Help Free Jose
Donation protected
Jose Sanchez, a DC resident for more than 10 years, was detained by ICE during the July raids in Northwest DC. He is now being held at Farmville Detention Center in Virginia awaiting his immigration court date on December 7. After a bad experience with an incompetent lawyer, Jose has been connected to an excellent immigration attorney but needs funds to cover the legal fees. His partner (soon to be wife) Susan is pictured above. Susan is a US citizen, is three months pregnant with Jose's child, and her bank account was frozen after Jose was detained.
As part of our ongoing work to support our neighbors who were detained in the July raids, Sanctuary DMV is raising funds that will go directly to cover Jose’s legal fees and the costs associated with Susan’s efforts to get him out of detention.
Here’s what Susan has to say:
"My world come to a halt in early July, when Jose was picked up by ICE in Columbia Heights. Jose and I met 3 years ago and about a year ago we fell in love. We work together – he is a chef and I’m a server at a popular DC restaurant.
"That day, Jose left the apartment to pick up some food and never came home. After Jose was picked up, he was missing for almost 13 hours. I made more phone calls than I care to tell you about, and I was told awful things on the phone and in person. I went to the ICE office in Fairfax and was told – all while I was crying – 'you are an American, you’re a beautiful woman – why are you wasting your time with an illegal piece of shit? He should be deported.'
"A few weeks into Jose being detained, I found out I was pregnant. I have been working 7 days a week, 11 to 13-hour shifts, and I’m still drowning. Jose, who came to DC alone as a young teen, is the only source of income for his elderly parents. He also has two US citizen children to take care of. I have developed health problems from this as well as mental health issues, and Jose now has high blood pressure. I have never been a person to ask for help but now… I need help.
"The first attorney made a mess of his case. With the help of our community we’ve found a new attorney to take his case, but even at a low-bono rate they are more expensive than we can afford. I’d give everything I have to get Jose back, but it still isn’t enough. My bank account was frozen because of this as well.
"Any help would mean the world to both of us. Jose is the most caring, loving person; I have never had anyone who cares for me the way he does. Jose just wants to get out to be with me, to work and support his family. We just want what everyone wants: to be able to be together and be a family, just be able to create a life together. Is that asking too much?"
FUNDRAISER INFO: This fundraiser is being run by Sanctuary DMV on behalf of Susan, Jose's partner. Because Susan's bank account has been frozen, funds are being sent to the account of Brandon Wu, a core SDMV organizer, who is then either directly paying for relevant expenses on Susan's behalf, or passing them on to Susan in cash. Sanctuary DMV has been working in solidarity with Jose and Susan ever since Jose was detained in DC last July. Funds are being used to cover Jose's legal fees, commissary fees so he can make phone calls, and some miscellaneous expenses (ensuring Susan is able to pay her phone bill to keep in touch with Jose, their lawyer, SDMV, etc; a small amount for wedding rings for their wedding).
As part of our ongoing work to support our neighbors who were detained in the July raids, Sanctuary DMV is raising funds that will go directly to cover Jose’s legal fees and the costs associated with Susan’s efforts to get him out of detention.
Here’s what Susan has to say:
"My world come to a halt in early July, when Jose was picked up by ICE in Columbia Heights. Jose and I met 3 years ago and about a year ago we fell in love. We work together – he is a chef and I’m a server at a popular DC restaurant.
"That day, Jose left the apartment to pick up some food and never came home. After Jose was picked up, he was missing for almost 13 hours. I made more phone calls than I care to tell you about, and I was told awful things on the phone and in person. I went to the ICE office in Fairfax and was told – all while I was crying – 'you are an American, you’re a beautiful woman – why are you wasting your time with an illegal piece of shit? He should be deported.'
"A few weeks into Jose being detained, I found out I was pregnant. I have been working 7 days a week, 11 to 13-hour shifts, and I’m still drowning. Jose, who came to DC alone as a young teen, is the only source of income for his elderly parents. He also has two US citizen children to take care of. I have developed health problems from this as well as mental health issues, and Jose now has high blood pressure. I have never been a person to ask for help but now… I need help.
"The first attorney made a mess of his case. With the help of our community we’ve found a new attorney to take his case, but even at a low-bono rate they are more expensive than we can afford. I’d give everything I have to get Jose back, but it still isn’t enough. My bank account was frozen because of this as well.
"Any help would mean the world to both of us. Jose is the most caring, loving person; I have never had anyone who cares for me the way he does. Jose just wants to get out to be with me, to work and support his family. We just want what everyone wants: to be able to be together and be a family, just be able to create a life together. Is that asking too much?"
FUNDRAISER INFO: This fundraiser is being run by Sanctuary DMV on behalf of Susan, Jose's partner. Because Susan's bank account has been frozen, funds are being sent to the account of Brandon Wu, a core SDMV organizer, who is then either directly paying for relevant expenses on Susan's behalf, or passing them on to Susan in cash. Sanctuary DMV has been working in solidarity with Jose and Susan ever since Jose was detained in DC last July. Funds are being used to cover Jose's legal fees, commissary fees so he can make phone calls, and some miscellaneous expenses (ensuring Susan is able to pay her phone bill to keep in touch with Jose, their lawyer, SDMV, etc; a small amount for wedding rings for their wedding).
Organizer
Brandon Wu
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
