In 2017, I spent time with longtime immigration activist, Jeanette Vizguerra, and compiled her testimonial for my book, American Hate: Survivors Speak Out. Jeanette made national headlines that year, when she took sanctuary at the First Unitarian Church in Denver, Colorado for which Time Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential people in the world.
Immigration authorities detained Jeannette in Denver a few weeks ago, after following her for days. Jeanette has lived in Colorado for more than 20 years and is now at imminent risk of being torn away from her children, grandchildren, and beloved community of friends and colleagues. Jeanette had noticed that unmarked vehicles had been stalking her, and upon detaining her, the agents remarked, “We finally got you.”
In her testimonial, Jeanette discussed her mixed status family, life in sanctuary, fears of deportation, and the ways she was fighting back. After American Hate was published, Jeanette and I had an amazing conversation at the Tattered Cover bookstore in Denver. Here’s a photo from that evening; you can read her testimonial here.
A federal judge has ruled that ICE cannot deport Jeanette absent a judicial hearing. If you’d like to support Jeanette and other undocumented persons in this moment, you can sign the petition to free Jeanette; contact your elected officials and urge them to ensure that the rights of undocumented people are protected; support your local immigrant rights organization; ask your cities/towns/states to serve as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants; and demand that those who help immigrants, including activists and lawyers, be allowed to do their work and not face persecution on account of it.
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