澳彩开奖

Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence that may trigger some readers.

When they arrived at the southern border in Ciudad Ju谩rez, Mexico, border officials separated Marco from his brother and forced each into a separate 鈥� more commonly known as 鈥渢he ice box,鈥� where migrants wait in frigid temperatures before being released to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

鈥淚 was put in the hielera for six days,鈥� Marco said. 鈥淲e were given very little food, and it was so crowded that I couldn鈥檛 sit, and I couldn鈥檛 walk. They gave me an aluminum blanket to use for warmth, but it was freezing 鈥� and we were only given one hour to sleep.鈥�

After the sixth day, Marco 鈥� whose name has been changed in this story to protect his identity 鈥� was shipped to an immigrant prison in El Paso, Texas, where he remained until he was transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, known as the 鈥溾�� of the U.S. immigration system due to its infamous living conditions and its remote location.

Marco 鈥� an agricultural engineer who had worked in the northern part of Nicaragua 鈥� had fled his home country to escape violent political persecution there. He arrived at Stewart on July 17, 2021.

While many immigrants are released from detention on bond, parole or on their own recognizance, Marco was less fortunate because ICE detained him and refused to consider him for release for several months.

ICE had chosen to ignore the orders of a lawsuit 鈥� Fraihat v. ICE 鈥� that the 澳彩开奖 filed with co-counsel on April 19, 2019. The lawsuit states that while many immigrants could have been legally released on parole or with a bond, ICE chose to detain them instead.

As a result, thousands suffered in detention, and many abandoned viable immigration claims and accepted deportation out of a desperate desire to be released or to obtain necessary medical care.

ICE鈥檚 failures, according to the lawsuit, violate immigrants鈥� rights under the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. What鈥檚 more, Marco and his brother had presented themselves at a designated port of entry in compliance with asylum law 鈥� but ICE chose to detain them anyway.

Marco鈥檚 brother was released from detention almost immediately. But Marco was detained another five months before he was granted asylum 鈥� a for migrants 鈥� after Peter Isbister, senior lead attorney for the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI) 鈥� a project that provides free representation for immigrants facing removal proceedings 鈥� took on Marco鈥檚 case. 聽

鈥淥nce we had promised him a lawyer, and the volunteer attorney was unable to keep his case, SIFI had an ethical obligation to ensure Marco had legal representation at his trial,鈥� Isbister said. 鈥淭hat is what our SIFI program is all about 鈥� making sure our clients are not abandoned to face the unfairness of the immigration court system on their own. We believe that for our country to be a beacon for democracy, we must be a refuge for political dissidents from around the world.鈥�

The regime

In Nicaragua, Marco鈥檚 brother-in-law was kidnapped by police and held in prison after protesting Nicaragua鈥檚 violent so Marco was petrified. Both men were outspoken opponents of the regime. In May 2021, the Nicaraguan government whom they viewed as adversaries and murdered them in public.

Under Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, the police wanted Marco鈥檚 brother-in-law to confess to charges of terrorism and vandalism, simply for protesting. While in custody, he was tortured and psychologically abused. The police told him they had infiltrated his and Marco鈥檚 home to obtain evidence to prove both men were traitors.

鈥淭hey called us coup plotters, terrorists and traitors, because we support the United States has imposed on the Daniel Ortega regime and because we鈥檝e raised our voices to protest human rights abuses committed by the regime,鈥� Marco said.

In 2018, Marco and roughly 1,500 other Nicaraguan citizens marched in protest of the regime in Estel铆, Nicaragua, after a man in his 20s in broad daylight at a church for protesting against the regime himself.

鈥淢ore people were shot that day,鈥� Marco said. 鈥淭he police have the freedom to kill anyone they want, even those who just criticize the government.鈥�

鈥業 had hope鈥�

On June 15, 2021, Marco made the difficult decision to flee Nicaragua with his younger brother. He couldn鈥檛 bring his wife and children.

鈥淭o know that at any moment, someone can come to your door to hurt you, to kill you, is very difficult,鈥� Marco said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 sleep at home, because I didn鈥檛 know when someone would show up to harm my family. I couldn鈥檛 defend them if that happened. How do you protect your family against a government that uses firearms to publicly kill its citizens?鈥�

Marco and his brother crossed the borders of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala during a 24-hour bus ride. Then they arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border with the hope of seeking asylum.

After ICE detained Marco at Stewart, he feared he would be returned to Nicaragua, where certain death awaited him, he said.

But on Dec. 13, 2021, Isbister argued for over three hours to the immigration judge at Stewart that Marco would be persecuted in Nicaragua, because he had suffered persecution there previously and had a well-founded fear of future persecution.

鈥淚 was thinking positively,鈥� Marco said. 鈥淚 had hope 鈥� finally. My attorney felt confident about my case.鈥�

The immigration judge granted Marco asylum 鈥� a very unusual win for migrants nationwide 鈥� and an even less likely outcome at Stewart.

In 2019, the Center for Victims of Torture reported that all judges at Stewart of asylum cases 鈥� the highest removal rate in the country. The 澳彩开奖 reported the same year that only 2% of immigrants trapped at Stewart were granted asylum.

Marco remained locked up for another month, until Jan. 5, when he was finally released on asylum. He knew he was lucky but says his faith is what saved him.

鈥淲hen someone tries to be a good person, God always blesses you,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or those seeking their refuge, have faith in God. He saved me, the hand of God. With him, there is always a victory.鈥�

Isbister described Marco鈥檚 journey to the U.S. as one of risk and sacrifice.

鈥淗e deserved asylum, because all people deserve to live in safety and dignity,鈥� Isbister said.

Marco is now in the Midwest with his brother. His first priority is to find a way to bring his family to the United States. He also plans to learn English and to work 鈥� hopefully the same kind of work he did in his home country. SIFI has assisted him in applying for a work permit.

鈥淚 felt like I was born again,鈥� Marco said. 鈥淚 was and am very appreciative of everything 鈥� everything. I was just so grateful for the support of my attorneys. Now I鈥檓 happy 鈥� very happy. I鈥檓 content. I鈥檓 free.鈥�

Top picture: Marco 鈥� an agricultural engineer who had worked in the northern part of Nicaragua 鈥� had fled his home country to escape violent political persecution there. (Credit: True Artist)