INGRID
Ingrid Encalada Latorre came from Peru and made Colorado her home in 2000 at 17. She has lived almost half of her 33 years here in the US. She has two citizen children, Bryant who is 8 years old and Anibal who is a year old. Anibal has torticollis, a condition which can be treated when the child is young. He sees a physical therapist and needs supervision at home to complete his treatments. If he isn't treated properly now, he'll might need surgery as an adult. Bryant needs his mother so he continues doing well in school and in life.
Ingrid's immigration problems began in 2010. She worked for many years at a nursing home to support herself and her son, Bryant. Like millions of people who need to support their families, she used papers she had purchased to be able to work. This caused the IRS to contact the person to whom the papers belonged and that person filed a police report.
On April 22, 2010 the police arrested Ingrid at her nursing home job. On advice from her lawyer, she agreed to a felony plea and completed 4 1/2 years of probation and paid back $11,500 of back taxes. She didn't know that the felony plea, which allowed her to serve probation and pay fines rather than serve jail time, would prevent her from being able to win her immigration case.
Ingrid found an attorney who is now trying to reopen her criminal case. In order for Ingrid to pursue her day in court without fear of deportation and ensure Anibal completes treatment, she needs a stay of deportation, otherwise it's possible Immigration will detain her at her Jefferson County court date.
On Friday November 25 we asked Immigration and Customs Enforcement in DC to review and approve her application for a stay. On Monday November 28 we notified ICE that she began her witness at Mountain View Friends Meeting.
To read more about Ingrid, check out this article https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/08/sanctuary-movement-undocumented-immigrants-america-trump-obama?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Ema
**Sign Ingrid's petition to show government officials that she has our community support https://action.groundswell-mvmt.org/petitions/keep-ingrid-home-let-her-attend-court-safely
**If you live in Jefferson County, and especially if you are a leader of faith or a business owner, we need folks to write letters to the JeffCo District Attorney on behalf of Ingrid. We are not trying to talk the DA into any specific action, but rather want to show that Ingrid has support from our community. If you are interested in doing this, please let me know and I can send you more details.
**Ingrid and Anibal (her son) would like people to visit them and bring them food, Ingrid wants to practice English (her English is really good!), learn crafts, and exercise (either with someone or alone while someone watches Anibal). Let me know if you are interested in any of these things and I can get you access to her sign-up.
**Post about Ingrid, share an article about her, share your thoughts supporting her and use #KeepIngridHome
**Write a letter to Ingrid Latorre (english or spanish) sharing your support for her and her family. Mail it to:
2280 S Columbine St.
Denver, CO 80210
JEANETTE
Jeanette Vizguerra immigrated to the US without documents in 1997. Her husband, previously a bus driver in Mexico City, had received death threats. They were fleeing violence and seeking out new opportunity. Jeanette worked hard in the US, had three kids, and became a leader in the immigrant community in Denver. In 2009, Jeanette was pulled over by an officer without cause. She was arrested for not having a license or insurance (undocumented people could not get Drivers Licenses in Colorado at the time). The charges were later dropped. Her vehicle was searched and paperwork for a job application was discovered, in which Jeanette had used a fake Social Security Number. Jeanette spent over 30 days in jail and the private immigrant GEO prison in Aurora, Colorado. The event was traumatic. Ever since the arrest, Jeanette has had to fight with all her might to stay in the US.
Jeanette received a deportation order several years ago, and has been applying for extensions of stay before removal ever since. Usually those have been granted, but last week her application was denied leading her to take sanctuary in First Unitarian Society of Denver. Jeanette currently has had a U-visa pending because of violence she suffered in the US. This is a visa given to someone who has suffered physical or mental abuse in the US and has supplied law enforcement with testimony to prosecute perpetrators. Jeanette is hoping to gain long-term relief in the US through this visa. Until then, her community will be standing by her side and yelling with the same energy and enthusiasm and love that she always carries.
To read more about Jeanette, check out this article: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/us/colorado-mom-vizguerra-ice-trnd/index.html
(There are also a lot of other national articles that have been released on Jeanette since February 15th)
**Sign the Petition for Jeanette to show that she has our community support: https://action.groundswell-mvmt.org/petitions/jeanette-s-family-needs-her?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1487082897
**Sign up to visit Jeanette, bring her a meal or drive her kids to school. Let me know if you are interested in any of these things and I can get you access to her sign-up.
**Post about Jeanette, share an article about her, share your thoughts supporting her and use #JeanetteBelongsHere
or
#JeanettePerteneceAqui
**Write a letter to Jeanette Vizguerra (english or spanish) sharing your support for her and her family. Mail it to:
1400 Lafayette
Denver, CO 80218
JENETTE & INGRID
**Donate to Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition to support the legal and professional services of Jeanette and Ingrid and others who may enter Sanctuary: https://www.metrodenversanctuary.org/visit_us
**Follow Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition on Facebook to learn more about the New Sanctuary Movement - specifically how it is manifesting in Denver - and to hear about events supporting Jeanette and Ingrid.
**Sign up to be a part of a rapid response phone tree to document, slow and hopefully stop a deportation of Ingrid, Jeanette and anyone else who may enter sanctuary in Denver. Up to this point, the government has respected churches and other places of worship as sanctuaries that they will not enter to detain and deport someone. However, there is no guarantees that the government will continue to respect this long-standing practice. Thus, we are forming a group of people that can be called if ICE agents ever were to show up at the doors of First Unitarian Society of Denver of Mountain View Friends Meeting. People would be expected to show at these churches to witness and record what is happening. You would not be expected to put yourself in harms way or physically stop ICE, but rather provide public eyes to what is happening to pressure ICE agents to stop and to be a witness to the rest of our nation and world. If you live in Denver, and especially if you live close to one of these churches, and are willing to be a part of this rapid response phone tree, please send me your name, e-mail and phone number. Once the rapid response phone tree is established, more details and information will be provided.
Thanks y'all!
