Dear GVCP Member,
I don’t know Melinda Min Carr personally, but this sounds truly important.
Peace,
Arnie Matlin for GVCP
Subject: Re: Flowers/ICE
Hello Everyone,
On Tuesday, Feb 12th from 9:00am – 1:00pm there will be a rally at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center Batavia at 4250 Federal Dr. in Batavia. The purpose is to show support for Ian Flowers’s case and have him released so he can finish the process of being a US citizen.
On January 15th ICE arrested Ian Flowers, a former UK citizen, ripping his family apart. Ian is married to US citizen Jennifer Flowers & active step-parent to her 2 special needs children for 10+ yrs, and was actively going through the process to become legal after years of financial hardship blocking his way. Due to lack of information, & lack of a committed sponsor the process was slow but was still ongoing. He was detained after a disgruntled neighbor decided to call ICE.
Because he is a visa overstay & not an “illegal” in the classic term, or have a criminal record, he is not afforded the same rights. So he will not go in front of a judge to plead his case. Instead, it’ll be left to lawyers and ultimately the Deportation Office who could come for him at any time. We’re hoping our rally will not only keep him here but that the deportation office will review his case properly and see reason. As they have already begun the paperwork for deportation our timeframe is unknown.
We want to bring attention to his case, information on how different immigrants are treated, & that the system needs to be reformed.
We have very little experience with running a rally but we are determined. So we’re reaching out for help. We could use suggestions, speakers, & people to attend the Rally.
Channel 13 WHAM News did a story on Ian jut last night, & are hoping to be at the rally. Livingston County News did a story last month & will be covering the rally as a follow-up piece. Some of the college kids are helping out as well, and after sending letters to Senator Kristen Gillibrand’s office we were contacted back as the Senator is very interested in Ian’s situation.
On Sunday the 10th from 2:00 – 4:00 (tomorrow) we will be gathering at Bailey Hall at SUNY Geneseo, to make protest signs & T-shirts for the rally. I apologize for the short notice. I hope some of you can make it or offer your expertize so we can make this as successful as possible. Thank you for your time!
For more information please visit our Facebook site or our go fund me page. You can feel free to contact Jennifer Flowers @ jennflowers69@gmail.com or my self at Mina.carr@hotmail.com.
Sincerely,
Melinda Carr
https://www.facebook.com/groups/393058357937186/
https://www.gofundme.com/legalize-ian-flowers?fbclid=IwAR0u9tD2ULXYz-5nM80T8S7UuaXxGFRaxKHPzqJnvN-bEoKqq_O8IdAiq4k