Ester Soliman, described by supporters as a “beloved mother and community member,” was taken into custody after attending a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) meeting “in good faith,” her daughter said in a Facebook post.
Soliman came to the U.S. legally with her husband more than two decades ago, raising three children in Lancaster who all graduated from McCaskey High School, according to her family. Her husband later died, leaving her immigration status in limbo, according to a GoFundMe co-organized for the family.
Soliman reportedly began her green card application process last year when her youngest daughter, a 21-year-old U.S. citizen, became eligible to sponsor her. But while still working through the process, Soliman received a notice from ICE to appear for an “Alternatives to Detention” program on Aug. 4.
When she showed up, her family says she was detained and transferred to a detention center in Clinton County — more than two hours from her home.
“This is a devastating situation on many levels,” the fundraiser reads. “The family needs all the support and assistance we can muster as they continue to navigate this heartbreaking and complex situation.”
In less than 48 hours, the GoFundMe had raised more than $75,000 of its $90,000 goal from about 1,500 donations to cover attorney fees and other costs while Soliman fights her case.
Lancaster Stands Up, Lancaster Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, and Democratic state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El have urged the public to donate and share her story.
“Please help if you can,” Smith-Wade-El wrote on Facebook, calling it the “next easiest way” to keep families together.
According to U.S. immigration law, widows and widowers of U.S. citizens may still qualify for a green card if they can prove they were married in good faith and are the beneficiary of an approved petition — but Soliman’s case could hinge on whether her late husband was a citizen and had filed the petition before his death.
Her family says they have hired a specialized immigration attorney to fight for her release.
Click here to view the fundraiser.
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