​Our dear friend and neighbor has been living in Maine since 2021, pursuing asylum through all official legal channels for himself, his wife, and his son. During their time here their family has grown, and they are now the proud parents of two daughters born right here in the United States. He is a respected member of our community: he works hard, takes classes, volunteers, and is deeply involved in his children's education.

​Recently, he was unexpectedly detained by ICE for 21 days, despite having documentation proving his ongoing legal process here in the U.S.

​While we are incredibly relieved to share that he has finally been released from detention and is back home with his family, his legal path has drastically changed. Because of the detention, his asylum case has been moved into the formal Immigration Court system. He is not starting over, but he now must mount a complex "defensive" asylum case in front of a judge to protect his family from deportation.

​The Challenge We Face

We were incredibly fortunate to secure free legal representation to handle his emergency detention and get him out. However, free legal options for full, ongoing courtroom asylum cases in Maine are extremely limited.

​To give him the best chance at permanent safety, we need to transition his case to a private immigration law firm. The firm recommended to us has quoted a total fee of $10,000—which is significantly less than other local firms we vetted, but still an enormous hurdle for a young family.

​We are hoping to help them raise at least some of this amount so the attorneys can get started on his defense immediately. 100% of these funds will go directly to them to cover their ongoing legal counsel and court fees.

​Please consider donating to keep this family together and safe in the community that they have made home. If you cannot donate, sharing this link makes a massive difference.

​Thank you for your kindness and support!