Our dear friend, Emilio Garcia, who has lived in the US since he was a child, was deported to El Salvador recently at the age of 60. Like many, Emilio is a valid Green Card holder as well as a law abiding and tax-paying permanent resident of the United States. He is also both a union worker and private contractor. He started off as our Painter and quickly became our friend. He loved bringing good food to others and meeting up to watch the Buffalo Bills play. Of the 100 business cards at Sherwin Williams we picked one card, and that was Emilio’s.

As a boy, his parents were murdered during a violent raid amid the Salvadoran Civil War that began in the 70s. Emilio and his older sister fled to the US and were granted asylum. His sister passed away at a young age and Emilio survived on his own and made his way. He has a strong faith and loved attending service at Grace Church Road on East Ave in Rochester, NY.

He was picked up over the summer outside of his apartment building on his way to start his work day. He hired a lawyer and they denied his appeal. After weeks of moving from one holding facility to the next he finally arrived in El Salvador… where they had absolutely no record of him given he left nearly 50 years ago as a child. They sent him back to the US only to learn his apartment was cleared out along with his bank account. With no valid reason he was denied once again to stay in the only place he’s ever known as home. He sat shackled on one plane for days moving then to the next plane and then the next as a chain gang for weeks on end. It then took months of maltreatment and uncertainty that hurts to even go into detail about to arrive back in El Salvador where they confirmed he had no criminal record and allowed him entry. Though he has nothing and no one, he has been resilient his entire life. Even as a senior he is capable of finding his way as he did so many decades ago. Right now he is trying to find work each day, which earns less than $20 per day, just to pay for a meal and a safe place to sleep that night.

I know many of us wish to help people in this situation but don’t even know where to begin. You also want to be sure that any monetary donations are reaching those in need directly. If you can find it in your heart to make a donation to help Emilio start all over and establish himself in a country that is foreign to him, there is no amount too small. If it is not feasible for you we understand and hopefully this message can help spread awareness confirming that sadly there is no exaggeration to the deportation atrocities that we have all read about that shakes you to your core. It hurts all the more when it is someone you call a friend.

Thank you,

Elizabeth & Thierry Saint-Joy