The thank-yous have been said. The tears have been cried. The family is together again. The friendships have been tested (most have endured; many have been strengthened; some have been broken). The business has survived — barely. The finances have been shattered.

Now what?

Roll up the sleeves, pick up the pieces, and start rebuilding, right? Rebuild what, though. I feel that I must do more than just go back to my life-as-it-was-before-THAT. I believe that THAT happened for a reason, and there is a calling that I must answer. But what to do, what to do? Write a book? Start a charity? Run for office?

Things are very much hectic these days, and I must tackle way too many pressing and immediate tasks before I can focus on a loftier one. But I think about the loftier one all the time. About where I am meant to be. So that all THAT would not have been in vain. So that I can contribute something to the common good as a result of THAT.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so do drop me a line if you have a suggestion. I’ll be back with more posts when things get settled and I have more clarity. For now, happy holidays to all!

…

The man who wrote the words in the title of this blog post was an immigrant. He had troubles with the US immigration authorities. He was shot dead on the streets of New York City on December 8, 1980. It is only appropriate to close with the lyrics of another one of his songs:

“And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love
You make”

A world of gratitude to John Reiser who built this website, to Dawn McCall who managed the content, and to all friends and supporters who rushed to our aid. I felt your love.

Just heard that Atanas and Eni have been released. Atanas will post an update to his blog in the near future.

Never before in my life have I had the occasion to thank so many people.

First off, I give thanks to the thousands of folks who have supported me in myriads of ways-by signing the online petition, by writing letters of support, by voicing support in social media, by sending money.  I thank you all very, very much!

Secondly, I thank the team of close friends and family headed by my attorney Eric Mark for their ongoing tired less work towards our release.  Your efforts are priceless, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Finally, I thank my family for their unwavering resilience in the face of adversity.  I know you are going through a much more stressful time then Eni and I are, and my heart goes out to you.  I love you all very much.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Atanas Entchev
November, 24, 2011
Delaney Hall Detention Center
Newark, NJ

 

Please sign the petition to have the Entchevs’ released and have their case reconsidered.

Mayia Entchev has created a petition to ICE on Change.org. Please sign the petition at your earliest convenience. It only takes a few seconds to sign and 500 others have already done so.

Text of the petition:

Director John Morton
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
500 12th St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20536
_________________________________________

Attn: John Morton

Re: Stop the deportation of Atanas Entchev and family

A#073 178 406
A#073 178 405
A#073 185 055

This is an urgent request for a Stay of Deportation or Removal for the Entchev family. Both Atanas and Enislav are currently detained in a for-profit detention facility, and all three are facing deportation.

This request is based on the deportation priorities set forth in the June 17, 2011 Morton Memorandum entitled “Civil Enforcement: Priorities for the Apprehension, Detention and Removal of Aliens,” where it declares the enforcement priorities are national security, public safety and border security.

The Entchev family came to US legally, remained legally in-status for 20 years and are non-criminals.

Atanas Entchev came legally to U.S. 20 years ago as a recipient of the Humphrey Fellowship for Urban Planning at Rutgers University. Atanas Entchev is a GIS professional and entrepreneur, who graduated from Rutgers with a Master’s degree in Urban Planning. He is a leading expert in his field. He has consulted with municipal, state and federal governmental agencies, and taught GIS as a Professor at major universities and to private companies.

His wife, Mayia Entcheva, and his son, Enislav Entchev, came legally to the U.S. in 1992 and 1993. Enislav Entchev is a graduate of a New Jersey high school and is eligible for the DREAM Act. He has legally lived in the U.S. since he was 2 years old, attended college, and does not speak the native language of Bulgaria. Mayia is an award-winning architect who designed some of the most modern and advanced educational facilities in the U.S., including the Microsoft School of the Future in Philadelphia.

The Entchev family are hardworking and honest people who have been contributing to the U.S. economy and American society for 20 years. This is their home, Let them stay.
—————-
Sincerely,

[Your name]

One Month Later

Dear Friends:

I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for our cause.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  By voicing your support you help not only my family, but the hundreds of thousands of families that are in the same situation.  Families who have been building this country, only to find themselves unwelcome after decades of hard work.  This is not just.

It has been one month since I was detained.  We are being treated well, yet I wish that I’d be free to continue to contribute to the U.S. economy, instead of being a drain on it.  I want to pay for my food.  Let me do it.

I am confident that common sense will prevail, and that the U.S. will again, and soon, welcome those who came to start here a new and better life.

Your continued support is crucial, and I thank you once again.

Atanas Entchev
November 4, 2011
Delaney Hall Detention Center
Newark, NJ

A letter was received by Eric Mark, Atanas’ attorney  written by John Tsoukaris where the request for prosecutorial discretion was denied and specifically stated that “Deferred action is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion to give some cases lower priority for removal.  It is granted only in those cases where a careful balancing of the merits of a particular case against the current goals and mission of the agency make deferred action an appropriate choice.  It is not an entitlement and is not widely granted.  The exercise of such discretion is not warranted in this case.”

Private immigration jails are set up as profit generating venues. Delaney Hall, where the Entchevs are detained is featured in this article.

From the article:

“The policy of mandatory immigration detention is bad enough,” said Cynthia Mellon, a community organizer for the Ironbound Community Corporation, “but what ICE is holding up as the model of immigration detention for the entire country is a jail and a hastily partitioned penal facility next to active polluters and toxic waste in the middle of what is known as ‘chemical corridor.’ How is that an improvement?”

articles.nydailynews.com/2011-10-09/local/30281437_1_immigrant-rights-immigrant-detainees-immigration

Thank you to all of the people that have written letters so far. The outpouring of support from the GIS community on Twitter and other social media has been amazing. Please continue to write letters of support for the Entchevs and check back in on this blog for updates.