Husband of Member Picked Up By Immigration (2)

More details are coming to light on A.M.'s situation.

Apparently he had gone to two different motor vehicle locations in Maine with the other men in order to try to get a driver license. When they got to the third, I.C.E. was waiting for him. It seems that someone from one or both of the prior motor vehicles divisions had alerted authorities. He walked into the third location and as soon as he set his documents on the desk for evaluation, two I.C.E. officials stepped behind him and arrested him. A.M.'s companions had not walked in the door, but they saw what was happening and went back out to the car. They drove to a local gas station and waited, somehow thinking that he'd eventually walk back out. In the meantime, A.M. called his wife C.M. to let her know what was happening. She had already spoken with the men in the car and knew they were still in the area. A.M. told her to call them back and tell them to get out of there, because I.C.E. knew he wasn't traveling alone.

C.M. spent the entire day today trying to get help. Lawyers are charging her up to $250 just to discuss her case, before even taking it. She and A.M. are absolutely no better off than my family. C.M. seems dazed and confused. She wants to believe that her husband will come home and be able to legalize. When a paralegal told her point-blank today after discussing the matter with a lawyer that her husband will be deported sooner or later, she couldn't understand it.

The best-case scenario right now seems to be that maybe, just maybe a judge might possibly let him bond out and give him time to leave the country willingly. The most we've heard that anyone gets to pack their bags is six months, and it doesn't seem to happen often.

C.M. is missing work (she cleans houses, like my wife) and is out of money. The only hope is that she can get a loan from a bank or lending agency. A.M. called this afternoon, imploring C.M. to get him out of there. He's in a regular jail with hardened criminals. Apparently there's no special immigration center for him to be held in. It's bad.

Please continue to pray for this family. We need to find the way forward.