Anibal Mazariegos, Father of 5 US Citizen Kids, Out of Detention

How We Won

Nov 22, 2011

In 1993, Anibal Mazariegos, then 17 years old, had arrived to an immigration hearing where he was pleading for asylum from war-torn Guatemala. He got there just a few minutes late. The judge issued a deportation order “in absentia” even though Anibal was there.

Anibal was placed in detention this year, and it looked like the devastating end to a frustrating story about a court mixup. Anibal faced deportation in two days, and his five U.S. citizen children faced an uncertain future without the sole breadwinner in the family.

When Manuel Guerra Casas, a 26-year-old immigrant rights activist heard Anibal’s story, it struck a nerve. Casas also lives in Florida, and friends successfully fought his own deportation with a campaign on Change.org. Even though there was so little time to keep the Mazariegos family together, Casas decided to start a petition. Thanks to more than 600 people who joined the campaign to stop Anibal’s deportation, the father is now home with his family.

We may have only 24 hours to stop the deportation of Anibal Mazariegos, [ A# 070-569-023]. Anibal is the father and breadwinner for 5 US citizen children -- some with pressing medical conditions -- who need him to stay in the United States.

Anibal Mazariegos could be deported back to Guatemala as soon as Wednesday morning. He came to the United States more than 18 years ago, when he was only 17 years old, escaping from the war in Guatemala. Since then he has not returned to his native Guatemala. He has made America his home and is now the father of 5 US children in Florida.

Mr. Mazariegos is the biological father of four (4) U.S. citizen children: Jacqueline, Jordy, Janet, and Julieta.  His youngest daughter, Julieta, has a heart condition that requires doctor’s supervision.  In addition, Mr. Mazariegos also acts an adoptive father to another U.S. citizen child, Henry Gonzales. If Mr. Mazariegos is deported back to Guatemala this would be absolutely devastating for his family.

Anibal applied for asylum years ago, when he first arrived to United States, but he was late by a few minutes to his immigration hearing. When he arrived a few minutes after the time, they had already issued a deportation order in his absence!

Anibal is a person of good moral character who deserves a chance to present his immigration case before Immigration Court with a council. He attends church every Sunday and is very involved in his community. He is the sole economic provider for his family. 

Sign the petition to respectfully request that Mr. Anibal Mazariego's deportation be stopped, according to the new guidelines for prosecutorial discretion. Anibal should be released so that he may tend to his U.S. citizen children while he and his attorney seek avenues of immigration relief.

Then, please take a few minutes to Call.

Secretary Janet Napolitano, # (703-235-0854)

Director of ICE, John Morton # (202-732-3000)

Internal Affairs, Nicole Navas, # (786-387-8230).

Say: "I am calling to ask that Anibal Mazariego's deportation be stopped, and that he be granted discretion. His A number is 070-569-023. Thank you."

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