Photo: Carla Chavarria, Diego Lozano, & ADAC (Arizona Dream Act Coalition)
PHOENIX, Az.—Trans and Queer Undocumented Immigrants from the Arcoiris Liberation Team and the Arizona Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (AZQUIP) came together along with community leaders to hold an unprecedented action at the Kyrsten Sinema’s Phoenix district office. They are demanding that Kyrsten Sinema and the LGBT Equality Caucus come out in public support of the liberation of Marichuy Leal Gamino (legal name Jesus Leal Gamino, A# 047-283-870), a 23-year-old transgender woman who was raped over a month ago in Eloy Detention Center. [pullquote]They are demanding that Kyrsten Sinema and the LGBT Equality Caucus come out in public support of the liberation of Marichuy Leal Gamino (legal name Jesus Leal Gamino, A# 047-283-870), a 23-year-old transgender woman who was raped over a month ago in Eloy Detention Center.[/pullquote]
Arcoiris Liberation Team along with AZQUIP, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement contacted the equality caucus 15 days ago to request a public statement to ICE in support of the release of Ms. Leal Gamino. Currently, they are urging Representative Sinema and the Equality Caucus to fulfill their mission of ensuring the health and well being of the LGBT community by advocating for Ms. Leal Gamino to return home and begin healing with her family and community.
After being raped rape, Ms. Leal Gamino was put in solitary confinement, denied basic hygiene and has received death threats from the accused rapist. She has since reported suicidal thoughts. Her family and community are demanding that the Equality Caucus and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema take immediate action to guarantee the release of Ms. Leal Gamino.
After meeting with her staff, community members emphasized:
Photo: Carla Chavarria, Diego Lozano, & ADAC (Arizona Dream Act Coalition)
1. A letter of support for better treatment is equal to no action at all. ICE already is incapable of implementing rules, which are in place. The only option to guarantee Marichuy is safe and starts her healing process is to be with her family.
2. Marichuy has clear legal possibilities either through asylum or u-visa, there is no reason why after all she has been put though she is still in detention suffering.
3. A broad group of 80 LGBT organizations including HRC, and the National Center for Transgender Equality have come out in support of liberation for Marichuy. Members the Phoenix LGBT community ask why the Equality Caucus and its co-directors, including representative Sinema, would push back against the united voice of the national community they represent.
Marichuy’s family and community promised to continue to urge representative Kyrsten Sinema and the Equality Caucus to support the liberation of Marichuy.
[From a News Release]
