Genoveva is a wife, mother, and grandmother originally from Mexico who has lived in the United States for over twenty years. After two decades in the US, she was pulled over by a police officer in Warren, I IL for not using a turning light signal. She was subsequently sent to ICE who ordered her to be deported.
Genoveva and her family immediately jumped into action to make sure that she remained in the country. They were able to garner support from elected officials, and other immigrant rights organizations that made calls, signed petitions, and attended press conferences. All of this support culminated in Genoveva receiving a stay of deportation in 2013.
Since then, Genoveva had been renewing her permit to stay with no issue until 2017, when she was asked to appear for an ICE check-in. Despite being accompanied by multiple elected officials and countless community members, Genoveva was denied a stay of deportation and given a date by when to leave the country. This was devastating and a clear indication as to how things were going to change under the Trump administration.
In response to ICE’s insistence on separating Genoveva from her family and community, in September of 2017, a lawsuit was filed on her behalf against the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, demanded that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a sub-agency, to review her pending U visa application before ICE removed her from the country.
With pressure in the courts and from community, USCIS approved Genoveva’s U visa. Together with her family, the West Suburban Action Project, the National Immigrant Justice Center, Service Employees International Union Local 1, OCAD was able to ensure that Genoveva stayed in the country. We believe she was targeted for her activism and this was a way to show that we will not be silent.
Freedom or Prison Zine
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Practices for Our Heart, Body, and Soul
In this zine, you will find some practices for anxiety and some recipes for delicious teas for when your body and heart don't feel well.
ICE’s Ability to Detain Immigrants Through Mass Raids and Traffic Stops Would Be Significantly Limited Under Preliminarily Approved Court Settlement
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Our Response to the 100 days interim DHS moratorium memo on deportations
Read Our Response to the DHS moratorium memo on deportations and who is excluded- no one is disposable!
We are hiring a digital organizer!
Want to join the OCAD team? We are currently looking for a Digital Organizer to join our team
Movement Did This; Our Next Targets Are Clear.
As an undocumented-led collective in the city of Chicago, we will take a moment to breathe and cherish this moment as we prepare to continue the ongoing radical grassroots organizing happening throughout the city. Trump is on his way out of office. However, we know that the same racist and inhumane structures of this capitalist empire are still up and running.
Supreme Court Rules DACA Program Can Continue, Yet Some DACA Recipients Have Already Been Deported
For us at OCAD this moment is a reminder that the struggle for dignity and justice is far from over.
Chicago COVID-19 FOIA Project with Just Futures Law
We joined Just Futures Law in the #COVID19Project to find out more about how our data is being collected and shared across private companies and city agencies.
COVID19 Support for Undocumented Families
There are 11 million undocumented immigrants who aren’t eligible for a stimulus check. Please see how you can support below
Taller de Criminalización
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Erase the Chicago Gang Database
We advocate for the elimination of the use of detention centers and deportations, surveillance mechanisms, and “reforms” that exclude the most criminalized amongst us. One way we are doing this is by advocating for the elimination of the City of Chicago’s gang database.
Mohammed's Victory
Mohamed is a Palestinian undocumented immigrant who was flagged by the FBI for having “terrorist affiliations”. Mohamed was in a detention center for over a year and couldn’t be deported because he was considered “stateless” given his Palestinian nationality.
Wilmer's Victory
Wilmer Catalan had been residing in the US for over 10 years and, in March of 2017, ICE agents unlawfully entered his home without a criminal warrant or consent. ICE had conducted a raid based on false information obtained from the Chicago Police Department indicating Wilmer belonged to a street gang.
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