Thank you!

 “Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture to have saved the world.”
 Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a)

Dear Sisters and Brothers – 

I write with extraordinary news – an impossible victory made possible because of the love, dedication and hard work of a great team. 

A few months ago, our friend and brother Reynaldo Dominguez - a water defender from Honduras – called with an urgent appeal.

His 27-year old nephew – Santos – had fled Honduras and was detained by immigration in Houston. Santos was in imminent danger of being deported to Honduras where he faced death threats and assassination. Two of his uncles -- Ali and Oqueli – had already been killed for defending the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers from mining contamination. 

Reynaldo asked if SHARE could help. And we sprang into action.

Every immigration expert we consulted told us it was very unlikely we could avoid deportation let alone win Santos’s release and a pathway to political asylum, especially with the rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the country and especially in Texas.

But we pressed on. 

We secured a pro-bono attorney, psychologists, expert witnesses, translators, local volunteers to visit Santos in prison, and congressional letters of support, including from Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.

On June 12th the judge granted Santos’ freedom at the recommendation of all the attorneys. Today Friday June 14th Santos was released and he will be on his way to embrace his family in Atlanta.

Thanks to everyone who helped directly and indirectly in this case. 

Candace McCoy, Santo’s pro bono attorney, invested countless hours preparing the case, holding on to the hope that we could prevail against all odds. Sister Sharon White, Amy Argenal, Scott Wright, Jean Stokan, Flora Amaro, John & Stacy Merkt, Eddie Tabora, Jackie McVicar, Eileen Purcell, the lawyers at ERIC and many others provided indispensable support.

Your support of the SHARE Foundation makes this work possible!

With profound gratitude and hope,

Jose Artiga, Executive Director

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Ps below is a thank you letter from Reynaldo:
 
On behalf of the Domínguez Ramos family, the Guapinol community and myself, thank you for the great work of each and every one of you in support of the case of my nephew, Santos Rodrigo Domínguez Urbina.

Thank you for working together as a team and obtaining this great victory.  I must admit that the news caused tears of emotion. We feel that we are not alone, that there are different forces and that your spirit of love and solidarity sustains and accompanies us.

To each of you, we want you to know that all the effort was worth it.

To you, attorney Candace, thank you for representing this young man who had already been saved from death here in Honduras; we were so afraid that he would be deported and murdered.

A very strong hug with tears of joy from Catalina, grandmother/mother of Santos, to each one of you for being the community of solidarity that walks with the people of God.

We hope that at some point soon there will be the opportunity to meet and be able to embrace each other and thank you by looking into each other's eyes.

Fraternalmente con nuestro abrazo, aprecio y cariño, Gracias José y todas de la Fundación SHARE

Reynaldo, defensor del agua, el bosque y la vida.
Guapinol Honduras, June 12, 2024