Keep Joe from Deportation!
Donation protected
Update: WE REACHED GOAL!! Thank you all so much for your generosity! I have started the process to get the funds withdrawn and will be handing over the money to Joe as soon as I receive it so he can file with his lawyer :)
-Lisa
My friend Joe has been in the United States since 1993. He moved here from El Salvador when he was 7 years old and has gone to elementary school, middle school, and high school here. For the past 25 years, the United States has been his home and he has no memories of his life in El Salvador. He has been legally working in the United States since he was old enough to work. He pays taxes every year, and has never been in trouble with the law. Up until now he has been part of the Temporary Protected Status program that grants him amnesty in the US and he has renewed this along with his work permit the entire time that he has been here to ensure he is not working illegally and to abide by all US laws.
When Trump came into office, Joe was notified that he had until May 2019 to obtain US citizenship and in this process he has had to pay large amounts of money for an immigration lawyer to help him navigate the legal system and apply for citizenship. He has taken out from his 401K plan at his work, borrowed from his family members, and got just enough scraped together to get this process taken care of.
Last week, he awoke with his entire left side of his face swollen and was unable to eat. After visits to the urgent care and the dentist he discovered he needed an emergency root canal to repair a cracked tooth that had become infected. This procedure forced him to spend his savings for his lawyer on medical costs. Because of this medical emergency he can no longer afford to pay the legal fees to ensure he can stay in this country.
His lawyer has advised him that he needs to pay for legal fees by the END OF THIS MONTH (August 2018) in order to have the paperwork submitted and guarantee enough time to obtain an interview for his citizenship before the deadline.
I'm reaching out to anyone who is able to help and donate any amount they can so that my friend - who I have known for over 10 years - can stay in this country and not be forced to a place that is not his home, where he has no friends, family, or life in.
If you're unable to donate and feel like you want to help, passing this message along will help tremendously!
-Lisa
My friend Joe has been in the United States since 1993. He moved here from El Salvador when he was 7 years old and has gone to elementary school, middle school, and high school here. For the past 25 years, the United States has been his home and he has no memories of his life in El Salvador. He has been legally working in the United States since he was old enough to work. He pays taxes every year, and has never been in trouble with the law. Up until now he has been part of the Temporary Protected Status program that grants him amnesty in the US and he has renewed this along with his work permit the entire time that he has been here to ensure he is not working illegally and to abide by all US laws.
When Trump came into office, Joe was notified that he had until May 2019 to obtain US citizenship and in this process he has had to pay large amounts of money for an immigration lawyer to help him navigate the legal system and apply for citizenship. He has taken out from his 401K plan at his work, borrowed from his family members, and got just enough scraped together to get this process taken care of.
Last week, he awoke with his entire left side of his face swollen and was unable to eat. After visits to the urgent care and the dentist he discovered he needed an emergency root canal to repair a cracked tooth that had become infected. This procedure forced him to spend his savings for his lawyer on medical costs. Because of this medical emergency he can no longer afford to pay the legal fees to ensure he can stay in this country.
His lawyer has advised him that he needs to pay for legal fees by the END OF THIS MONTH (August 2018) in order to have the paperwork submitted and guarantee enough time to obtain an interview for his citizenship before the deadline.
I'm reaching out to anyone who is able to help and donate any amount they can so that my friend - who I have known for over 10 years - can stay in this country and not be forced to a place that is not his home, where he has no friends, family, or life in.
If you're unable to donate and feel like you want to help, passing this message along will help tremendously!
Organizer
Lisa Topiol
Organizer
Oakland, CA
