My name is Erika. I’m a mother of seven, and our family is still trying to recover from what happened the morning immigration officers came to our home. They entered without showing a warrant, forced their way inside, and violently removed my husband in front of our children. It was sudden, frightening, and deeply destabilizing. Our kids watched strangers push into the place they believed was safe, and since that day, their sense of security has not been the same.

Our younger children have been having nightmares and trouble sleeping. The older kids are trying to be strong, but they’re carrying fear and confusion that no child should have to carry. I am doing everything I can to help them feel safe again, but the emotional impact is real and ongoing.

My husband has been living in the United States for more than two decades. He has worked consistently, paid taxes, stayed out of trouble, and built his entire adult life here. He has no criminal history. He is a loving, hardworking man who avoids conflict, keeps to himself, and shows up for his family every single day. The way he was taken — without warning, without a warrant, and in front of our children — has left our family shaken.

We have been in the immigration process for years. My husband has been doing everything required of him: attending appointments, submitting documents, and following the legal steps to obtain his papers. We already had an attorney long before this happened. When he was detained, everything shifted from a long-term process to an emergency situation. We have now had to file additional documents, update his case, and submit a stay of removal to protect him from being taken away permanently. Even with years of preparation behind us, the sudden shift into crisis mode has created legal expenses and practical challenges we were not prepared for.

This GoFundMe isn’t about asking for pity. It’s about giving our family a little room to breathe while we navigate something we never expected. When a parent is taken suddenly, the weight of everything — legal steps, bills, daily responsibilities, emotional support — falls onto one set of shoulders. I am doing everything I can to keep our home steady, to keep the children grounded, and to continue the legal process we’ve been in for years. Any support offered here simply helps us stay afloat while we work to bring their father back to the life he built with us.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for supporting families who are trying to stay whole through circumstances they never asked for.