My name is Daisy, and my dad was recently taken into ICE custody. He has attended annual immigration check-ups every year for three decades. In January, ICE tried tricking my dad by posing as his immigration officer, offering an “at-home visit” in place of his check-up, as long as he confirmed his current location. My father knew this was suspicious and would likely result in detainment, but wanted to keep his family safe and minimize any harm done, allowing himself to be taken peacefully at our home in St. Paul, MN.

My father came to the United States in the early 1990’s, where he was deeply impacted by anti-immigrant sentiments and the lack of structural support for Hmong refugees. This need to survive led to legal trouble in his teenage years—mistakes he continues to atone for today. Despite these missteps, he’s been able to build a life in this country for the last 35 years as a beloved husband, brother, and father of three. He often works 15-hour days doing 5 AM Amazon and Grubhub delivery drives straight into 8-hour factory shifts because he wants to set his children up for success.

He has now been awaiting deportation in El Paso for over a month. We’ve received no information about what’s next other than their intention to deport him to Laos—a country he’s never set foot in. He was born stateless in a refugee camp in Thailand. We have no family abroad to help ensure my father's safety. We are struggling to balance saving money for his legal and personal fees while paying for our own expenses at home.

We are asking for our community’s support by sharing our story, donating, or providing any resources that would be helpful. This is not the end of our story, and we are looking forward to the day we are reunited.

Thank you for listening, sharing, and being here with us.