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To: Sean Gallagher, ICE Regional Office Director & Matthew Albence, ICE Executive Associate Director

Keep North Carolina Grandmother with Her Family

Cancel Juana Luz Tobar Ortega's deportation order (A#070-781-995). (In the photo, Juana is third from the left.)

Why is this important?

Juana is a mother of four and grandmother of two who lives in Asheboro, NC and has worked at the same textile company in High Point as a sewing machine operator for the last eight years. She arrived in 1992 from Guatemala, having been threatened by armed combatants, and applied for asylum status. She was denied in 1994, and then was offered a work permit while she appealed her status, which took six years.

In 1999 her eldest daughter in Guatemala suffered a life-threatening illness, and she left the country and returned without permission in order to be her caregiver. ICE subsequently denied her appeal, and in 2011 took her into custody, then released her a week later.

Since then she has reported to the Charlotte ICE office periodically for required check-ins, but last month, instead of accepting her attorney's plea for a stay of removal, ICE fitted her with a tracking device, and ordered her to prepare for voluntary departure, telling her she has until May 31st to leave the country, potentially leaving her husband, kids, uncle and cousins behind.
Asheboro, NC, United States

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2017-05-21 20:50:53 -0400

Juana had a victory on Friday - after previously refusing to consider her request for an emergency stay of removal, on Friday, 45 people went with her to her ICE check-in, and they accepted the request. We'll find out this week if they grant her a stay
https://www.facebook.com/afscnc/photos/gm.343736286029213/10158711405760582/?type=3

2017-05-17 10:02:58 -0400

Rep. Mark Walker has sent a letter of support, and we've got an email day of action planned for tomorrow. Keep sharing, let's keep spreading the word about Juana! She's been ordered to leave the country in 14 days.

2017-05-12 11:14:01 -0400

1,000 signatures reached

2017-05-11 07:20:28 -0400

500 signatures reached

2017-05-10 20:04:02 -0400

100 signatures reached

2017-05-10 19:24:31 -0400

50 signatures reached

2017-05-10 19:07:21 -0400

25 signatures reached

2017-05-10 18:50:51 -0400

10 signatures reached