Anovsack Vongbandith, known as Anou, who along with his wife Anh runs a restaurant in Philadelphia and is originally from Laos, was seized and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and imprisoned in the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania for three months. A popular campaign of protest succeeded in winning his release in October. While he was in Moshannon, Kilmar Ábrego García, a sheet metal apprentice and member of the SMART union, which is fighting for his freedom, was also held there. Below are excerpts from a letter of solidarity Vongbandith sent to Ábrego García Jan. 13.
Dear Kilmar Ábrego García and Family,
I write this letter in solidarity with Kilmar Ábrego García and with all families who are suffering under a system that too often values punishment over humanity and due process is skipped. …
Solidarity means refusing to be silent. It means recognizing that justice must include mercy, and that immigration enforcement should never come at the expense of basic human dignity. It means demanding that Kilmar Ábrego García be treated fairly, humanely and with full respect for his rights.
To Kilmar and his loved ones: you are not alone. Your fight is seen. Your voice matters. And there are many of us who will continue to stand beside you, speak your name, and call for justice until families are reunited and dignity is restored.
With respect, solidarity, and unwavering support, due process for all of us,
Anovsack Vongbandith
Philadelphia, PA
Former detainee at Moshannon,
community advocate and ally