Help Me Save My Fiancé

I found out about feministing my first year of university, right when I decided to double major in English and Women’s Studies.  That same year, I met a wonderful man who had the same beliefs as I did; one of them being that women should be treated equally.  He has stood by me and gave me strength every time I said what was on my mind, defended myself or another woman.  I found out that he was undocumented about two months into our relationship; we hugged and cried together when he expressed his unfortunate circumstances.  His situation was out of his control: he was brought here when he was eleven from Russia and missed a court date when he was twelve.  His biological father was abusive towards both him and his mother.  We know that it is an extremely high number of immigrant women that flee their native countries because of domestic abuse, but yet find no protection in this country  (domestic abuse is not yet grounds for amnesty).

Ivan’s mother was deported last week and Ivan has spent over the last three months in jail awaiting his deportation.  Ivan would be banned from this country for at least five years if he were deported.  Ivan is seeking deferred action and if allowed to stay he would be eligible for the DREAM Act, a bill that would provide a pathway to legal citizenship for people brought here as minors that pursue an education.  Ivan cannot even read Russian anymore and remembers nothing about his native country.  Ivan only found out that he was undocumented when he was fifteen years old and he asked his mother if he could get a driver’s license.  Ivan has no criminal history and was arrested when ICE raided his home three months ago.

Ivan has not seen his biological father in seven years.  The only father that Ivan ever knew is his stepdad, a US citizen.  Perhaps this might bring up questions why Ivan’s mom was deported when she was married to a US citizen but as Ivan’s story serves to show, the US immigration system is broken.  It is surprising to learn that most undocumented people in the US are women and children and many have suffered from domestic abuse.  Immigration is a feminist issue.  Please help me keep one of the most amazing people that I have ever met, I love him dearly.

-Alanna Woolley

Please sign the petition, send the fax, and distribute this story widely.

http://action.dreamactivist.org/ivan

http://americasvoiceonline.org/page/content/IvanNikolov/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BXVPk53xpU