ICE has detained a member of our community. We are grateful to Immigration Equality for doing everything they can to release them.
This detention is very troublesome and we believe it is unlawful. ICE, empowered by President Trump’s Administration anti-immigrant rhetoric, overreaches and abuses power.
The person that has been detained has filed for an affirmative asylum within 1 year deadline, they are awaiting for their asylum interview, they have a valid employment authorization and A-number, they have no criminal record. However, according to ICE, their status is NOT “current” because they did not receive an asylum yet and they “overstayed their travel visa”.
Many people who seek asylum overstay their travel visa. People often wait years until their asylum interview is scheduled. The U.S. government should protect asylum seekers who escape tyranny and persecution.
We demand that ICE stop detaining asylum seekers. These detentions hurt people, create atmosphere of fear, devastate our communities and it is a waste of taxpayers’ money. This is wrong and needs to be challenged in the court of law.
RUSA LGBT