A Cameroonian couple wins their freedom
For much of the past five years, the French-speaking majority government of Cameroon has been violently cracking down on the English-speaking minority population. Entire villages have been destroyed, families have been tortured and burned alive in their homes, and thousands of people are hiding in the bush or have fled to other countries to seek asylum. Many human rights watchers consider Cameroon to be in a state of genocide.
“S” and “E” endured imprisonment and torture in Cameroon prior to fleeing to the United States where they were detained for months in a for-profit detention center. Last month, immigration attorney Elizabeth Lopez - funded by the Colorado Immigrant Justice Fund (CIJF) - successfully advocated that “S” and “E” should be granted asylum, after which they were released from detention. They have now started the paperwork to bring their children to America so that their family can be together for the first time in nearly 3 years.
Legal challenges for asylum seekers
US immigration law is complex and convoluted, and approximately 85% of asylum seekers do not have access to legal assistance - a large percentage of whom lose their cases and face deportation as a result. In many cases, this is tantamount to a death sentence.
The generous donors of the CIJF supplied the funds for Elizabeth Lopez to provide legal assistance for “S” and “E” (see our last update to read more about the work that CIFJ is funding).
If a lot of people give a little each month . . .
So far, 109 folks are donating roughly $4,200/month to the Colorado Immigrant Justice Fund. If we can raise more money, we can provide funding for Elizabeth and others to take on additional cases.
Our hope is that a growing number of folks will sign up to make modest donations ($5, $15, $25 or more) each month. Our initial goal is to reach $6,000/month; of course, one-time donations are appreciated as well!
With hope and gratitude,
Greg Mortimer on behalf of theColorado Immigrant Justice Fund team
