Keep Orfilia with Her Family

Keep Orfilia with Her Family: Sign the Petition

President Obama continues to deport the parents of U.S. citizens, contrary to the prosecutorial discretion memos issued last year. 

Call ICE - John Morton @ 202.732.3000            

Sample Script: "Hi, I was calling to ask that the deportation of Orfilia Sagastume-Reyes (A #073-189-266) be stopped. Orfilia has been living in the United States for the past 22 years and is the mother of a U.S. citizen. She is eligible for adjustment of status if ICE lifts her deportation order. According to the Morton Memo, Orfilia is not a priority for deportation and should be allowed to stay. Don't deport Orfilia - lift her deportation order and allow her to stay in the U.S."

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Orfilia Sagastume-Reyes fled from Guatemala to the United States with her family in October 1990. She has never left. Orfilia’s family in Guatemala was targeted because of her father’s involvement with the Guatemalan government. Her brother was assassinated and Orfilia personally received death threats. In 1993, Orfilia applied for asylum in the United States. The asylum office referred her case to the Atlanta Immigration Court.

Unfortunately, based on the erroneous advice by previous counsel, Orfilia and her family withdrew their asylum application. The attorney told Orfilia that her asylum application would likely be denied and that there was a chance that the judge would send her and her children to jail if she did not withdraw the application. Out of fear of her children going to jail, Orfilia withdrew her asylum application and accepted an order of Voluntary Departure in February 2000.

In the last few months, Orfilia's current lawyers have asked Atlanta OCC twice to join a motion to reopen. Both requests were refused. If Orfilia’s case is not reopened very soon, ICE will deport her to Guatemala. Orfilia 15-year-old son, Fredi Reyes, who is a United States citizen, will very likely have to go to Guatemala with Orfilia.