Victory! Refugee Miguel Caceres Released from Detention After 11,500 People Speak Out

by Gabriela Garcia · 2011-09-21 08:23:00 UTC
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Just weeks after the Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) started a petition on Change.org that attracted 11,500 supporters, refugee Miguel Caceres has finally been released from prolonged detention. Victory!

On July 12, 2011, a U.S. immigration judge ruled that Miguel Caceres was a refugee and could stay in the United States. He had arrived in the country at the age of 12 fleeing from Honduras, where gang members and his own brother tortured, raped, and beat him because he is gay. It seemed that after so many difficult years, Miguel had finally found freedom.

Except that Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to release him from detention and he was held in prolonged custody for 57 days. He suffered harassment, abuse, and threats because of his sexual orientation—with no sign that he’d be released—until NIJC convinced more than 11,500 people to sign a petition on Change.org calling on ICE to stop unjustly holding an abused refugee in detention. Now, Miguel has finally been freed from detention!

“I am very happy,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to get out [of detention]. There’s nothing like freedom. Thank you to everyone who supported me.” Miguel's petition called attention to the fact that ICE had no legal grounds to hold Miguel in detention.

“The U.S. Government’s practice of holding individuals in detention after they have been granted protection must not be tolerated,” said Mary Meg McCarthy, the Executive Director of Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center, which started the popular campaign. “Prolonged detention of Mr. Caceres and similar individuals who come to the United States seeking freedom and safety is arbitrary and contrary to our Constitution. The rule of law must be upheld and applied to all people.”

The NIJC sends their thanks to everyone who supported Miguel during his prolonged detention.

Currently, other Change.org members are calling for the loved ones to be released from detention and allowed to fight their cases from home: Angela Zikherman, whose husband Sergey Golubev is missing her pregnancy and is detained for trying to stop a friend from committing suicide, and Lisa Fernandez, whose legal permanent resident husband Orlando Fernandez is being held for 6-year-old charges of theft of a pack of batteries and a pack of razors, charges that don’t even qualify for incarceration.

Join the Immigrant Rights community on Facebook to learn how you can help keep up the momentum against unjust and prolonged detention.

Gabriela Garcia is a freelance writer who has written for Latina, the Miami New Times, National Geographic Traveler blog, and Matador Network blogs, amongst other publications.

RELATED PETITION

Stop Illegal Jailing of Abused Refugee -- Tell ICE to Release Miguel Caceres Now!
VICTORY!
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