Meet our latest Familias Reunidas Bond Recipient: Kals

​Today we share the bittersweet release of most recent Familias Reunidas Bond Program, Kals. He is a 25-year old Mauritanian asylum seeker who spent 7 months in the Otay Mesa Detention Center, in fact he spent an extra month in detention because his order was not on file. We are so happy to be able to free him, and thank you all for your support.
Kals came to the United States running from slavery in his home country, and our unjust and racist policies subjected him to detention instead of welcoming him to the land of the free. His bond, as well as many of our other bond recipients from African countries, was set much higher than many others we have received. This is why is with heavy hearts that we received the news of Former Officer Brett Atkins indictment in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor today, particularly upon learning his bail was set at 15K, when we know our folks bonds are set at similar and even sometimes higher amounts. We have encountered immigration bond of asylum seekers with no criminal history simply seeking to survive, be given bond amounts greater than a police officer involved in a fatal shooting. Today, we are once again painfully reminded of the racial injustice in this country. And while we celebrate the freedom of Kals, our heart grieves for the family of Breonna Taylor reminding us to raise our voices against the persecution of black folks in America.
Let this story serve as a reminder of all the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and community members waiting in such conditions in detention, simply for seeking a place or a part in this country. Kals represents so many others being subject to racist and inhumane policies, and we must not forget the urgency of getting everyone we can out of the Otay Mesa Detention Center. We cannot and must not be silent. Again, we thank you for your support and ask you to continue to make sure our folks are #FreeAndAlive.