Dear friend of IDP,

In 2022, I picked up the phone and called the Immigrant Defense Project’s hotline with what sounded like a simple question: “Can I fight my deportation?”

My voice was calm, but the story behind it was anything but simple. I came to the United States with a green card  from Jamaica when I was three years old. I grew up in Brooklyn. This country raised me, educated me, shaped my identity, and gave me a life. Later, as an adult in Arizona, I went through one of the most painful and traumatic seasons of my life. A season marked by domestic violence, survival, and decisions made out of fear and instability.

During that time, I was arrested and convicted of multiple marijuana offenses. Those charges led to 120 days in jail. Before I could even make sense of what was happening, ICE took me into custody. That began an 18-month fight inside immigration detention. Eighteen months of fear, legal confusion, and the constant threat of being ripped away from the only home I knew. I was eventually released, but I walked out with a deportation order that felt like it controlled every step I took, every dream I had, and every plan for my future.

I wish I could say I walked out confident and strong. The truth is, I walked out traumatized. But step by step, I rebuilt. I became a mother raising a brilliant son. I became a faith leader. I became a community organizer. I went back to school and earned my master’s degree in social work. I did the internal work. I built a life rooted in purpose. Yet even as I grew, that deportation order remained a barrier I couldn’t ignore.

So when I called IDP, I expected them to say my case was too messy, too complicated, too heavy. I’d been told that before. In fact, I had previously paid for legal representation that was intimidated by my case. Instead of advocating for me, they encouraged me to “just go with ICE,” as if surrendering my entire life was the only option. I never felt safe. I never felt supported. I never felt like anyone was willing to fight with me, until I spoke with IDP.

The attorney on the hotline listened. Not halfway. Not judgmentally. They listened to my full story, the domestic violence, the convictions, the two times ICE detained me, the years of rebuilding, the mother I had become, the woman I fought to be. They didn’t flinch. They didn’t treat me like a burden. They treated me like a human being worth fighting for.

IDP told me the truth: “You need a pardon. And you can fight this but it will take time.” They didn’t just give me that information and disappear. They walked with me step by step, season by season. Their communication was consistent, clear, and compassionate. They made me feel safe. In a world where systems are designed to intimidate you, that safety was everything.

And when the time came for my pardon hearing, one of the most critical moments of my life, IDP didn’t stand on the sidelines. They showed up and spoke at the hearing, educating the board on the severity and complexity of my case. Their advocacy helped the board understand the truth of my situation, and it was one of the key factors that contributed to my pardon being granted. I felt supported, represented, and truly seen.

And that fight paid off. I received my pardon. I reopened my immigration case. And today after more than a decade of uncertainty I am still here, with my green card restored and my future in my own hands.

IDP changed the trajectory of my life. They did not run from my story; they ran toward it. They stood in the gap when others backed away. They restored hope where the system tried to take it.

I also share my story so that others can understand how the U.S. war on drugs works together with our immigration laws to separate people from their communities. IDP’s work reflects this - beyond their hotline, they work with partners across the country to ensure that marijuana legalization efforts don’t leave immigrants behind. Because no one should have to go through what my family did.  

Because of IDP, my son still has his mother. Because of them, I am still home in the US. Because of them, my story did not end in deportation;  it continued in purpose.

If you believe in justice, humanity, and second chances, I ask from the bottom of my heart: please consider donating to IDP. Your support allows them to fight for people like me. People who have been overlooked, misunderstood, and told to give up. Your donation helps keep families together, protects communities, and ensures no one has to face this system alone.

With deep gratitude and respect,

Natalie B.

On behalf of the Immigrant Defense Project