On March 29, 2019, Long B. Ho, 34 years old from Orange County, California was detained by ICE during his annual check-in, and is at immediate risk for deportation to Vietnam, despite not having committed any crimes since released from prison 10 years ago for his youthful mistake.  Long is currently married and has two young sons.

Long and his family immigrated to the US in early 1998 and received Legal Permanent Status (Greencard). Like many Vietnamese teenagers arriving in the US, Long experienced struggles with cultural conflicts to language barriers to alienation and bullies.  In order to protect himself, Long sought refuge in the wrong group of friends and eventually lost the focus for his future. 

In 2004, at 19 years old, Long got in trouble with the law and pled guilty for his involvement in drug sales.  Long acted as the middleman and was arrested.  He was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and was released in August 2009 due to good behavior. Long transformed his life while incarcerated and earned an Associate Degree in Business Administration while in prison.

Because of his criminal conviction, upon his release, Long was detained by ICE  and received a final removal order. However, Vietnam refused to accept Long; therefore he was granted release under an Order of Supervision in December 2009. Long has been in full compliance with his Supervision.  

After prison, Long excelled in higher education and obtained his Bachelor Degree in Business management in 2012.  To better his employment opportunities Long become a certified Project Management Professional in 2017 and a certified Green Belt Lean Six Sigma in 2018. Long advanced from a retails salesman to his current job position as Logistic Supervisor.   

In 2010, Long met Hoa Huynh, a US citizen.  Long and Hoa got married in 2013; they have two beautiful young sons: A. Ho, 5 years old, and L. Ho, 2 years old, who missed their dad dearly and begin to show signs of losing father-son bond as the day goes by.  His elder parents and siblings are all US citizens currently living in the US. Long devoted most of his days off from work with his family: taking his son to swimming lessons, martial art practices, to eating lunch together, while Hoa is at work.   Long also volunteered to feed the homeless and making charitable donations to help children in Vietnam to access to education.  Long is an active member of APIROC (Asians & Pacific Islanders Reentry of Orange County), a support group, which focuses on helping formerly incarcerated API returning home to Orange County, their families and victims of crimes. Long’s dedication to APIROC made him a valuable asset to the community.

Long’s deportation to Vietnam will devastate his life, his wife and children, his family and siblings, as well as the community.  His deportation to Vietnam will also disregard the humanitarian aspect of the US-VN 2008 Repatriation Agreement, whereas his family will be victims of family separation.  Long has no relatives in nor does he remember anything about Vietnam. Long will have to rebuild his life in Vietnam with endless uncertainties and jeopardies.

While Long’s chance of survival in Vietnam is uncertain, his family will also suffer greatly: physical, psychological, and financial. His sons will grow up without a father and a role model, thereby putting them at risk for delinquency. The family will lose the only home they have since Hoa will not be able to keep up with the mortgage.   

Long has transformed and is no longer a criminal.  He has a stable job, paid taxes, married with kids, and has no family in Vietnam.   He is a role model and contributing community member. His deportation does more harm to him, his family, and the community.  Please consider release Long and stop family separation.