- Deaf six-year-old and family deported after legal immigration check-in. Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez, and her sons (5 and 6) have been deported after Gutierrez attended her legal immigration check-in appointment. The family’s lawyer was unable to locate them for several days, before confirming their deportation to Colombia. Gutierrez’s 6-year-old is deaf and a student at California School for the Deaf-Fremont.
The child was deported without access to his listening devices, and it’s unclear what, if any, access to language he has within his family. in Colombia, he will be linguistically isolated, as Colombian Sign Language is different from the American Sign Language with which he grew up.
Action Items: Contact the family’s CA Representative, Eric Swalwell at 202-225-5065 and ask him to demand this family’s return home. A call script is here.
If you are able, donate or share the family’s fundraiser to support interpreter and legal costs here.
2. Deaf 12-year-old and family have been moved to undisclosed warehouse location in AZ after speaking to the press at Dilley Detention Center. Deaf 12-year-old Anyeli Valentino Quintero, her three-year-old-brother, and mom had previously been held at Dilley. Their mother had spoken to the press about conditions there, and her son having turned 3 in detention, and the family has since been moved to a warehouse location in AZ, seemingly as retribution. They had one phone call to contact family and do not know exactly where they are being held.
The family, originally from Venezuela, currently has an active appeal on their asylum case.
Action item: Share this story, which hasn’t yet been picked up by the mainstream media. If in Arizona, please call your Representatives and demand transparency about detention locations and conditions in your state.