To: N. Berkeley, Andrew Strait, Melissa Jaramillo, Cecilia Munoz, Suzanne Barr, Michael Reid, Corey Price, ERO, Sarah Saldana, and Jeh Johnson
Tell ICE: Free Yuliana's Dad!
I am writing for the immediate release of Gustavo Gonzalez Leyva (A# 096-530-356) from Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia and call on ICE to immediately stop his deportation.
On the morning of January 12, 2015, Gustavo put his daughters Yuliana and Yaquelin on the bus for school and prepared for work when ICE officers detained him, tearing apart his family and putting their health and well-being at risk. Gustavo had been in custody of ICE before in 2009 after he was arrested for a DWI but was released and granted work authorization. The reasons for detaining him now are unjustified as he is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety and his criminal record has not changed since 2009. Gustavo has been detained away from his family for over two months and faces imminent deportation.
Gustavo came to the United States from Mexico in 1998 in search of a better life. He works with his brother who is a green card holder in Hickory, NC, where they run a mechanic shop together. Gustavo is the loving father of 3 US citizen daughters, a loving husband, and a hard worker. He attends St. Aloysius Catholic Church every Sunday with his family. If deported, his family would suffer irreparable damage as his 12 year old US citizen daughter, Yuliana, is at risk of suicide. In a letter to ICE, Therapist Sara Skinner QP, MSW, LCSWA writes that "..her depressive symptoms have been worsened dramatically since her father, Mr. Gonzalez Leyva, was detained..Deporting Yuliana's father could trigger more extreme depressive symptoms in Yuliana which could intensify her risk for suicide". In addition to Yuliana's deteriorating mental health, Gustavo's wife, Juana, experienced severe bleeding that sent her to the hospital. The official conclusion was that she had a miscarriage induced by severe stress.
As head of the household, Gustavo's presence is essential to the well-being of his family. In a letter by Yuliana's sixth grade teacher, she states that "Yuliana is a bright young lady..I know she wants to learn and be successful; however, her mind is definitely focused on her family. As an educator for 24 years, I often see how the breakdown of the family impacts a child's education as well as their outlook on the future. Strong family units provide children with stability and support they need to become productive citizens. It is that love and encouragement from the parents that ensures their children a bright and successful life. It is my hope that Yuliana's family stay intact allowing her and her siblings the opportunity to grow and learn through the support of both parents." It is evident that Gustavo's wife and daughters will not be able to subsist and will suffer severe emotional, financial, and physical deprivation if he is deported.
For each day Gustavo is detained, taxpayers are spending approximately $159 per day for his detention. In total, over $10,000 in taxpayer money has been spent keeping Gustavo in detention. The factors in Gustavo's case prove he is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety. Therefore, according to the memo issued by Jeh Johnson, he should be released and granted a favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion.
I urge you to immediately release Gustavo Gonzalez Leyva from Stewart Detention Center and stop his deportation.
On the morning of January 12, 2015, Gustavo put his daughters Yuliana and Yaquelin on the bus for school and prepared for work when ICE officers detained him, tearing apart his family and putting their health and well-being at risk. Gustavo had been in custody of ICE before in 2009 after he was arrested for a DWI but was released and granted work authorization. The reasons for detaining him now are unjustified as he is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety and his criminal record has not changed since 2009. Gustavo has been detained away from his family for over two months and faces imminent deportation.
Gustavo came to the United States from Mexico in 1998 in search of a better life. He works with his brother who is a green card holder in Hickory, NC, where they run a mechanic shop together. Gustavo is the loving father of 3 US citizen daughters, a loving husband, and a hard worker. He attends St. Aloysius Catholic Church every Sunday with his family. If deported, his family would suffer irreparable damage as his 12 year old US citizen daughter, Yuliana, is at risk of suicide. In a letter to ICE, Therapist Sara Skinner QP, MSW, LCSWA writes that "..her depressive symptoms have been worsened dramatically since her father, Mr. Gonzalez Leyva, was detained..Deporting Yuliana's father could trigger more extreme depressive symptoms in Yuliana which could intensify her risk for suicide". In addition to Yuliana's deteriorating mental health, Gustavo's wife, Juana, experienced severe bleeding that sent her to the hospital. The official conclusion was that she had a miscarriage induced by severe stress.
As head of the household, Gustavo's presence is essential to the well-being of his family. In a letter by Yuliana's sixth grade teacher, she states that "Yuliana is a bright young lady..I know she wants to learn and be successful; however, her mind is definitely focused on her family. As an educator for 24 years, I often see how the breakdown of the family impacts a child's education as well as their outlook on the future. Strong family units provide children with stability and support they need to become productive citizens. It is that love and encouragement from the parents that ensures their children a bright and successful life. It is my hope that Yuliana's family stay intact allowing her and her siblings the opportunity to grow and learn through the support of both parents." It is evident that Gustavo's wife and daughters will not be able to subsist and will suffer severe emotional, financial, and physical deprivation if he is deported.
For each day Gustavo is detained, taxpayers are spending approximately $159 per day for his detention. In total, over $10,000 in taxpayer money has been spent keeping Gustavo in detention. The factors in Gustavo's case prove he is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety. Therefore, according to the memo issued by Jeh Johnson, he should be released and granted a favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion.
I urge you to immediately release Gustavo Gonzalez Leyva from Stewart Detention Center and stop his deportation.
Why is this important?
"As an educator for 24 years, I often see how the breakdown of the family impacts a child's education as well as their outlook on the future. Strong family units provide children with stability and support they need to become productive citizens. It is that love and encouragement from the parents that ensures their children a bright and successful life. It is my hope that Yuliana's family stay intact allowing her and her siblings the opportunity to grow and learn through the support of both parents." - Mrs. Honeycutt, 6th grade teacher