Hello, my name is Hecmary, and together with Stephanie’s family and close friends, I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of her husband, Chris, to help bring Stephanie home. On December 5th, Stephanie walked into what was supposed to be a routine immigration appointment. She never came home.
Just 48 hours earlier, she had celebrated her civil wedding to her husband, Chris. Instead of beginning their life together, Stephanie was taken into ICE custody and has now been detained since December 5th, separated from her husband, her family, and everything familiar.
Stephanie has lived in the United States since 2021. She has no criminal record. She is a kind, hardworking Venezuelan woman who was studying for her real estate license, working honestly, and doing everything she was asked to do. She simply wanted a normal life a home, a career, and a future with the man she loves.
Instead, she is now living in an immigration detention center under conditions most people never see.
Stephanie is charged extreme prices for basic needs and communication:
Around $10 for a bottle of water
Very high phone rates, sometimes $10–$15 for just a few minutes, depending on the facility
Food that is barely edible, leaving her malnourished
Constant cold — she is often freezing.
A recent transfer to a different detention center, adding even more fear and uncertainty
While Stephanie is detained, Chris has been doing everything he can to fight for her.
Chris is a U.S. Army Reserve Black Hawk pilot and a small business owner. Since the day Stephanie was taken into custody, he has been working nonstop — coordinating attorneys, paying ongoing bills and detention-related costs, and showing up every day for his wife from a distance.
Stephanie’s legal team continues to work her case, but she remains detained, and the costs — legal and otherwise — continue to add up.
This fundraiser is meant to help cover:
Ongoing and future legal expenses
Detention-related costs such as phone access and basic necessities
The hardship created by a prolonged, unexpected separation
We are setting an initial fundraising goal of $10,000 to help cover ongoing legal costs, detention-related expenses, and the immediate hardship caused by this unexpected separation.
All funds raised will be delivered directly to Chris and used solely for legal and related hardship expenses.
If you’re able to donate, any amount truly helps.
If you’re not able to donate, sharing this story means just as much.
No one should have to go through this alone!
Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping bring Stephanie home.