• ​UPDATE 1 (Wednesday, Aug 7): We are overjoyed that, on our campaign's first day, we have hit our initial goal of $10,000! New Goal: $20,000.
• UPDATE 2 (Thursday, Aug 8): On Day 2, we've reached $24,000, raising about $500 per hour. The new goal is $30,000. 
• UPDATE 3 (Friday, Aug 9): We are pleased to announce that the first detained parent was released this morning. This campaign's funds paid his bail amount and he has now reunited with his wife and kids after four months in detention! Learn more about his story below.
• Update 4 (Friday, Aug 9): Today, the campaign quickly flew past the $30K goal, even reaching $50K by late Friday night. The campaign has been raising $100 every 9 minutes since it began 3 days ago! New Goal: $70,000
• Update 5 (Saturday, Aug 10): The campaign hit $70K! New Goal: $100,000. 
• Update 6 (Tuesday, Aug 13): Our campaign has now secured the release of the 2nd detained parent. Read his story below. 
• Update 7 (Thursday, Aug 15): We are so overwhelmed with joy today, learning that this campaign secured the release of THREE more parents today; 2 fathers and 1 mother. We will share their stories below. 
• Update 8 (Thursday, Aug 15): Late tonight, only 1 week after our campaign launched, we officially hit $100,000! That's $600 per hour, $10 per minute. That will help reunite at least 10 families. 
• Update 9 (Thursday, Aug 29): Three weeks after our campaign began, we have now raised $150,000! That's $50K per week. That will reunite at least 15 families (10 have already been reunited). Because donations continue to pour into this campaign, we have raised the goal (once again) and have extended the campaign to Sept 30. New Goal: $200,000.

Help Reunite Families ASAP

Muslims are leading a new campaign to bail out detained migrant parents, helping to reunite their families as soon as possible. Every $10,000 raised can reunite one family, paying bail for incarcerated parents who cannot afford to. Friends of all faiths are welcome to donate. 

The crowdfunding campaign is managed by CelebrateMercy, working alongside the National Bail Fund Network. Campaign advisors are Imam Zaid Shakir and Imam Omar Suleiman. Learn more about the campaign below and how your organization can become a Community Partner.

Resources

• Short Link to this Campaign: LaunchGood.com/Migrants
• Press Release: Read Here
• Joint Letter by Imam Zaid & Imam Omar: Read it Here
• Amplify: Share on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
• Download Flyer: Click Here
• Hashtag: #Muslims4Migrants
• Volunteer: Email info@celebratemercy.com to volunteer
• Questions / Media Inquiries: Email info@celebratemercy.com

​Their Stories: Freed Parents

Below we will share stories of families we have reunited thus far by securing the release of detained parents.

• ​PARENT #1 - FATHER (released Friday, Aug 9): Alejandro (not his real name) has been living in the USA since 2011. Both of his parents were killed by gang violence in the Central American country that he fled. Before he was freed today, Alejandro had been detained for four months without being able to afford bail, separated from his wife and five-year-old child. Today, his wife is overjoyed and can hardly believe that he is back home. He will now be home for the birth of his 2nd child in a couple of months. 

• PARENT #2 - FATHER (released Tuesday, Aug 13): Tomas (not his real name) is in his mid-twenties, hardworking, family and church-oriented man, from Guatemala. Until today, he had been detained for three months. Tomas fled to the US in 2016 in desperation and sought refuge with his extended family. His uncle who is a lawful permanent resident has been a support and advocate throughout this process. Tomas was reunited today with his partner and his 5-year-old son whom he supports.
• PARENT #3 - FATHER (released Thursday, Aug 15): Oziegbe (not his real name) is in his late 20s and was reunited with his wife and two children, ages 4 and 6. He has been in detention for 5 months in Georgia was granted a bond in May 2019 and was still in detention because his family could not afford it. His wife is currently facing eviction as she is now the sole income provider for their family. She is thrilled beyond belief that her family is together again. It is their wedding anniversary on Sunday and they will be able to spend it together. Oziegbe is from a West African country and previously had a student visa; he has been in the United States for 7 years. Oziegbe's family shared these two pictures with us to share the joy of when they finally reunited: 

• PARENT #4 - FATHER (released Thursday, Aug 16): Today, Paul (not his real name) was be reunited with his wife and stepson who he is the parent and legal guardian of. He is in his late twenties and originally from the Caribbean. He is in the process of seeking legal immigration status through his spouse. He was represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center and his wife texted today "God bless you all and thank you soooooo much. Many blessings to you and your organization and partners." He had been detained for 2 months in Georgia and has been living in the US for over 5 years. 
• PARENT #5 - MOTHER (released Thursday, Aug 16): Alex (not her real name) - from Central America - was released late today after being detained for 8 months in California. She is the first mother we have helped to release; both of her children are under 7 years old. Alex was fleeing horrific domestic violence in Honduras. Today, her lawyer shared that she was "brought to tears" when she learned of the generosity that finally freed her.

• PARENT #6 - FATHER (released Tuesday, Aug 20): Zubair (not his real name) - from West Africa - was released today after 4 years in detention. He will be reunited with his 78-year-old father and his three-year-old daughter. He was expecting a daughter when he was first detained but never got to see her born nor has he ever seen her in person; only in pictures. His bond was set at $30,000 and was paid for partially by this campaign and also by the Believers Bail Out fund. We were able to visit the immigration jail, in person, to receive Zubair when he was released. We posted a video about his story here:
  

• PARENT #7 - FATHER (released Tuesday, Aug 20): Edward* is a single father who is the sole caregiver of his 8 year old son. He was in detention for 10 months in California and is originally from Central America. His bond was $15,000 and this campaign covered $8,000 while Free Our Neighbors covered the remainder. Edward and his son were able to be together for the first time in 10 months this morning. 

• PARENT #8 - FATHER (released Monday, Aug 26): Igor (not his real name) has been living in Philadelphia for many years. He is a father of two children and has been in processing of pursuing a U-visa which would give him a path to immigration status because of being a victim of a crime. He had been in ICE jail for 4 months before our campaign helped to bail him out.

• PARENT #9 - MOTHER (released Monday, Aug 26): Elena is the mother of three US citizen daughters ages 19, 16, and 13. They have all been living without their mom since she was detained 11 months ago. Elena's children have faced increasing emotional and financial difficulties since their mother's detention. The immigration judge unexpectedly allowed continuance which, because her bond was paid by our campaign, is allowing more time to gather critical documentation for her case. Her family shared this picture below with our campaign:

• ​PARENT #10 - FATHER (released Wednesday, Aug 28): Sammy (not his real name), father of two, is from the Caribbean. He is in the process of obtaining his green card and represented by Legal Aid Services. He was detained when Border Patrol agents unlawfully entered his home without consent or a warrant and refused to let him call his immigration attorney. They also attempted to force him to sign documents.  His two children are young and school-aged. Sammy had been in the USA for 3 years and was detained for 3 months. His attorney said, "They are so thankful for the help they received from Muslims for Migrants. The family was in tears when they heard the news."
• PARENT #11 - MOTHER (released Sept 6): Elena (not her real name) has been in ICE prison for over a year. She is a survivor of domestic violence and lost her mother to cancer while she was detained. She petitioned for humanitarian parole to see her mother before she died but was denied. She has two children who she has not been able to be in touch with for the past year. 
• PARENT #12 - FATHER (released Sept 9): Oscar (not his real name) is the father of two young children, 6 months and 1 year old. He is from a Latin American country and has lived in US for over 13 years. In addition to his children he will be reunited with his mother, father and sisters. He was detained in California.
• PARENT #13 - FATHER (released Sept 13): Juan Carlos (not his real name) was born in a Latin American country and has been living in the US for 18 years, since he was child. He will be reunited with his wife and one year old daughter who have had to move in with a grandparent as his income supports their family. He has been in ICE jail for more than 3 months in Georgia.

​Immigration Detention: Why Bail Bonds? 

Immigration detention is the practice of incarcerating immigrants while they await a decision on their immigration status or potential deportation. Here are facts about immigration detention: 

• On any given day in the United States, there are over 50,000 people being held in immigration jails. 
• Over 60% of detainees are held in immigration jails that are privately-run by for-profit companies. It costs U.S. taxpayers $149.58 every day to detain someone in these privately-run prisons. 
• Many immigration jails are overcrowded with egregiously poor conditions, a lack of accountability, and a culture of violence that results in system-wide abuses, including solitary confinement and death. Even the Department of Homeland Security's own Office of Inspector General (@DHSOIG) has found widespread abuse in immigration jail (read more). 
• Only 30% of people in immigration jail are eligible to request bond and only 40% of those that request it are granted bond. Unlike bail in the criminal legal system, immigration bond is not necessarily set early in the process. It can take months to get a bond set. 
• Bond amounts vary. The average bond amount at immigration jails has skyrocketed in recent years. Currently, the median bond amount is $10,000. Many detainees, even with family support, cannot afford to pay bail. Even if a detainee can afford to pay bail, it makes it very difficult to also afford to hire a lawyer (legal counsel). Those without representation are twice as likely to be ordered deported.
• Fighting deportation from a place of freedom significantly increases the chances of success in trial proceedings. 68% of detained immigrants released on bond ultimately prevailed in proceedings. 
• In a recent Market Watch article, advocates have said that the fastest way to help immigrants separated from their children is to pay their bail. “Paying bail can make a huge difference in the trajectory of a case: Immigrants who are bonded out are eight times more likely to win their cases than unrepresented detainees, according to the Immigrant Family Defense Fund."

The Muslim community extends its hands to help provide relief to immigration jail detainees - specifically parents - who cannot afford to pay bail. By reuniting these families, we wish to respond to hardship with hope, as our faith instructs us, and send a message of compassion through action. 

Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever relieves someone in difficult circumstances, or relieves someone's debt, God will shelter him in the shade of His Throne on the Day of Resurrection, when there will be no shade except its shade." (Tirmidhi, 1306) 

He also said: "Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in Heaven will show mercy to you."