Gbolahan O.'s Story
I would like to share with you my ERICA story. I came into contact with ERICA sometime in 2008/2009 when I came to their office at the Cathedral of the Incarnation to seek assistance in getting pro bono representation for my political asylum application. I met with then Executive Director, Peter Kirchgraber, who interviewed me and referred me to the University of Maryland School of Law Immigration Clinic. I went to the Immigration Clinic but unfortunately was unable to hire any of the attorneys on their database due to my inability to pay a lump sum retainer fee. This led to my hiring an attorney who was willing to accept installment payment.
My journey to safe harbor in the USA seemed to proceed according to law and God’s grace. I secured a good job as a social worker at the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, again with the encouragement of ERICA, and believed that my asylum case was winding its way through the system. In fact, it was being derailed by negligence and procedural mistakes of my attorney. Unbeknownst to me, my case was closed and a removal order issued in March 2010. I did not learn that I was out of status until May 2012 when I landed in a detention facility of ICE - Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (In October 2011, after being asked to leave the premises of a Barnes and Noble and refusing to go due to what I felt was a racially inspired case of mistaken identity, I was arrested and later sentenced to a 10 day imprisonment for trespassing and a 3 year suspended unsupervised probation for resisting arrest – a conviction I plan to appeal. After serving the sentence, I was “released” to ICE.)
During my 6 months in detention, as my life slowly crumbled, ERICA's Executive Director Betty Symington and staff member James Byun visited me and kept up my spirit up during regular phone calls I made to ERICA. They linked me up with the CAIR Coalition towards submitting another Motion to Reopen my asylum case and communicated with my Unit Manager about my detention ordeal (I eventually lost my job – there is no extended leave for this kind of situation). Betty and Katherine Robinson, ERICA’s summer intern, arranged to get access to my apartment and just prior to eviction they personally collected all my personal papers, clothing and important belongings. Betty also assisted in contacting my Brother who is based outside the USA to alert him of my plight, and she and James worked continuously with him and additional counsel he hired to seek my release from ICE detention. After 6 months of an ordeal I can’t put into words, the Motion to Reopen my asylum case was granted. It still took time to gain release.
Dean Hayek reached out to me when I was released from detention, and ERICA assisted me with emergency accommodation as I had nowhere to stay. ERICA has now linked me up with the Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services. God willing, they will decide to represent me going forward.
ERICA has been like a family unto me and I greatly appreciate all the Management, Staff and Volunteers of ERICA. I pray that God will bless them all abundantly.
My journey to safe harbor in the USA seemed to proceed according to law and God’s grace. I secured a good job as a social worker at the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, again with the encouragement of ERICA, and believed that my asylum case was winding its way through the system. In fact, it was being derailed by negligence and procedural mistakes of my attorney. Unbeknownst to me, my case was closed and a removal order issued in March 2010. I did not learn that I was out of status until May 2012 when I landed in a detention facility of ICE - Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (In October 2011, after being asked to leave the premises of a Barnes and Noble and refusing to go due to what I felt was a racially inspired case of mistaken identity, I was arrested and later sentenced to a 10 day imprisonment for trespassing and a 3 year suspended unsupervised probation for resisting arrest – a conviction I plan to appeal. After serving the sentence, I was “released” to ICE.)
During my 6 months in detention, as my life slowly crumbled, ERICA's Executive Director Betty Symington and staff member James Byun visited me and kept up my spirit up during regular phone calls I made to ERICA. They linked me up with the CAIR Coalition towards submitting another Motion to Reopen my asylum case and communicated with my Unit Manager about my detention ordeal (I eventually lost my job – there is no extended leave for this kind of situation). Betty and Katherine Robinson, ERICA’s summer intern, arranged to get access to my apartment and just prior to eviction they personally collected all my personal papers, clothing and important belongings. Betty also assisted in contacting my Brother who is based outside the USA to alert him of my plight, and she and James worked continuously with him and additional counsel he hired to seek my release from ICE detention. After 6 months of an ordeal I can’t put into words, the Motion to Reopen my asylum case was granted. It still took time to gain release.
Dean Hayek reached out to me when I was released from detention, and ERICA assisted me with emergency accommodation as I had nowhere to stay. ERICA has now linked me up with the Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services. God willing, they will decide to represent me going forward.
ERICA has been like a family unto me and I greatly appreciate all the Management, Staff and Volunteers of ERICA. I pray that God will bless them all abundantly.
