While ICE Tries to Deport My Father, My Family Stays Strong

While Rómulo Avelica Waits in Prison, the World Is Responding with Compassion

My life has drastically changed since February 28, 2017, when my father was arrested by ICE agents as part of President Trump’s effort to fulfill his campaign promise to deport immigrants with criminal records. While my dad sits in a detention center, I wake up every morning with an upset stomach and a nervous, worrisome feeling. I describe it as like getting knocked down by a large wave.

If I didn’t have my 3-year-old son, Kelvin, I would have no energy or motivation to get up in the morning: …

Song of the Humming Drumlins

I got to get, to get, to get—no
to return the ice cubes I found
in my pocket to the freezer.

Time passes: closets, mirrors,
laundry, arguments, secret
hiding places. Bottom …