Lessons from #FreeAbuelito: How to Stop a Deportation Through a Public Campaign After a Raid in the LA Area

• You need to act fast, especially if your loved one has an open order of deportation
• Call the local ICE field office phone numbers at 213-830-7911 & 213-830-4925 and tell them to let your loved one go
• Create a petition for your loved one that will send emails to the local ICE field office directors: david.w.jennings@ice.dhs.gov and jorge.field@ice.dhs.gov
  • The petition should include:
    • Your loved one’s full name and A Number
    • A picture of them with family or friends
    • A description of who they are as a person and how they are important to you. Be as personal as possible
    • Make sure to use inclusive language in your petition that describes who they are without implying that other people deserve deportation (for example, do not write “He is not a criminal” because that implies that it’s okay for people with convictions to get deported)
    • If your loved one has a previous criminal conviction, mention is matter-of-factly, explain any special circumstances around it, and say how the conviction does not change that the loved one is an important part of your family and community
  • Here is an example: http://action.ndlon.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=21380
• Use social media, email, texts, and phone calls to your friends, family, and community to encourage them to call and sign the petition. For Facebook and Twitter, create and use a hashtag for the campaign. For example, #Free___ (insert name of loved one). Include a picture of your loved one.
  • Make your Facebook posts public so that people can share them.
  • Look at #FreeAbuelito on Facebook for examples.
  • Keep people updated on developments using the hashtag.
  • Keep posting and asking people to call, sign, and share.