Support Antonio with his Sudden Deportation

I’ve lived at Port 45 for the past three years, and one of the best parts of living here has been getting to know Antonio.

Antonio was our building cleaner, but to call him that doesn’t do justice to who he was in our community. When I first got my puppy Dory, Antonio was her very first friend during our early morning walks. He quickly became my friend, too. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and time for everyone. He made this place feel more like home.

This past weekend, Antonio was detained by ICE during a neighborhood raid. He wasn’t the person they were looking for—he was just walking to his second job. But because his immigration status was still being processed, he was given an impossible choice: stay in detention for months waiting for a court date, or leave the country right away. He chose to return to Guatemala and within 24 hours, he was gone.

It’s heartbreaking and unfair.

We’re putting this fundraiser together to help Antonio land on his feet and start rebuilding his life. I’m trying to get in touch with him now so we can send the money directly. If I’m not able to, I’ll donate everything to an organization fighting unjust deportations. (I’m looking into options—please feel free to send ideas.)

Antonio gave so much of himself to our community. If you’re able to give something back, it would mean a lot.

Thank you for reading.