PACK THE COURTROOM!

100 CARDS FOR VERONICA!

Friday, July 28, 8:30 am
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
630 Sansome Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco
*Clergy Presence Crucial*
RSVP HERE

Brilliant news! Veronica has a bond hearing scheduled for next Friday morning. Thank you to all who signed the petition for her release; her lawyer will present the petition to the judge. ICE has repeatedly denied our requests that she be released on humanitarian parole. Now, she has a chance to be released on bond and to receive the proper medical care that she needs.

Let's pack the courtroom for Veronica! It's important that the judge witnesses our strong support for her. But more importantly, we want Veronica to see that there are so many of us on the outside who are fighting for her release. Sadly, we hear that Veronica is losing hope inside detention. Depressed, she has lost 40 pounds in detention. She told her lawyer that, if she is not granted release on bond, she does not have the strength to continue fighting past next Friday until her next hearing in August. She will be video streamed into the hearing, and the judge can turn the camera around at one point so that she can see us. We pray that our presence will give her strength and hope.

Veronica is a refugee from El Salvador, where she was fleeing gang violence and threats against her life. She is also a survivor of severe domestic violence. For the past five months, Veronica has been detained at the Mesa Verde Detention Facility in Bakersfield. Veronica suffers from a heart condition, and her medications for chest pains do not seem to be working. In addition, she suffers from headaches, nosebleeds, nausea, sleeplessness, and has fainted at least four times in detention. Understandably, Veronica is feeling increasingly dejected, and her spirit, as well as her body, is in a fragile state.

Recently, a judge declined to release Veronica on humanitarian parole but did grant a continuance of her asylum application. While ICE has complete discretion and authority to release Veronica, it has repeatedly refused to do so.

Let's stand in support of Veronica, and others like her whose well-being is being threatened inside detention. We will chant, shout, and pray for her release.

In an effort to buoy Veronica's spirits, we are launching a campaign to collect 100 letters/postcards for her. You can help in this effort! For those going to church this Sunday, perhaps you could bring some postcards to church, make an announcement during the service, and set up a table at coffee hour where the congregation can sign postcards. Or, perhaps your children would like to make some cards for Veronica this weekend. 10 cards, 5 cards, 1 card--each card is sure to lift Veronica's spirits and remind her that her community outside remembers her.  To give Veronica a sense of hope could be a matter of life or death. Help Needed!!! Collect Cards for Veronica.  Our Goal is 100 Cards Please mail the cards to our office address below by Tuesday, and we will make sure the letters are delivered to her.  Or, if you collect a bunch of cards, please email us at rapidresponse@faithinactionba.org, and we can arrange to pick it up from you.   Let us know if you are sending cards in this link! To: Card Campaign Faith in Action Bay Area 1336 Arroyo Avenue San Carlos, CA 94070   Copyright © 2017 Faith in Action Network, All rights reserved.  Thank you for joining the Rapid Response newsletter.  Our mailing address is:  Faith in Action Network 1336 Arroyo Avenue San Carlos, CA 94070 Add us to your address book