Reunite Vilma and Yeisvi Carrillo

Vilma Carrillo, a Guatemalan immigrant, was separated from her daughter Yeisvi, as part of the Trump administration's clampdown at the border. Yeisvi is an American citizen, having been born here.

Vilma hasn't seen her daughter since they were separated in May, caught at the intersection of Trump administration policies intended to make it harder for Central American migrants to settle in the United States. Her case is more serious than what thousands of other migrant families have faced: Because her daughter is an American citizen, Ms. Carrillo has been told that she could lose custody.
Ms. Carrillo undertook the hazardous trip to bring her daughter back to the United States with a claim of asylum, citing years of beatings she had suffered at the hands of her husband in Guatemala.

Her asylum claim was denied after the Trump administration earlier this year ruled out domestic abuse as legal grounds for granting refuge. But even if she goes back home to Guatemala, her daughter's status as an American citizen could prompt authorities in the United States to decide that the reports of domestic violence in the family make it too risky to allow her to return. That's right, they won't give the mother asylum from domestic abuse, but will split up the family and keep the daughter here because of that same abuse.

The fact that Yeisvi is an American citizen creates another problem: Migrant families can be placed together in family detention centers in cases where the courts rule against allowing them to go free with a bond or other restrictions, but it is against the law to hold a United States citizen in one of the facilities.

As a result, more than six months since they were separated, Yeisvi remains in foster care, and Ms. Carrillo is still in detention, appealing a deportation order.

We are asking people to contact the ICE authorities directly and  creating this petition to work to persuade the immigration authorities to release Vilma on humanitarian parole, reunite mother and daughter and let them join family in Georgia while awaiting an asylum decision. They have the authority to make this happen. Please add your voice to ours!

You can read The NY Times story here: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/us/migrant-family-separation-citizen-domestic-abuse.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

And you can contact the ICE communications officers below and urge them to release Vilma Carrillo on humanitarian parole. They have the discretion to do this! Let's fill up their voicemail and inboxes:

In Washington:

Sarah Rodriguez

Deputy Press Secretary

Office of Public Affairs

o: 202.732.5951
m: 202.486.5954

Email: icemedia@ice.dhs.gov

ICE spokesman for the Southeast:

Bryan D. Cox
Southern Region Communications Director (Spokesman) 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(404) 346-2287 Office 
(504) 329-2588 Mobile 
bryan.d.cox@ice.dhs.gov