Domestic Violence and Immigrant Rights Organizations Stand with Nan-Hui Jo to tell Immigration Officials to drop her deportation case and Stand with Survivors of Domestic Violence

After an aggressive retrial in Yolo County, CA, Nan-Hui Jo, devoted mother and survivor of domestic violence, has been convicted on charges of “child abduction.” Supporters of Nan-Hui are outraged and deeply saddened over this verdict. In light of this conviction, deportation proceedings may be imminent, which would result in permanent separation between Nan-Hui and her daughter.

Nan-Hui Jo is a survivor of domestic violence who fled the U.S. with her one year old daughter, Vitz Da, in 2009, to escape the physical and emotional abuse from the child’s father.  When she returned to the U.S. in July 2014, she was immediately arrested, separated from her child and tried five months later, which resulted in a hung jury. Ignoring the domestic violence, physical assault, and clear threats that the child’s father testified and publicly admitted to, the Yolo County District Attorney aggressively pursued a retrial of Jo.

Nan-Hui has been issued an immigration hold by the request of Border Customs Enforcement (CBP). Deportation proceedings for Nan-Hui are now under way.  Despite being a domestic violence survivor, the mother of a U.S. citizen, and having pending U-visa on file, as well as an upcoming court dates for custody issues, CBP (Customs and Border Protection) and ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) are racing forward to deport Nan-Hui. Deportation likely means permanent separation for her and her daughter.

The Yolo County DA, CBP, and ICE have already done irreparable damage to Nan-Hui and Vitz Da. Nan-Hui and Vitz Da have not even been allowed to talk in over seven months: Nan-Hui has been imprisoned without bail since July 2014 because of the immigration hold, and Vitz Da has been in the custody of her father, who has admitted to assaulting Nan-Hui on record.

We stand in support of Nan-Hui and call on CBP and ICE to allow her to reunite with her six-year-old daughter.   Nan-Hui is a survivor of domestic violence and her case should be considered under the parental interests directive. We ask that CBP and ICE to exercise its prosecutorial discretion and drop Nan-Hui’s deportation case.

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