Help Bring Fatima Home

Last month, while many of us gathered with loved ones for Thanksgiving, hundreds of families across North Carolina felt the weight of an empty chair at their tables. One of those families belongs to Fatima Issela Velasquez Antonio, a 23-year-old young woman now at risk of being deported at any moment.

You may have seen the heartbreaking videos across our state — families being torn apart as ICE and CBP conduct arrests in public places: streets, job sites, even hospitals. Fatima’s story is one of those tragedies — but it’s also one we can fight to change.

Who Is Fatima?

Fatima is originally from Honduras, and her young life has been marked by unimaginable hardship. She lost her mother to cancer at age 12 and her father to gang violence just two years later. With no safe place left, she came to North Carolina to seek refuge with her remaining family in Wendell.

For nearly a decade, Fatima has lived, studied, and worked here — always trying to navigate our broken immigration system the “right way.”

But those dreams were shattered when she was arrested at her workplace several weeks ago. She is now being held in a detention center in Georgia, facing imminent deportation to a country where she has no family, no home, and no safety.

Why Fatima Needs Help

At her initial hearing, an immigration judge acknowledged that Fatima entered the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor seeking asylum but stated the Court could not grant her bond due to a recent Trump-era ruling.

On December 2, 2025, her request for release was denied again by the same judge.

Fatima’s legal team is fighting hard — but the fight against the federal government requires significant time, resources, and specialized legal expertise. Right now, Fatima cannot do this alone.

How Your Support Helps

I created this GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Fatima’s family at their request.

Fatima is my niece through my spouse, and our family is doing everything we can to bring her home.

Every donation, no matter the size, directly supports:

A dedicated bank account has been established solely for this cause.

ALL funds will go directly to Fatima’s attorneys, managed with the guidance of her legal team and family.

You Can Make a Difference

Fatima has built her life here. Her home, her partner, her family, and her community are all in North Carolina. She deserves the chance to stay safe, to stay loved, and to stay home.

Please consider donating to her legal defense fund. If you cannot donate, sharing this campaign with your community makes an enormous difference.

Together, we can show Fatima that she is not alone — and that we will fight to bring her home.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support.

❤️ From our family to yours — thank you.