09/12/2025
Yesterday brought news that broke our hearts: our friend and family, M***a, was detained by ICE during his scheduled immigration check-in.
M***a has been part of our family for more than two years. He has shown up every single day—working hard, caring deeply, and doing everything right. He is here legally. He has followed every step, every rule, every requirement placed in front of him. He is also a tax-paying member of our community. And yet, when he did exactly what he was supposed to do—when he walked into his check-in in good faith—ICE detained him.
This is more than unfair. It’s inhumane. It’s cruel to treat people who contribute so much to our community, who bring warmth and dedication to their jobs, who are beloved friends and teammates, as though they are disposable.
We stand with M***a. We are angry. We are heartbroken. And we are not staying quiet.
Our businesses and our community are built by people like M***a—people who show up, who put in the work, who care about their neighbors. To rip him away not only devastates his family and teammates, it tears at the fabric of what makes Austin strong.
We refuse to let silence normalize this treatment. M***a deserves better. All immigrants deserve better.
We’ll continue to support him in every way possible, and we ask our community to do the same—whether that’s reaching out, showing solidarity, or simply refusing to look away.
M***a isn’t just a name in a system. He’s our friend. He’s our teammate. He’s family. He’s a tax-paying member of our community. And he deserves to be here.
