UsedForProfit

I am an LPR (lawful permanent resident) aka "green card holder" who moved to the US from Singapore legally with my family at the age of 12. After being quite literally abandoned by my father at 8 years old, leaving behind my tight-knit community in Singapore and all my childhood friends to move to the US (with my mother and sisters), having a difficult time feeling like I "fit in" my new place of residence (a predominantly white, small country town), and then losing my beloved stepfather to cancer, I turned to alcohol to fill that void, which eventually led to a full-blown drug addiction in my twenties. At that self-destructive point in my life, I didn't comprehend how those actions could have an effect on my immigration status. I eventually landed myself in jail with several charges for drug possession. After my last arrest in 2005, I knew I needed help. My life was spiraling out of control. I completed 6 months of treatment at a faith-based rehab several hours from home. It changed my life. I've been "clean" since January of 2006. I eventually went to court for those charges in 2007 and signed a plea bargain and was sentenced to 10 years of probation. I graciously accepted that and have never violated my probation order. I moved up to eventually be on staff at that treatment center, and worked for that organization for 3 years. I completed college, spent my spare time volunteering and giving back to my community, met my amazing wife, married her, and bought a home together. I was a tax-paying, contributing member of society.

Then on March 30, 2011, my life came to a screeching halt. At 6:30am, 4 armed ICE agents (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) knocked on the front door of my home, asked for my green card, told me I was under an administrative arrest because my plea of guilty to felony drug possession violated my immigration status. They said they had to take me into custody and that I was being put into "removal proceedings." AKA- deportation. For 5 years I had not been a "threat" to society, but suddenly I was being held under Mandatory Detention laws without bond or bail. Laws that were written in 1996, draconian and outdated.

I lost my job, we nearly lost our home. My wife almost had to quit college at Baylor University. She was diagnosed with situational depression and prescribed medication- this woman who has never experienced depression in her life, despite a timultuous childhood. She fought for me. She hired an attorney and our community rallied around us. She got media attention and support from all over the country. My attorney applied for humanitarian parole right away so that I may be released until my final hearing and return home with my wife to work. It was denied. No reason was cited besides, "Mandatory detention." Long story short, I was detained without bail for 10 months without bond for no other reason that the profit that GEO group made in detaining me. Every day that I spent there used up [on average] $125 of tax payer's dollars, paid to a private corporation. These same powerful corporations use their tax dollars to lobby in Washington to make sure the immigration laws do not see reform, so that their business interest is protected.

I won my case. But I am part of a rare few. I am home with my wife, back to work, back to church, back to my community, but never the same. We have been changed. We have been given a passion to advocate on behalf of those who are caught up in a very broken immigration system and to shine light on the truth about corporate greed driving immigration policy. The private immigration detention industry is profiting off of other peoples' pain, and it's time that things change.

They arrested me at our home in Waco, TX. I was held at South Texas Detention Complex in Pearsall, TX for those 10 months.

This is what I have a problem with. Just the fact that immigration law is decided on by politicians who are receiving hefty contributions from GEO and CCA- the two largest private detention corporations in the US. It's just unethical and a conflict of interest.

Thankfully, my employer hired me back the week after I returned home after 10 months away. I have strong work ethic though, and it pays off. They hired me with same pay even though they'd already filled my supervisory pay. I am sad to not be in a position of authority, but hey, less responsibility and for the same pay, I can't complain!

We went back to my original case and filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus citing Supreme Court ruling Padilla vs Kentucky. My case was reopened since I was not properly informed of how my plea bargain would affect my immigration status. When the case was reopened, no evidence could be found and my felony was dismissed. Truly a miracle. Therefore, DHS could not deport me based on that felony but could still possibly deport me for an even older misdemeanor drug charge but that would've just been ridiculous considering my LPR status and my positive "equities." Throughout all this, our faith has just been increased and we have become advocates for reform. Good luck with your cases!