Release Marlon Vaz so that he can obtain necessary medical treatment, which ICE has failed to provide for three years despite his diagnosis of Bell's Palsy, a result of a botched dental surgery in an ICE facility that was run by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). Marlon Francisco Vaz (A#205132331) has been in ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) custody since January 21, 2012. On March 12, 2012, while detained at the now closed North Georgia Detention Center, an immigration facility run by Corrections Corporations of America (CCA), Marlon underwent a tooth extraction surgery that has left half of his face paralyzed. Immediately after the surgery, Marlon began to experience droopiness in his right eye, and loss of feeling and muscle control over the right side of his face. Instead of releasing him so that he can acquire medical attention, ICE has ignored the severity of the permanent damage of his condition and has failed to provide proper medical treatment. Less than seven days after the botched surgery, ICE ordered him deported on March 19, 2012, without him seeing an Immigration Judge. ICE has pressured the Brazilian government to issue travel documents, while threatening Marlon with criminal prosecution for "not aiding in his removal." In addition to the denial of medical care, Marlon’s requests for medical release from custody have also been ignored as ICE continues to hold him, and his health continues to deteriorate. We demand that Marlon Vaz is released so that he could receive adequate medical attention.

Mayra F is the mother of 4 US citizen children who has been living in the United States since 1996. Currently, she's one of the most proficient health promoter instructor through her Zumba Class in Fort Worth, Texas. She has helped many people reach their goal to lose weight, improve their health and also, she has organized events such as "Zumbathon" to help kids like "Peter to fight cancer", or "Martin to get a liver transplant". Mayra needs an opportunity to remain living with her US citizen children. She made a couple of mistakes in the past. There are regarding two misdemeanor cases. One of them has been reopened since 3 months ago, and still pending in Tarrant County court. Mayra's lawyer is fighting to demonstrate her innocence. Please, if you read this petition, please give a Mayra Fuentes the opportunity to remain in the United States with her children and let her continue to promote health and fitness to local communities.

DACA students, otherwise known as Undocumented Students with a Legal Presence, are students that were brought to the United States of America for a better life at a young age. In June of 2012, we finally got the opportunity to legally attend college by receiving DACA. That was the first and most important step, but now almost HALF A MILLION of us are not financially stable to be able to afford those out of pocket costs. Many of us are hard-working taxpayers who are just not able to afford an education. Paying Out-of-State Tuition without ANY government help is very difficult for anyone, American Citizen or NOT. Help us bring In-State Tuition for DACA students!

Erik Cortez-Sandeniz (A# 096-116-570) came to the United States from Mexico when he was nine years old. This is a letter from his oldest son, also named Erik. “My father grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and attended Central High School. He dropped out of high school to work and provide for his family at the age of seventeen. Since then, he has been the head of our household and has dedicated his life to taking care of his children and wife. He is now thirty-six years old and is in detention. My father grew up in a neighborhood filled with gangs. Like many other young people in his community, he became involved with the gang because that was what he knew. Despite his gang affiliation, he started working at the age of thirteen to provide for his family. One of his first jobs was helping in a local church. This country has been the only place my father has known. His whole family is here including his three U.S citizen sisters and U.S citizen mother and U.S permanent resident father, numerous of aunts and uncles and cousins, but most importantly he has his five U.S citizen children. I am his oldest son and I am nineteen years old. I just recently finished my first year at Brandeis University on a scholarship. His second oldest was recently accepted to Mass Maritime on a scholarship. Before being detained, my father saw his second son graduate high school but if he is deported he won’t see the rest of his children complete this important milestone. Two of his other children are in high school and his youngest just finished the 5th grade. He has been with my mother, his wife, for 20 years. If he does go back to Mexico, there's a possibility that he will be killed by rival gangs. He made mistakes, but I truly believe he has learned from them and moved on. He instilled in us the value of education that he learned from his experiences. My father grew up in circumstances that did not allow him to get an education, but he made sure that did not happen to us. He has two felony charges: one occurred when he was very young for leaving the scene of a car accident and the second for selling a gun to someone he thought was a friend and explained he needed a gun because his family was being threatened and was in danger. My father has provided and raised a wonderful family.” Please sign and ask ERO Assistant Field Office Director Todd Thurlow and DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Esther Olavarria to release Erik from detention so that he can fight his case from home with his family.

We are requesting you exercise prosecutorial discretion to not enforce the removal order against Mr. Gastelum consistent with the new enforcement memo by Secretary Johnson. Mr. Gastelum and his wife have a U.S. born son, Dilan (5) who suffers from severe eczema, developmental disabilities, anxiety and failure to thrive. Mr. Gastelum can provide medical insurance through his job and the insurance is necessary to treat and manage Dilan's severe eczema to avoid undue suffering and hospitalization. We believe this case meets the requirements for prosecutorial discretion and ask that you take immediate action to keep this family together and allow Dilan to continue receiving his much needed treatment.

Juan de Jesus (A095-528-377) came to the United States from the Dominican Republic when he was two. Now, 27, Juan is a New Yorker with deep roots in New York and New Jersey. He graduated from Norman Thomas High School in August 2007, and worked at a bodega before his detention. His entire family is here, including his green-card holder mother Augustina, his four U.S. citizen siblings, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. His U.S. citizen fiancé Alya Aboulhosn, whom Juan has dated since February 2013, attends all his court appearances and visits him in detention weekly. Juan is also a dedicated uncle to his two U.S. citizen nieces and U.S. citizen nephew. Juan has had a hard time getting good legal help. When he tried to regularize his status, an immigration “worker” Vincent Gonzales never followed up with his case. In July 2010, the NY Attorney General obtained a judgment of over $6.25 million against Mr. Gonzalez for engaging in the unauthorized practice of the law and defrauding thousands of immigrants. In August 2014, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Juan after he was convicted for drug possession. The criminal defense attorney who represented him was recently indicted for attempting to bribe Manhattan court staff. In September 2014, Juan’s attorneys appealed his conviction. Under immigration law, while the appeal is pending, the conviction (a felony for DACA purposes) is not “final,” and, as such, does not disqualify him from DACA. But ICE refuses to release him until the court decides the appeal, which could take up to two years. The DACA guidelines provide that while in ICE detention, Juan cannot apply for DACA though he fully qualifies. Juan also has three possession of marijuana New York violations: two carry maximum penalties of only a fine and do not count as misdemeanors for DACA; and one counts as a non-significant misdemeanor for DACA. These NY violations do not disqualify him from DACA. Juan started using drugs in high school. Becoming homeless after his mother (at the urging of her then-boyfriend) kicked him out of her apartment exacerbated his drug use. If Juan is released, he is determined to stay clean, and has already been accepted into a drug treatment program in New Jersey where he will live with his fiancé. Juan is also seeking asylum. His hearing was scheduled for June 2015, but because the judge assigned to his case retired, the court rescheduled for December 2015. Juan will have been detained for over a year and four months before his hearing. He has already been in detention for ten months. His attorneys filed a habeas petition in federal court on June 16, 2015, so that Juan may be released while he fights his case. That petition is pending. Please sign and ask ERO Field Office Director John Tsoukaris to release Juan from detention so that he can fight his case from home with his family.

Erik Cortez-Sandeniz (A# 096-116-570) came to the United States from Mexico when he was nine years old. This is a letter from his oldest son, also named Erik. “My father grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and attended Central High School. He dropped out of high school to work and provide for his family at the age of seventeen. Since then, he has been the head of our household and has dedicated his life to taking care of his children and wife. He is now thirty-six years old and is in detention. My father grew up in a neighborhood filled with gangs. Like many other young people in his community, he became involved with the gang because that was what he knew. Despite his gang affiliation, he started working at the age of thirteen to provide for his family. One of his first jobs was helping in a local church. This country has been the only place my father has known. His whole family is here including his three U.S citizen sisters and U.S citizen mother and U.S permanent resident father, numerous of aunts and uncles and cousins, but most importantly he has his five U.S citizen children. I am his oldest son and I am nineteen years old. I just recently finished my first year at Brandeis University on a scholarship. His second oldest was recently accepted to Mass Maritime on a scholarship. Before being detained, my father saw his second son graduate high school but if he is deported he won’t see the rest of his children complete this important milestone. Two of his other children are in high school and his youngest just finished the 5th grade. He has been with my mother, his wife, for 20 years. If he does go back to Mexico, there's a possibility that he will be killed by rival gangs. He made mistakes, but I truly believe he has learned from them and moved on. He instilled in us the value of education that he learned from his experiences. My father grew up in circumstances that did not allow him to get an education, but he made sure that did not happen to us. He has two felony charges: one occurred when he was very young for leaving the scene of a car accident and the second for selling a gun to someone he thought was a friend and explained he needed a gun because his family was being threatened and was in danger. My father has provided and raised a wonderful family.” Please sign and ask ERO Assistant Field Office Director Todd Thurlow and DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Esther Olavarria to release Erik from detention so that he can fight his case from home with his family.

Flagrant Human Rights Violations affect us all. If ignored in one place, it pops up in another place.

Last year, Governor LePage singled out asylum seekers when he unilaterally denied General Assistance (GA) from legal, non-citizens. Why? Well, he called them “able-bodied.” And, he’s right. Legal, non-citizens and asylum seekers are as eager as anyone else to work and start their lives as New Mainers. But because asylum seekers are prohibited by federal law from working for the first six months they’re in the United States, they need help from programs like GA to help meet their basic needs like food, rent, and clothing. GA is a voucher program--meaning no cash is distributed. It’s a program run by municipalities but funded mostly with state dollars. Recently, a Maine court ruled that the state was legally allowed to withhold state funding. Where does that leave Maine’s newest residents? Right here in Portland, it means there are hundreds of people who will be without housing and food. Paul LePage has given up on our asylum seeking neighbors -- but we can't. We have a second chance. This Wednesday, Portland’s City Council will have an opportunity to fully fund GA for asylum seekers in the city budget.

We want to make clear our community's position on the current Driver's License legislation: we support the bill S.0391. This bill would provide members of our community with legal access to driver's licenses, and the ability to drive without fear of deportation. Cities and States like Chicago, Vermont, California, New Jersey and Connecticut, to name a few, have already taken the step towards greater equality by passing similar laws that provide licenses for all, regardless of immigration status. Rhode Island has a responsibility to its immigrant families to uphold our values of fairness and safety by passing these reforms. Click here to view the contents of the legislation in English: http://tinyurl.com/S0391-English and here in Spanish: http://tinyurl.com/S0391-Espanol

Hi, Good men that are hard workers and the sole providers for their families should be given opportunities to reunite with their families. Some of the deportees are just waiting at the borders for laws to change, and meanwhile the single moms are becoming homeless even though they work two jobs. Children are suffering from this and some are struggling with emotional anxiety and depression. I am one of the many wives that became homeless, had to quit school and became depressed and sick from seeing my family suffer so much, especially because two of our five kids, the younger ones, have disabilities. I miss him so much, but because of financial hardship I can't go see him. I wish someone would just hear our voices.

Good men that are hard workers and the sole providers for their families should be given opportunities to reunite with their families. Some of the deportees are just waiting at the borders for laws to change, and meanwhile the single moms are becoming homeless even though they work two jobs. Children are suffering from this and some are struggling with emotional anxiety and depression. I am one of the many wives that became homeless, had to quit school, and became depressed and sick from seeing my family suffer so much. Especially because two of our five kids, the younger ones, have disabilities. I miss my husband so much, but because of financial hardship, I can't go see him. I wish someone would just hear our voices.