For Immediate Release
April 2, 2014
Contact: Diego Ortiz
(212) 714-2904/ dortiz@immigrationequality.org
Immigration Equality stands with the April 5th National Day of Action for Deportation Relief
New York City, NY — In the next few weeks, the Obama administration will have deported 2 million people. On April 5th, Immigration Equality will stand in solidarity with NDLON (the National Day Laborer Organizing Network) and organizations across the country to raise our collective voice in a National Day of Action for Deportation Relief.
“The threat of deportation for LGBT people is terrifying. We represent clients who have been robbed, stoned, beaten, set on fire and left for dead in their country of origin simply for being gay or transgender,” said Trina Olson, Immigration Equality’s Interim Executive Director. “They can’t go back. For LGBT immigrants, deportation can truly be a death sentence. It’s time for a new approach.”
“We need immediate and urgent relief for families like mine,” said Marco Quiroga, Immigration Equality’s National Field Officer. “My family has been torn apart. My little brother is gay and he was deported to a country where it is not safe to be gay. Every single day my mother and I worry about my brother’s safety. For lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender immigrants, deportation can have life threatening consequences.”
In solidarity with the National Day of Action, Immigration Equality has created a new graphic with a message that highlights the all-too-real impact of deportation for LGBT people. Immigration Equality has also joined the #2million2many Twitter hashtag campaign and is promoting its own LGBT-specific Twitter hashtag, #Deported2Death.
For more information on Immigration Equality’s work and accomplishments, visit www.ImmigrationEquality.org.
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About Immigration Equality
Since 1994, Immigration Equality has been representing LGBT and HIV-positive asylum seekers, detainees, and binational couples, who are fighting for safety, fair treatment, and freedom. Immigration Equality represents people from around the world fleeing violence, abuse and persecution because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV status. Our team of legal experts has won asylum for more than 500 LGBT and HIV-positive individuals.
