Dear Friend,

Mirsy Alva-Lopez came to the United States in 2018 from Guatemala because she wanted to give her children a dignified and safe future. So you can imagine her horror when she was immediately detained at the U.S.-Mexico border, where immigration officials tore her apart from her 3-year-old son and placed him in government custody.

Mirsy grappled with the constant fear, trauma, and heartbreak of having limited knowledge about her son’s whereabouts or well-being. They were one of many thousands of families separated under the first Trump administration’s unconscionable Zero Tolerance policy.

With the tireless advocacy from the Young Center and partner organizations, Mirsy and her son were finally reunited after four painful months. Years later, when the Ms. L v. ICE class action lawsuit filed on behalf of separated families like Mirsy’s was settled, Mirsy won the right to apply for certain types of immigration status so she and her children could remain in the United States, safe and reunited.

This past summer, however, Mirsy was caught in the second Trump administration’s interior enforcement dragnet while going to work in Florida. Even after presenting documentation of her lawful status, Mirsy was detained by ICE agents. In less than a week, she was illegally deported to Guatemala. Once again, Mirsy was separated from her children and forced to relive the worst moment of her life.

Because she could not bear to be separated from her children again, Mirsy arranged for them to say goodbye to their friends and school community in the United States and travel to Guatemala to be with her. But her children had not lived there in seven years—Guatemala didn’t feel like home.

That’s why the Young Center and partner organizations advocated for Mirsy and her children to be able to return to the United States. Though the government agreed to allow them to return, it has been slow to act and over five months have passed since Mirsy was deported.

In the years after their initial separation, Mirsy’s son often expressed fear that his mother would be taken from him or that she wouldn’t return. Under the current administration, that fear became a reality.

Every family deserves safety, belonging, and hope. This Human Rights Day—and every day—we stand with immigrant families, like Mirsy’s. Help us raise our voices for justice. Make your tax-deductible gift to the Young Center before midnight on December 31st so that we can continue to fight for families, and ensure they are safe, supported, and free. Your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000.