Dear John,

When Kaelyn first met Yapa—a kind, hardworking man from Venezuela—she never imagined she’d one day be fighting for his freedom. Yapa came to the U.S. seeking asylum. He worked legally and dreamed of becoming a truck driver. Together, he and Kaelyn were building a life filled with hope.

Then one morning, ICE agents detained him without warning or explanation and sent him to the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. For weeks, Kaelyn didn’t know why he had been arrested. When she finally learned he’d been falsely accused of gang affiliation, she was devastated. She knew the accusations could land Yapa in CECOT, the brutal El Salvador prison where the Trump administration has sent many Venezuelan asylum seekers accused of gang affiliations.

“I thought, I’m going to have to live the rest of my life knowing he’s in there, and there’s nothing we can do,” she said.

Kaelyn spent her savings and went into debt trying to protect Yapa. ICE provided no evidence—only silence. But in April, attorneys from the American Immigration Council and the ACLU stepped in. They joined Yapa’s case pro bono and won a critical ruling from a federal court: Yapa could not be deported under a centuries-old wartime law without due process.

It was a small but powerful victory—for Yapa, for Kaelyn, and for everyone who believes in justice.

In a time when immigrant communities are under siege, stories like theirs show why the Council’s work is so vital. Through litigation, research, narrative change, coalition building, and advocacy, we fight for fairness, dignity, and accountability.

Giving Tuesday is just one week away. Will you make an early gift to help us stand with families like Kaelyn and Yapa’s?

Thank you for being part of a community that refuses to look away—and chooses to fight for a more just, humane immigration system.

With appreciation,

Jeremy Robbins 
Executive Director