My mom, Christie Gilbert, is a volunteer with Casa de Paz - (https://www.casadepazcolorado.org/). She has been visiting detainees at the ICE detention center in Aurora. Her heart has been broken by the stories she has heard.
One young man, from a war torn country in Africa watched as his entire family was executed; wife, children, parents and cousins. He is part of a minority group that is being annihilated, their rights are being taken away - education for their children is no longer available and all their lives are in danger.
He was able to escape and complete the dangerous journey to the US to claim asylum. He left Africa, and used whatever transportation he could to come up through South America, walking through jungles where they had to sleep on the jungle floor.
Many lost their lives along the way. He witnessed events that are unspeakable along the way. He journeyed on through Columbia, Panama up to Central America and Mexico and finally to the US. The journey takes 3-5 months. He is only one of many that are now detained in prison cells as if they were criminals in this detention center in Aurora, CO. Many have not had visitors since they arrived and have nobody on the outside to help.
Christie has met with several of the volunteers and they are compelled to do more. Some of the team have been successful setting up Go Fund Me campaigns and plan to continue this for cases that look positive if only the detainee could have an attorney. Casa de Paz provides hospitality services for those who are freed as well as companion help, visitation and support. But they do not have a legal fund. Christie is one of a team of visitor volunteers who is dedicated to raising legal funds for this cause, and I'm inspired to join her.
These funds will be used to hire attorneys (who've been successful with these kinds of cases in the past) to help secure freedom for those who would otherwise be deported and often face a death sentence in their home country. Transparently, only around 33% of the people who get an attorney are able to stay... but it's only 5% when there is no attorney.
