Welcome Cam Home!

Content and trigger warnings: physical and emotional abuse; domestic violence; incarceration; detention; deportation; family separation

Cẩm Trần is a Vietnamese mother who was deported and separated from her two young children in 2019. This January 2024, Cam will be the first Vietnamese deportee to return home to the United States. Join us in welcoming Cam home!

Like many survivors of domestic violence, Cam was criminalized for her attempts at self-defense. After arriving in the United States in 2009, Cam faced physical and emotional abuse at the hands of multiple partners. As a new immigrant, Cam’s social isolation and lack of English proficiency made her especially vulnerable to this cycle of abuse.

Back in 2016, in a domestic violence dispute with her second husband, Cam called 911 for help, but was arrested and charged with an aggravated felony. Cam’s attorney advised her to plead guilty, but failed to advise her on the immigration consequences of this conviction or the legal recourses available to her. Cam struggled to advocate for herself, but given language barriers and her unfamiliarity with the U.S. legal system, she took her attorney’s advice, not knowing it would lead to deportation. After spending 6 months at the California Institution for Women, Cam was detained by ICE at the Adelanto Detention Facility for 2 years before being deported to Vietnam in 2019.

Since 2019, Cam has worked tirelessly to reunite with her children. With legal advocacy and community support from ViệtUnity and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee, Cam pursued a motion to vacate her deportable charges. As of 2023, Cam’s deportable charges have been dropped, and she is now able to return to the United States to her loved ones.

Cam now needs our support to rebuild her life upon return, including funds for secure housing, employment, and transportation. Cam also hopes to take community college courses and pursue her degree, and to give back to the communities who helped bring her home.

Check out the social media toolkit [bit.ly/WelcomeCamHome (case sensitive)] which has graphics and templates to easily share the fundraiser.

Other ways to donate:

Venmo: @thaotle

Again, we are so thankful for your support in sharing and donating, as we continue to accompany Cam.

Organized by ViệtUnity Bay Area and Asian Prisoner Support Committee