San Francisco -- Nearly one year after being arrested on child abduction charges and forcibly separated from her daughter, Nan-Hui Jo-an undocumented survivor of domestic abuse-was released on bond from immigration detention last Friday, July 17. Organizers celebrate her release, express gratitude for all her supporters nationwide, and vow continued support for Nan-Hui in her fight to be reunited with her daughter.
"We are thrilled that Nan-Hui has finally been released from immigration detention, and thank everyone who made this victory possible. While we celebrate this critical moment, we also know that this is not the end of the struggle for Nan-Hui's freedom and reunification with her daughter," says Hyejin Shim, a Stand With Nan-Hui organizer.
Nan-Hui was arrested, jailed, and separated from her daughter immediately upon entering the U.S. on July 29, 2014-nearly one year ago. Five years prior, in 2009, Nan-Hui fled to South Korea with her infant daughter to escape an abusive relationship and comply with the government's demand that she leave the country due to her lapsed immigration status. While awaiting trial on child abduction charges, she was jailed at Monroe Detention Facility in Yolo County, CA for over 9 months. Her first trial, in December 2014, ended in a hung jury. Ignoring all evidence of domestic abuse that Nan-Hui suffered, the Yolo County District Attorney retried the case, culminating in Nan-Hui's conviction.
On April 28, 2015, immediately following the judge's sentence-which reduced the conviction to a misdemeanor and allowed for immediate release due to time served-Nan-Hui was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and jailed at an immigration detention center in Yuba County, CA, where she spent the last 3 months. Domestic violence organizations, Asian American community groups, immigrant rights organizations, andsupporters across the country have rallied for Nan-Hui by attending her criminal trials, holding demonstrations, organizing educational events, fundraising for legal fees, and bringing widespread attention to the case.
"We are incredibly relieved that Nan-Hui has finally been released and is one step closer to resolving this year-long nightmare. It is unthinkable that ICE was days away from permanently separating a mother from her child because of a system that prioritizes deportation quotas over the well-being of a family," said Saira Hussain, Staff Attorney at Asian Law Caucus. "We must recognize this case within the context of the growing criminalization of survivors of domestic violence and the undocumented community."
Nan-Hui's family court proceedings continued earlier this week. She also is currently appealing the child abduction conviction. Her attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus to the California Supreme Court in May, citing serious legal errors in jury instruction.
On Wednesday, July 29, Nan-Hui's campaign organizers and legal team will hold a press conference and event in San Francisco to discuss Nan-Hui's release, announce next steps, and mark the one year anniversary of her arrest and separation from her daughter.
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