Help Daniel, Escape Danger and Rebuild His Life

I am reaching out because my friend, Daniel, is in urgent need of assistance. He fled Ecuador to escape extreme gang violence that has already claimed the lives of several family members. His hometown of Esmeraldas is particularly dangerous, with increased criminal gang activity in recent years. The U.S. Department of State warns that transnational criminal groups and local gangs regularly engage in violent acts in these areas, including murder, armed robberies, and kidnappings (US Travel State Gov). Additionally, Human Rights Watch reports that gang violence in Ecuador has led to over 600 deaths since 2019 (hrw). His mother has been extorted and recently had a gun held to her head by gang members demanding to know his whereabouts. Daniel, also experienced extortion and various threats to his life. Fearing for his life, he sought asylum in the U.S. in November 2023, hoping for safety and a chance to rebuild.

Instead, he found himself struggling to survive. Without proper documentation, he was unable to work and was placed in the Randall’s Island migrant shelter—a tent-based facility housing approximately 500 men on cots in tents. This shelter has been plagued by violence, including stabbings and shootings (cbsnews; nypost). In May 2024, while there, he was brutally attacked—an incident I personally witnessed, as I was on duty that night working at the shelter. He was hospitalized and later moved to the Creedmoor migrant shelter, another tent-based facility where he lived with 900 other men, again sleeping on cots. Despite these relocations, he still could not find work due to his undocumented status.

Daniel did everything he could to stay afloat. For a time, he worked at a barbershop, holding onto hope that things would improve. After three months, he was let go. He remained unemployed for five months, during which he struggled to eat and survive. Though he had applied for asylum, the process prevents applicants from applying for a work permit until 150 days after their application, leaving him without legal means to support himself.

He was detained by ICE in February 2025 and has since been transferred multiple times, moved from New York to Boston, then to Buffalo, and now to Texas far from any legal aid. Despite our best efforts, he has been unable to secure legal representation, leaving him without a real path forward. His only option now is to request deportation. However, returning to Ecuador is not safe. His plan is to go there only briefly to retrieve travel documents, and then continue on to Colombia, where he hopes to start over in safety.

He would love to return to Ecuador, but unfortunately, he has a target on his back, and people are still actively looking for him. (I have attached a copy of the police report in Spanish that his mother filed after she was threatened last week, with some information redacted to protect the parties involved.) You can find that here: Google Drive Link.

I am asking for your help to raise funds so that he can afford safe passage to Colombia and cover basic needs upon arrival. Before he left Ecuador, he sold his barbershop, car, and other belongings; he has nothing in Ecuador. His family is extremely poor, and I have been assisting as much as I can, but I cannot do this alone. I am a full-time student and I'm without stable work due to a heavy school schedule.

Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference. Photos of the attack are available to verify his experiences. He also did an interview last summer talking about his experience of being a "migrant" and the attack, you can find that here , it starts at the 17:53 minute mark until the 19:09 minute mark. Note: Daniel is from Ecuador, not Venezuela, the interviewer just assumed that he is from Venezuela

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.