On the morning of Monday, Jan. 12th, 2026, ICE arrested Carolina’s father, Victor, while he was at work in Glendale, CA. Victor is a kind, dedicated, and hardworking man who has long provided for his family, including Carolina and her younger brothers. He is currently being held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and has made the incredibly difficult decision to self-deport to Mexico–a place where he has not been to in over two decades.

My name is Eunsoo Jeong, and I am organizing my first GoFundMe campaign on behalf of my dear friend Carolina and her family after her father’s recent arrest by ICE.

I first met Carolina in 2017 through the UCLA Labor Center Dream Summer Fellowship, and we quickly connected over many shared experiences.

Carolina and her family are grieving the sudden and painful separation from their father, with no clear timeline for when they may be reunited. This fundraiser is intended to support Victor as he is deported, so he has some financial stability to begin rebuilding his life in Mexico and meet his basic needs during this transition. It will help Victor cover immediate survival needs, including:

In Carolina’s words:

“My dad has lived in the US for the past 27 years and has overcome many personal and physical challenges throughout his life, including spinal surgery after a work accident a few years ago and a major abdominal surgery that required extensive recovery in 2024. Despite these obstacles, he continued to work tirelessly to support himself, his family, and his children, often putting his own needs aside.

He is deeply loved by his children, siblings, nieces, and nephews and is known for easily making friends and uses humor to bring light to any situation. I am incredibly proud of my dad for everything he has accomplished and hope he is able to make a new life back in his home country.”

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and for considering a donation. Every donation- no matter the amount- directly helps Victor start over and it would mean so much to Carolina’s family during this incredibly difficult time.

In solidarity,