A Fighter's Journey
From The Next Door Inc.:
By Jordan Flores
The Dalles Ore. May 2, 2024 — Like many who immigrated to the United States, Guillermo left Mexico in search of a better life for himself and his family. Given his dire circumstances, there wasn't time to obtain the resources needed to cross the border legally and Guillermo had to leave his wife and three children behind. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the Border Patrol and was later transported to an immigration detention center in Tacoma, Washington.
Guillermo experienced unimaginable mistreatment from the jail's staff as he sought legal help to fight his deportation. Tragically, his wife and children were killed in Mexico while Guillermo was detained in the U.S. He was shocked and heartbroken at the sudden loss but was unable to attend his family’s funeral at the risk of being deported. As a result, Guillermo’s mental, physical, and emotional health suffered tremendously, so he contacted The Next Door Inc. (TNDI) for help.
TNDI’s Community Health Workers (CHWs) sprang into action. They worked tirelessly to connect Guillermo to any resources they could, both within the organization and in the community. They were just and empowering in their treatment of Guillermo, never judging him and always encouraging him to stay strong so he could take back control of his life.
Soon, Guillermo became TNDI’s first referral to the Equity Corps of Oregon (ECO) program, an effort to ensure that everyone can defend themselves against unfair deportation. Guillermo was matched with a lawyer through ECO and, after sharing his story, the attorney agreed to take on his case.
For the first time in as long as he can remember, Guillermo has hope. Hope that his quality of life will improve, hope that he’ll be able to get his green card, hope that he won't have to live in fear or shame, and hope that someday, he’ll be able to return to Mexico to properly say goodbye to his family. His newfound hope has also helped decrease his stress, knowing he has trustworthy people in his corner who support him, and strengthened his motivation to continue making a living for himself in the orchards and navigating the legalities of his immigration status.
There are so many like Guillermo who need our help and our immigration work has only just begun. Now through June 30th, your gift will be matched up to $25,000! Visit nextdoorinc.org/donate to double your impact today.
The Next Door Inc., (TNDI) the largest social service agency in the Gorge, was founded in 1971 to address the unmet need of support services for youth. Today, TNDI’s employees facilitate over 35 programs that strive to fulfill our mission of opening doors to new possibilities by strengthening children and families and improving communities in Oregon and Washington. For more information, please visit https://nextdoorinc.org/
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