most recent request is for Oct. 9 - just one day before his trial date. While his fate remains uncertain, Nima’s main concern is for his family.
“I sold everything I had in the house - my clothes, my furniture - I want to find a way to support my family in case I am deported. As long as we’re together and we are healthy, I don’t care if we live in a tent.”
Nima says he would still like to live in San Pedro and continue to work with the community. He currently donates food to local charities and employes twenty people at his two restaurants. He even bought one of his employees a car so he wouldn’t have to commute on foot late at night.
“San Pedro is like one big, happy family - everything you can find in a love story is there - there’s laughter and there’s fighting but at the end of the day, there’s love.”
Nima first came to the U.S. from Norway in 2013. He met Yonacel Miranda, they had two sons together, and he applied for a visa. The lawyer he worked with took $19,000 and left Nima without a clear path to citizenship. Since then, he has worked on another visa application but has been caught in legal limbo.
“I don’t give up. I never give up. I think that people deserve more.”
“For some people the American Dream is money, for some people it’s happiness...I just want to have a healthy life and be there for my family and my community. I want to be there for my kids.”
Help Yonacel fight the case for her husband to stay. Help keep this family together. Help keep their American Dream alive. All you help and donations are immensely appreciated.
God bless,
Nima’s story isn’t unusual. After managing several restaurants during his time here, he decided to open two of his own. Matteo’s Pizza and the soon-to-be-opened Sebastian’s, both in San Pedro and named after his sons.
“I’ve been working here, building up a life, creating a family,” Nima said. “I know what I’m good at. I’m good at the restaurant business. That has always been my dream. I used to work 20 hours a day just so my family could have everything they need.”
But, on the day after Valentine’s Day, everything changed.
“Out of nowhere, two police officers came to my house. I don’t have a criminal record. I wasn’t even home, my wife answered the door.”
“I never imagined they would be from ICE.”
After the surprise visit, Nima was held in an ICE detention center which forced his restaurant to close and brought work on Sebastian's to a halt. He says that loyal customers inquire almost daily about when the restaurants will reopen.
“That means that whatever I have done, I now have nothing.”
Nima spent an agonizing two months in ICE detention which he described as inhumane. He recalls being treated like a number, stripped of his dignity, and mischaracterized as a dangerous criminal.
“One of my customers hired a lawyer for me and people would take turns visiting. The community really came and showed support.”
On March 22, he was released on $10,000 bail with a GPS ankle monitor and court date set for Oct. 10. Since his release, Nima has been working with a lawyer while receiving summons from ICE, requesting that he meet at a jail, their most recent request is for Oct. 9 - just one day before his trial date. While his fate remains uncertain, Nima’s main concern is for his family.
“I sold everything I had in the house - my clothes, my furniture - I want to find a way to support my family in case I am deported. As long as we’re together and we are healthy, I don’t care if we live in a tent.”
Nima says he would still like to live in San Pedro and continue to work with the community. He currently donates food to local charities and employes twenty people at his two restaurants. He even bought one of his employees a car so he wouldn’t have to commute on foot late at night.
“San Pedro is like one big, happy family - everything you can find in a love story is there - there’s laughter and there’s fighting but at the end of the day, there’s love.”
Nima first came to the U.S. from Norway in 2013. He met Yonacel Miranda, they had two sons together, and he applied for a visa. The lawyer he worked with took $19,000 and left Nima without a clear path to citizenship. Since then, he has worked on another visa application but has been caught in legal limbo.
“I don’t give up. I never give up. I think that people deserve more.”
“For some people the American Dream is money, for some people it’s happiness...I just want to have a healthy life and be there for my family and my community. I want to be there for my kids.”
Help Yonacel fight the case for her husband to stay. Help keep this family together. Help keep their American Dream alive. All you help and donations are immensely appreciated.
God bless,
Organizer
Matteo Karimi
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA