Most of you have seen the headlines about the ICE agents who shot a Venezuelan man in the leg through the door of his own home.

But behind the news reports, there are two young families whose lives were upended that night. We are raising urgent funds to help those two families — Alfredo, Valentina, their 1 year old son; and Julio, Indriany, and their 3 year old son — rebuild their lives.

Their ordeal began when ICE agents erroneously targeted Alfredo in a case of mistaken identity. When he sought safety in his own home, the situation escalated and the agents fired through the door, striking Julio—Alfredo’s friend and housemate—in the leg. For roughly an hour thereafter, their home was besieged and agents used tear gas in an attempt to force the families—including their two young children—out of the house.

The families eventually surrendered and all were arrested and detained that night. The children were later released, but the mothers were quickly flown to Texas, thousands of miles away from their children. It took weeks before Indriany and Valentina were able to return home, after succeeding on habeas petitions whereby the courts found their detention to be unlawful.

In the meantime, Alfredo and Julio were detained in Minnesota. They faced federal assault charges, but those charges have since been dropped due to contradictory evidence and clear inconsistencies in the agents' accounts.

All four adults and their children are now thankfully reunited at home, but their ordeal is far from over. Since returning home, the families have continued to face hardship.

While his parents were still detained, one of the children was severely burned in an accident, requiring surgery and multiple days of hospitalization. The injury has been traumatic and painful, adding medical bills and emotional strain to an already overwhelming situation.

Because of Operation Metro surge, the arrests, detention, legal proceedings, and medical emergencies, the families have been unable to work consistently. They are struggling to cover rent, utilities, medical costs, other bills, and basic necessities while trying to rebuild a sense of safety for their young children.

I am a lawyer in the Twin Cities and, along with other members of the legal and school communities, have been helping these families since the night of the shooting. While there is much need in their household, there is no want for love in their home. Julio, Alfredo, Indriany, and Valentina are hardworking, devoted parents who are desperate for stability and peace, and need community support to help them get back on their feet.

Any contribution — no matter the size — will help these families cover essential expenses, recover from lost income, and move forward together.

All proceeds will be deposited directly to the families’ bank account and divided amongst themselves equally.

If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing their story. Thank you!