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Get Marco Out of ICE Custody

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My name is Lois Gutierrez, I am the wife of Marco Cruz Blanco. Yesterday afternoon, Marco was detained and taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is being held in Carver County in Chaska, MN. Marco will have his immigration bond hearing tomorrow at 1pm.  Our family is doing everything we can to get these funds, but we need help raising 7 to 10K to pay for his bond as it is due by 3pm tomorrow. If not, he will remain detained for the duration of the case. The funds of this GoFundMe will not be available immediate so if you are able to give cash, please call Estefania at [phone redacted]. 

Moments before he was detained, Marco and I had just finished our interview with USCIS for the spousal petition we had submitted back in December 2015. We were relieved that it was done and over with and had left the facility. A few blocks away from the immigration office, an undercover ICE squad signaled us to pull over. When the officials got out of their vehicle, we saw that they were ICE officials. They asked us for ID. Marco, being who he is, asked why we were pulled over and what this was about. They insisted that they see ID before they told us what was going on. As soon as Marco showed them his ID, they said he was being taken for being in the country "illegally". I explained to them that we had just finished the interview and that we were working on getting legal status and still they said they could take him. They were gone with Marco in a heartbeat. I spent last night crying and our family is devastated.

For those of you who know Marco, you know that he is an activist at heart. He cares for and fights for our communities, for those who are marginalized and fights so that our exisistence is recognized and respected. In the past few years he's been involved with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, political organizing with POC, NAVIGATE MN, Cosecha, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Voices for Racial Justice and much more.

We need Marco out of hands of ICE and back home. We need him in our communities so that he can continue to do the great work that needs to be done. We need our friend and ally to be free, there is no reason for him to be detained.

Even if you don't know him, please find it within your heart to give what you can. And if you can't give anything, please send us all your love and support. Today, November 16, is his birthday and he is spending it alone in custody.

Thank you and I’ll keep you all posted!

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Mi nombre es Lois Gutierrez, soy la esposa de Marco Cruz Blanco. Ayer en la tarde, Marco fue detenido por la Oficina de Control Fronterizo y Aduanas (ICE). Esta detenido en  Carver County en Chaska, MN. Marco tendrá su audiencia de inmigración mañana a la 1pm. Nuestra familia esta haciendo todo lo que podemos para recaudar los fondos pero necesitamos ayuda para recaudar 7 a 10 mil para la fianza que se tendrá que pagar para las 3pm mañana. Si no podemos pagar, el sera detenido durante todo el proceso del caso. Los fondos de este GoFundMe no estaran disponible inmediatamente, si pueden dar dinero en efectivo por favor llamen a Estefania al [phone redacted]. 

Momentos antes de ser detenido, yo y Marco acabábamos de terminar nuestra entrevista con USCIS para la petición que habíamos sometido en diciembre del 2015. Fue un gran alivio haber terminado la entrevista y que ya esta parte difícil del proceso se había terminado. Nos fuimos del las oficinas. A pocas cuadras, una escuadra secreta nos indico que nos paráramos al lado de la calle. Cuando se bajaron de su vehículo nos pidieron por identificación.  Marco, siendo quien es, les pidió por qué nos habían parado y de que se trataba esto. Insistieron por ID antes de decirnos que pasaba. Tan pronto que vieron el ID de Marco dijieron que estaba detenido por esta en el país “ilegalmente”. Yo les explique que habíamos concluido con la entrevista y que estábamos en proceso para obtener estatus legal pero todavía se lo llevaron. Se fueron  con  Marco en un instante. Pase la noche llorando y nuestra familia esta devastada.

Para los que lo conocen, saben que Marco es un activista de corazón. A el le importa y lucha por nuestras comunidades, para los que están marginalizados y  lucha para que nuestra existencia sea reconocida y respetada. En los últimos años Marco ha estado involucrado con Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL), organizando actividades politicas para personas de color, NAVIGATE MN, Cosecha, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), Voices for Racial Justice y mucho mas.

Aunque no lo conozcan, espero que encuentren en su corazón dar lo que puedan. Y aun si no pueden dar, por favor manden todo su amor y apoyo. El dia de hoy, 16 de noviembre, es el dia de su cumpleaños y lo va pasar solito en custodia.

¡Gracias  y los mantendré informados!
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Donations 

  • Sheridan Aguirre
    • $10
    • 8 yrs
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Organizer

Lois Gutierrez
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN

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