Immigration bond for LGBT boy & mom
Donation protected
Hi! My name is Brian Hoffman and I'm an immigration lawyer from Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Supreme Court Registration Number 0087995). Recently, I travelled to a Family Detention Center in Dilley, Texas to represent mothers and children who are detained there while seeking asylum. There are many special cases among the detained families in Dilley, and I want to share one with you and ask you for your help.
Let me introduce you to Stephanie and Jake (not their real names). Stephanie is a thirty-year-old mother of three from Central America. In her home country, Stephanie was trapped in an abusive relationship with a man who abused drugs and alcohol, beat her, and beat her children. She could not escape from this relationship because her husband threatened to take the children from her. What makes this case unique is that Stephanie’s six year old son Jake is gender-nonconforming. Stephanie was beaten by her husband for having a “faggot” son, Jake was beaten by his father for being a “faggot,” and Jake’s older brothers were beaten for standing up for him.
Stephanie borrowed money from her father to escape and come to the U.S., but she was abandoned in Mexico and had to carry Jake across the river and here to safety in the U.S. by herself. Stephanie is convinced her husband is involved with a gang and will kill her and Jake is she goes back to her home country.
The U.S. government has been detaining Stephanie and Jake at this detention facility for three months. Recently, I obtained an order from an Immigration Judge that they could be released from detention if they posted a $4,000 bond. That was more than two weeks ago, but their few acquaintances here in the U.S. have not been able to raise the money.
I’m asking for your help to pay this bond and allow Stephanie and Jake to fight their asylum case without having to be locked up for many more months to come. I am committed to representing them in this case, but their chances of success will improve greatly if they can secure their release, where they will have access to other attorneys, psychologists, and experts who can help them present their asylum claim.
Members of the LGBTQ community suffer violent persecution in Jake’s home country. I hope our community here in the U.S can show him and his mother that America is a nation that protects and celebrates diversity, and that lives up to our promise to protect and shelter those who come to us for refuge. Please help me help this family in need.
Let me introduce you to Stephanie and Jake (not their real names). Stephanie is a thirty-year-old mother of three from Central America. In her home country, Stephanie was trapped in an abusive relationship with a man who abused drugs and alcohol, beat her, and beat her children. She could not escape from this relationship because her husband threatened to take the children from her. What makes this case unique is that Stephanie’s six year old son Jake is gender-nonconforming. Stephanie was beaten by her husband for having a “faggot” son, Jake was beaten by his father for being a “faggot,” and Jake’s older brothers were beaten for standing up for him.
Stephanie borrowed money from her father to escape and come to the U.S., but she was abandoned in Mexico and had to carry Jake across the river and here to safety in the U.S. by herself. Stephanie is convinced her husband is involved with a gang and will kill her and Jake is she goes back to her home country.
The U.S. government has been detaining Stephanie and Jake at this detention facility for three months. Recently, I obtained an order from an Immigration Judge that they could be released from detention if they posted a $4,000 bond. That was more than two weeks ago, but their few acquaintances here in the U.S. have not been able to raise the money.
I’m asking for your help to pay this bond and allow Stephanie and Jake to fight their asylum case without having to be locked up for many more months to come. I am committed to representing them in this case, but their chances of success will improve greatly if they can secure their release, where they will have access to other attorneys, psychologists, and experts who can help them present their asylum claim.
Members of the LGBTQ community suffer violent persecution in Jake’s home country. I hope our community here in the U.S can show him and his mother that America is a nation that protects and celebrates diversity, and that lives up to our promise to protect and shelter those who come to us for refuge. Please help me help this family in need.
Organiser
Brian Hoffman
Organiser
Columbus, OH