IMMIGRATION
Jorge and Araceli lived in sanctuary in the basement of our Church/Temple Micah building for 17 months, beginning in August 2017. In May 2019, a judge allowed Araceli to go back to her house in south Denver pending a decision on her revised application for asylum.
In November 2019, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office notified Araceli’s attorney that they had denied her application on technical grounds and she was given a short time to leave or be deported. Her attorney let her know that they were out of options, so Araceli decided to go back to El Salvador with the boys in December 2019. Jorge stayed in Denver to keep working and supporting the family while their attorney looked for more options.
In 2020, Jorge was approved for a Green Card under the Family Reunification program, sponsored by his daughter, Yailín, in California! After 26 years, he could finally travel. So in December 2020, after one year of separation, Jorge went back to El Salvador to visit Araceli and the boys. When he returned to Denver in January 2021, his attorney told him that she had reconsidered Araceli’s case and she urged him to bring the two oldest boys back to Denver. She felt that this would strengthen Araceli’s application for a Green Card under the family reunification program (the boys need their mother . . .). So two weeks later, Jorge put another $1,800 on his credit card and he returned to El Salvador for a few days and brought the boys, Jorge and Christopher, back to Denver. They are now in the bilingual school across the street from Jorge and Araceli’s house in south Denver. They are doing OK, but they miss their mom terribly. Jorge’s aunt is taking care of the boys after school and is eating some of her meals at Jorge’s house.
Jorge and Araceli’s legal bills over the last few years have been more than $20,000. Some of which was paid by Jorge; some was paid by our church fundraisers, and some was paid by the Denver Sanctuary Coalition. But he still owes over $10,000. He is meticulous about paying $200 per month and his attorney is very understanding and supportive about it. Other expenses are his car loan, utilities, food, gas, and miscellaneous. All of this totals about $3,600 per month in cost, therefore, Jorge is incurring a deficit of about $300 per month, every month, which he is covering with small loans, mostly from credit cards.
Finally, Jorge has about $6,000 in credit card debt, increased recently by $1,000 to go to El Salvador over Christmas and $1,800 to go back and bring the two boys in February 2021, as requested by his attorney. He pays about $1,200 per year in interest on this debt.
How you can help our Sanctuary family:
- Contribute to this one-time fundraiser-to help Jorge pay down the credit card debt. $3,000 to $6,000 goal. Make checks out to Robert T. Sample and mail or deliver to Bob at the address below. Bob will collect your donations and send you a thank you note. Be sure to put “Jorge Fundraiser” in the item line of your check.
- Contribute King Soopers gift cards- $400 per month goal. Jorge will use them for food and other necessities. Make sure to put your name and the amount on the gift cards, any amount from $25 to $400. Bob will assign your gift cards to the next month that does not have $400 accumulated.
Robert T. Sample
2268 Birch Street
Denver, CO 80207
(303)320-1955
bbsample@ix.netcom.com
PLEASE SO NOT MAKE OUT DONATIONS TO THE CHURCH!
Bob will collect donations and put them together and take Jorge the gift cards and the one-time donations once each month.
Donations are not tax deductible. Bob will try to send an acknowledging email to all donors. Please include your email address if you an acknowledgement and thank you note.
We can reassess the need and effectiveness and any plans to continue this program in November or December.
Thank you for all your past support of our Sanctuary Family.
