ICE Keeps Father of 3 Detained Despite Pending U-Visa, Costs Taxpayers $146,000
Javier Flores Garcia is a thirty-nine year old husband and father of 3 U.S. citizen children. He has been living and working in the U.S. since 1997 where he has raised his family.
Javier is currently detained in Pike County Detention Center despite having a pending U-Visa application since July 2015.
The agency in charge of processing the U-visa, USCIS, made a “prima facie determination” – meaning that they consider Javier eligible for a U-visa. Unfortunately his application was recently denied, not because he did not qualify as a victim of a crime, but because of the his multiple deportations and returns to the United States to be reunited with his family.
USCIS decided that despite the serious suffering to his United States citizen children and family, that he was not “remorseful” for his repeated deportations and returns, and that he did not warrant a waiver.
Javier and his family are appealing the decision. While ICE has the authority to release him during this time, they have chosen to keep him incarcerated as the process, which could take 2 years to complete.
While he is imprisoned, his family is struggling severe psychological and financial hardship. His oldest daughter, Admaris, is suffering from the trauma of his arrest. His son, Javier Jr., is also suffering severe emotional and psychological hardship. Despite the strength of his U-Visa appeal and his underlying equities, the family is still afraid that he will be deported again due to ICE’s focus on people who have been deported multiple times.
His family cannot afford to have their father imprisoned for two years and neither can the U.S. taxpayers. It will cost roughly $146,000 dollars to keep Javier imprisoned while his U-Visa application is being determined, and he has already spent nearly 1 year incarcerated.
Please send a message to ICE Headquarters to show support for Javier’s immediate release so he can be with his family.
PADRE DE 3 SIGUE DETENIDO A PESAR DE DETERMINACIÓN DE INMIGRACIÓN DE QUE ÉL PUEDE OBTENER UNA U-VISA
Javier Flores García es un padre de familia de 39 años de edad, con 3 hijos que son ciudadanos estadounidenses. Ha estado viviendo y trabajando en los EE.UU. desde 1997, junto con su familia.
Javier se encuentra actualmente detenido en el Centro de Detención del condado de Pike a pesar de tener una aplicación de visa U pendiente desde julio de 2015.
La unidad de VAWA del Centro de Servicio de Vermont USCIS ya hizo una “determinación prima facie” – lo que significa que ellos consideran Javier elegible para una visa U. Desafortunadamente, su solicitud fue rechazada hace poco, no porque no podía considerarse como una víctima de un crimen, pero debido a las múltiples deportaciones y regresos a los Estados Unidos para reunirse con su familia.
ICE encontró que a pesar del grave sufrimiento a sus hijos ciudadanos, el no estaba “arrepentido suficientemente” por sus repetidas deportaciones, y que no justificaba una exención.
Javier y su familia están apelando la decisión. Mientras, ICE tiene la autoridad para liberarlo durante este tiempo, pero han optado por mantenerlo encarcelado mientras el proceso continúa, el cual normalmente toma 2 años para completar.
Mientras que él está encarcelado, su familia está luchando problemas psicológicos y financieros severos. Su hija mayor, Admaris, está sufriendo el trauma a causa de la detención. Su hijo, Javier Jr., también está sufriendo dificultades emocionales y psicológicas grave. A pesar de la solidez de su apelación para obtener la visa U y sus acciones subyacentes, la familia todavía tiene miedo de que será deportado de nuevo debido al enfoque de ICE en las personas que han sido deportadas varias veces.
Su familia no puede permitirse el lujo de tener su padre encarcelado durante dos años y tampoco los que pagamos impuestos. Tendrá un costo de aproximadamente $ 146.000 dólares para mantener Javier encarcelado mientras se determina su aplicación visa U, y ya ha pasado casi 1 año en prisión.
Por favor, envíe un mensaje a la sede del ICE para mostrar su apoyo a la liberación inmediata de Javier para que pueda estar con su familia.
Javier podría pasar dos años en espera de una solicitud de visa U. No hay ninguna razón por la cual ICE debe seguir deteniéndolo. Por favor firme y úrjale a ICE que libere a Javier.
I am writing regarding the case of Mr. Javier Flores Garcia (A099-026-931). He is a thirty-nine year old husband and father of three U.S. citizen children. He has been living and working in the U.S. since 1997 where he has raised his family. Javier is currently detained in Pike County Detention Center despite having a pending U-Visa application since July 2015. The VAWA unit of the USCIS Vermont Service Center made a prima facie determination that Javier was eligible for a U-visa. However, his application was recently denied, not because he did not qualify as a victim of a crime, but because they found he was inadmissible to the United States as a result of his multiple removals and returns to the United States. It is my understanding that while ICE has the authority to release him during this time, you have chosen to exercise their discretion to keep him incarcerated as the process goes on, a process that normally take 2 years to complete. His family cannot afford to have their father imprisoned for two years and neither I as a U.S. taxpayer. It will cost roughly $146,000 dollars to keep Javier imprisoned while his U-Visa appeal is being determined, and he has already spent nearly 1 year incarcerated. While he is imprisoned, his family is struggling severe psychological and financial hardship. His oldest daughter, Admaris, is suffering from the trauma of his arrest. His son, Javier Jr., is also suffering severe emotional and psychological hardship. There is no reason ICE should continue to detained him. I urge you to use prosecutorial discretion and release Mr. Flores Garcia. Thank you, [Signature]
Categories: Open Cases