Change.org - ICE

While serving 28 years in prison Tien Pham completely turned his life around. He got his college degree, became an athlete and an activist with the organization Tsuru for Solidarity. But upon release, he was turned over to ICE to be deported to Vietnam — the country he fled as a refugee decades ago. Join his community in demanding that ICE halt Tien’s deportation proceedings. Demand Tae D. Johnson Stop Tien Pham’s Deportation and Release him from ICE Detention 5,273 have signed Tsuru for Solidarity’s petition. Let’s get to 7,500!

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Demand Tae D. Johnson Stop Tien Pham’s deportation and Release him from ICE Detention. Tien Pham, arrived in the U.S. with his family as a refugee from Vietnam. As a 17-year-old, he was charged for a crime as an adult and sentenced to 28 years in prison. He served his full term in San Quentin and changed his life while imprisoned.  While incarcerated, Tien obtained his college degree, became a leader in the ROOTS ethnic studies program, became an accomplished distance runner, and worked with the San Quentin News. Tien has been an active participant in Tsuru for Solidarity, a social justice organization working to end detention of children and families at the border. After 28 years of incarceration, he was paroled from prison. The Parole Board noted that his crime was due in large part to his young age and that he no longer posed a danger to society. But on August 31, 2020, the day he was supposed to be paroled and reunited with his family, Governor Newsom and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation turned Tien over to ICE. Tien was transferred to the Aurora, Colorado ICE detention facility and separated by thousands of miles from his family.  When immigrants and refugees like Tien are transferred over to ICE, many do not receive adequate support and resources to fight their cases.  While in ICE custody, Tien has been transferred across multiple states and left in a cruel limbo as he faces imminent deportation to a country he fled over 40 years ago and where he has no support. His family is all here in the U.S.  Tien underwent a rigorous process to earn his freedom in which the Board of Parole Hearings and Gavin Newsom affirmed his release. He is now scheduled to appear for an immigration court hearing to decide his fate  sometime this week. ICE is attempting to once again separate Tien from his family and send him back to Vietnam in a continuing cycle of violence aimed at immigrants.  Acting ICE Director Tae Johnson has the ability to stop Tien’s deportation.  Please sign this petition to illustrate community support for Tien and to demand that ICE release him and stop deportation procedures.

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