| for Voice of America
On March 2, 2016, Voice of America published an article highlighting the story of CAIR Coalition client Junior Francisco and the 2,000 other individuals who had non-violent drug offenses that were released from federal prison. Junior has lived and worked in the United States since 2003 as a legal permanent resident. He married his high school sweetheart, Mirtha, an American citizen, and together they have three children. A bad choice landed him in prison but last fall he was approved as a part of the mass release of 6,000 individuals with low-level drug-related offenses. However, due to the fact that he is a non-citizen, Junior was immediately put into deportation proceedings.
“But the Washington-based Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition has taken up Francisco’s case pro bono, asking that ICE drop its prosecution and return him to his family “in the interest of justice,” said Heidi Altman, the organization’s legal director.”
