Velázquez Asks Judge to Stay Deportation of Edisson Barros

Say ICE Detention of Man Acting to Save Family Dog is Unnecessarily Cruel

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) has sent a letter urging a federal judge to stay the deportation of Edisson Barros, a Queens man detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after attempting to save his family's dog.

"Mr. Barros' case is yet another example of President Trump's deportation machine unnecessarily and arbitrarily targeting members of our community," said Velázquez. "Acting as many of us would to protect those we love, Barros' desperate attempt to save his dog is far from the behavior of a menace to society. I commend Council Members Moya and Menchaca for their efforts in advocating for Barros' release. I echo their concern and urge the court to reunite Barros with his family, so he can complete his green card application."

After throwing his keys at a car to urge the driver to stop before hitting his dog, Barros was arrested. Shortly after he was released, Barros showed up to court and was detained by ICE agents. He is currently being held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility, which Velázquez notes has been documented to psychologically abuse inmates and fail to provide adequate food and medicine.

"Deporting Edisson Barros will not Make America Great Again. It will succeed only in devastating a family," Council Member Moya said. "There is no honor in visiting this hell on Edisson and his family, and doing so is not a defense of America or liberty. In the interest of justice, we are calling on Judge Mirlande Tadal to stay his deportation, at least until she can review his case and make an informed decision."

"What is happening to the Barros family is not unique, and underscores how family separation continues unabated because ICE has free reign to act with impunity," said City Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Chair of the Committee on Immigration. "Edisson Barros is his family's sole breadwinner. His children – who are all U.S. born citizens - depend on him totally for financial and emotional support. It's ridiculous that we have to keep reminding our justice system that separating individuals like Edisson Barros from their families is unnecessary, cruel and useless, especially when they have green card petitions pending. Moreover, every day we are learning about the inhumane treatment of detained individuals in ICE's facilities. That's why it's important that we continue to rally in support of our immigrant brothers and sisters like Edisson. We will never stop until Trump's Orwellian deportation machine and ICE are abolished."

The full text of Velázquez's letter is below. For a PDF, click here.

August 13, 2018

Judge Mirlande Tadal
625 Evans Street, Room 148A
Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Tel: 908-787-1355

Re: BARROS, Edisson

Hon. Judge Tadal:

As Mr. Edisson Barros' representative in the U.S. Congress, I strongly urge you to grant his stay of deportation and reunite him with his family.

As you are aware, Mr. Barros was arrested in May for throwing his keys at a car to protect his dog. That is not the behavior of a menace to society, but a desperate action any of us would take under duress to protect those we love. In this regard, he cooperated with law enforcement during his arrest, was released, and dutifully reported to his court hearing on July 16, 2018. It was on that fateful day that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) waited outside the courtroom and detained him.

As we have seen in so many cases, separating this family has had dire consequences. Mr. Barros is his family's sole breadwinner. As such, his detention has forced his U.S. born daughter to abandon a promising academic career to return home and support her family in his absence. With a green card application pending, Mr. Barros is also unable to pursue this pathway to citizenship freely, and instead must contend with deportation despite having obeyed and cooperated with the law.

Moreover, Mr. Barros is being held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility, which recent reports demonstrate conclusively is an inhumane environment. Detainees are failing to receive necessary medical treatment; are being given food that is often raw, spoiled, or rotten; and are being subjected to verbal and psychological abuse that only magnifies the terror of their detention. Mr. Barros has reported witnessing such abuses and not receiving adequate medical care. This is totally unacceptable, and on its own should merit his release.

Ultimately, Mr. Barros is a cooperative and productive member of my district. He has helped to raise truly remarkable daughters and has never confronted the criminal justice system before this year. If Mr. Barros is deported, it will not only disrupt this family, but force more immigrants in my district into the shadows and deter them from seeking the pathways to citizenship open to them, as Mr. Barros is doing.

I ask you to be mindful of this context as you consider the facts of this case, which I believe merit a stay on his deportation and his release so that he can be reunited with his family to pursue his green card application to its completion.

Sincerely,

Nydia M. Velázquez
Member of Congress

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