This has been a very quiet day at home. I had to look down at myself to see if I had gotten dressed this morning – I had. that type of day!
I am sitting with my feelings about one of the Pen Pals I am writing to. I am stepping in for someone that is out of the country for this month.
He was brought to the US as a child from Germany. He has applied for 130 status which is to become a US citizen as a spouse of a US citizen. That is handled by a separate branch of the Department of Homeland Security than the immigration cases. Not sure why he was picked up by ICE but has already been detained for several months.
He has an ICE hearing the 20th but he is not sure what they can do. ICE doesn’t get involved in 130 cases. They probably can’t release him though. The department that handles his 130 case is running years behind.
There is a possibility he will have to remain detained until his 130 ruling is made. He has run out of funds to pay for more attorneys as he has already spent thousands. He wants to voluntarily deport as he sees that as a better outcome than sitting in detention for another couple of years. But he is not sure ICE will allow that.
What a quagmire for him. Wonder how many others are in this same position? So many don’t have a clear path to citizenship and others are stuck in the system that is overwhelmed and understaffed. I really wonder why the US thinks it is safer for him to be detained while his case is decided? It does make money for the system though that provides his care.
Sometimes bearing witness is hard! I tend to be an action oriented person and one that wants to find solutions. I can’t solve this one and I am limited as to what I can do to help. I can sit with my feelings and allow them to motivate me to more compassionate action towards others.
I have asked his permission to share his story on Love in Action. I also know a reporter that might be interested in doing a story on him. I will see what the Detainee says and go from there. Maybe we can put some public spotlight on his case and help that way.
Found a volunteer to take care of one of the Pen Pals that has been waiting for a bit to get matched. I had sent his letter to another volunteer and for some reason she has not responded to my questions and I don’t know what is happening. The new volunteer doesn’t have the letter the Pen Pal wrote telling his story and I didn’t keep a copy of it (lesson learned). At least he now has a match. I will be interested to see if he responds to her since it has been so long since he requested a pen pal.
Feeling a bit uneasy today. The weather is ramping up to bring in some storms. We shall see how much rain we get from them. Fingers and toes crossed that tornados and hail are not part of the storm. Sounds like the worst of it will hit tomorrow afternoon and evening.
I took a short nap this afternoon. I didn’t sleep long but it felt good to lay down for a bit. I trust I will be able to sleep tonight but I don’t have any plans all week so will sleep whenever sleep and I can match up at the same time.
I continue to sit in wonder and attempt to guess where the Love in Action project might take me. I did order some business cards today that have our new 501(c)3 number on them. I like to give them to the people I transport and hope that they reach out to me later with a rest of the story update. So far that hasn’t happened except for the father of the Palestine guy that was deported.
Grateful I know how to sit in the in-between space, grateful for the possibilities of good outcomes, and grateful for afternoon naps.