Letters of support are crucial in receiving Prosecutorial Discretion for individuals fighting a deportation case. The goal of these letters is to show that the individual is an asset to our community and not a priority for deportation. To prove this, it is important that the letter contains a story which humanizes the individual as a member of our community. The story can be any example that proves their virtues before the ICE attorney. These letters will be used for the ICE attorney to see Jesus as a person and not as another number.
The letter must:
- Be written in English
- Signed by the person who wrote it
- Not exceed one page.
Try to provide a short bio of the individuals to share with those writing letters of support. This bio will provide some context of the situation and the individual that can help people write letters.
Below is an example of a bio:
Bio for <Name>. Their case number/A# is ██████.
“My name is ████ █████, I am 18 years of age. I was born ███ █, ██ in Mexico. I am currently a Senior at ████ High School. I was brought to the U.S. when I was only three years old and I have lived in Tucson, Arizona ever since. I have an older brother and an older sister. I am the youngest. I have always loved the mountains that surround Tucson, the sunsets here, the people, and of course the delicious food. Tucson is my home and it is all I have ever really known.
I love to play sports, whatever it is to stay active and have my body in condition. My favorite two sports are boxing and soccer. I have over 60 medals and I only have one amateur fight. (1-0) I look forward to getting more wins. I run every morning to stay active and be ready for the day.
I also love to clean. I clean my parents’ house every day while they’re at work. I make sure my room is in order and my chores are done. I love being orderly, I feel it makes my life better.
My favorite subject in school is Science and the reason for that is because I love exploring. Learning how things work in the world is so interesting. I hope to one day go to medical school to become a doctor to continue learning how things work. I also don’t turn away when seeing gross things so I feel I could handle it.
I have built a lot of good relationships with many of my teachers, friends, and coaches at my school that I wouldn’t trade for anything. They have made me a better person.
I also have a close relationship with my church. I attend church every Sunday with my family. My mom is very close to the pastor and for that reason I have been able to get to know him too. I have been involved in several programs at church and have learned so much.
I am a person who cares about seeing everyone who surrounds me happy whether I know you or I don’t. Being a good role model for kids, will always be in me. I will always offer my help to the community and elders. Thank you for taking the time to write a letter of support and reading a short bio about me.”
Letter Format:
(Date)
(Your address)
(Phone Number to reach you)
Case number: [Case Number]
To whom it may concern:
1) Your Personal Introduction
Present yourself: Say your name and occupation. If you are a United States Citizen, permanent resident, or a deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) recipient include this in the letter.
Example: My name is Dario Andrade Mendoza. I have been living in Tucson, AZ for
almost 12 years and I’m a DACA recipient. I work as a math, physics and engineering tutor at Pima Community College West Campus. I am also an active volunteer in the community of Tucson as the Community Outreach Director for ScholarshipsA-Z.
2) Talk about why this individual and/or their family is/are a benefit to the community.
-You can discuss how the individual is helping their family, school, and community in positive way.
The main goal is to show not tell.
In our letter of support, we want to show how this individual has had a positive impact on our lives and in our community and/or will have in the future.
If you do not know the individual personally, but have a relationship with someone
in their family, you can write your letter around the family member you do
know. You can write about a positive experience you’ve had with that family member.
Make sure you relate the experience to the individual though.
For example, if you know the individual’s mom but not the individual directly, you can talk about how their mom talks about them. Such as:
“I’ve known ’s mother for around 5 years. The mother’s name is Maria and we
meet at many church events. At said events, Maria talks about _. Maria shares about how proud she is that _ has been helping to support the household as well as to guide their younger siblings……” In this example, even though the relationship is not with the individual directly, we can still use the relationship to make the point that the individual we are supporting contributes positively to their community.
3) Why this individual deserves to remain in the country
Discuss the reasons why the individual should stay in the US. In this third part, we
provide any additional information that we think the person reviewing the case should consider.
This is information that may not have been part of our previous sections. This can include information about:
- How long they’ve lived in the US
- Whether they grew up in the US
- Proximity to US citizens such as siblings, or significant others
- If others depend on this individual, such as children/parents
- Academic standing (if applicable)
- Other qualities, you think make the individual a valuable member of this
community such as volunteering.
4) Closing.
Finish the letter by thanking the ICE attorney for taking the time to read your letter.
Example: I thank you for taking the time to read my letter. If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact me.
Sincerely,
<Leave Space For Your Signature>
(Your name in print)