In 2013 Israel “Izzy” Mendez Torres  applied for a special work permit required for his job as a bartender at a local club. Being undocumented, he applied using a false social security card, encouraged by his boss who told him there would not be any problem. Unfortunately, he was caught and detained by ICE, and has since then been fighting  his deportation.

Although he is still working to vacate his criminal charge, and has a pending appeal in immigration court, Izzy was taken into immigration custody on the morning of September 16, 2015 and told he would be deported immediately. 

Israel is a father of 3 U.S. citizens and a step-dad to two daughters. He has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years. While he has been detained previously his family has suffered great losses, including their bills piling up without his income. Now they face similar uncertainty without knowing whether Izzy will be able to be with them again.

Israel was granted a stay of removal last year after the community turned out in large numbers to support Israel, but this year, the local ICE field office has denied his stay, and has told him he had to leave his family. He was released from detention last month, and told that he would be advised of possible detention in the future. Instead, he was detained while going to a routine ICE check-in, betraying his confidence and that of the community. 

Many Houston community leaders believe Israel is being punished for his activism. Israel has lost thousands of dollars fighting his case and is now being forced to buy his own ticket and “self-deport” for having to make a choice many immigrant workers have to make every day: to work with a fake social security number.

Please help us tell the Houston ICE office that Israel should not be deported.