A group of volunteers in Bonita Springs have started "adopting" families left struggling after immigration detentions separated them from their primary wage earners.
The grassroots effort, called "Adopt an ICE Widow Family," has quietly grown to include 15 families. Volunteers commit to providing monthly financial support and other essentials while helping families adjust to life after losing their main source of income. One of those families is Rosa's.
Her husband was detained during a traffic stop in January. Their 7-year-old daughter, Genesee, watched it happen.
"Unfortunately, my little one witnessed everything," Rosa said through a translator. "We were in the car when deputies stopped us and took her father away. She cried, and she still carries that trauma."
Rosa said her husband came to the United States in 2000. On Jan. 6, the family was driving to pick up medicine before stopping to visit a friend's house when deputies pulled them over. Because her husband did not have a driver's license, she said he was taken into custody, later transferred to federal immigration authorities and eventually deported to Guatemala. Since then, Rosa has been raising Genesee alone.
"It was hard because my husband was the main breadwinner," she said. "I worked, but I only contributed a little to support the family. Now everything depends on me, and I can only work limited hours."
Working part-time as a dishwasher, Rosa said every paycheck is stretched between bills and caring for her daughter. Her husband has encouraged her to return to Guatemala so they can raise Genesee together, but Rosa believes her daughter, a U.S. citizen, will have more opportunities if she remains in the United States.
That decision has been made a little easier with help from Joan Burton.
Burton signed up to "adopt" Rosa's family after learning about the program through Blue Gators, a Bonita Springs volunteer network that advocates for civil liberties. Burton has brought Rosa groceries and checked in to see how the family is doing.
"This mother is creative about surviving in this environment," Burton said. "That's what they do. They survive in a difficult situation. We have to help."
The adoption program grew out of Blue Gators' other immigration initiatives. Members were already knocking on doors to share information with immigrant families and donating to emergency assistance funds when they realized some households needed more than one-time support.
Sigfredo Hernandez, a Blue Gators volunteer and Rosa's translator during the interview, began encouraging volunteers to commit to helping one family on an ongoing basis. The matches focused on households that had lost a primary wage earner, especially those with young children and limited income. Organizers suggest volunteers contribute at least $100 a month, though many provide additional help. One volunteer and a group of friends pay about $600 each month toward the rent for a family with six children. Another covered major car repairs so a mother could continue getting to work. Today, roughly 15 families are part of the program, and organizers say more volunteers have expressed interest as additional families seek help.
"Any time that you can get people to smile and try to get through the day is important," Burton said. "So, I would encourage anyone who is interested to be a part of this wonderful initiative; you'll never regret it."
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