Mexican Artist, Detained by ICE Since September, Needs Your Help

Jose and his daughter

Guest Post by Alejandra Rosero immigration attorney at Dolores Street Community Services 

It’s evident that the Trump administration has twisted the United States’ overall views towards immigrants, turning society’s attitude from “welcome them” to “criminalize them.” As a result, the situation for immigrants has dramatically deteriorated in recent months, as this malicious administration continues to employ inhuman measures that not even the Courts can block. Witnessing these forms of injustice can be frustrating and extremely disheartening since our justice system was the last bastion of defense, where regular people used to have the chance to fight for their freedom and dignity. Not anymore in immigration courts.

As members of society and witnesses of this unjust time in history, we have the social responsibility to speak out for what is right, to attend protests, to defend the defenseless, and to support the vulnerable. One person can change it all because it only takes a single case to be heard in the Supreme Court to re-write history for millions of folks.

Here, is how you can re-write the history of Jose, a Mexican artist who has lived in the United States since he was 15 years old. Jose is represented by a small non-profit organization in the Mission named Dolores Street Community Services and although his attorneys have done everything to help him being released from immigration detention, the unjust polices from the Trump administration have won.

After living for over 20 years in the United States and having established a family and a home in this country, Jose was detained by immigration and placed in an immigration jail since September of last year. He ended up in the hands of immigration because as a victim of gentrification, he was homeless and forced to live in his car.

One of Jose’s pieces.

Aside from being a great artist, Jose is a hardworking, loving father of a United States citizen daughter, who is only 9-years-old. Although Jose worked really hard in construction, the amount of money he earned was not enough to pay the rent and provide the monthly financial support to his daughter. Despite this, Jose never stopped providing support to his child, even when this meant that he would be homeless.

While Jose qualifies for an immigration relief that would grant him a legal status to stay in the United States, he will likely lose his case and be deported to Mexico because since he is detained, he has been unable to collect the documents he needs to win his case.

Jose could be released from immigration detention if he pays a bond—unlike criminal bail bonds which can be paid in a small percentage of the total amount, immigrant detainees have to pay the full amount of the bond. If a detained immigrant cannot afford to pay the total bond amount, they will remain in jail until their deportation. Jose’s bond is $20,000.

This is why we are asking everyone to support Jose, so he can be allowed to fight his case outside the detention center. If Jose is released from detention, he will have a real chance to win his case and be able to stay in the United States with his 9-year-old daughter.

This is why I’m inviting you all to contribute however you can to support Jose’s fight for freedom; to support him in his struggle to remain in his home, the United States, and be reunited with his daughter. You can read more about Jose’s story, check out his art work, and learn about how to support him right here.