*NewYorkNeighborsUnited

This is our friend, Gerson

 

At 17, Gerson Josue Santamaria Turcios left his family farm in Honduras and travelled alone to the US fleeing persecution. His journey led him to the small town of Rhinebeck, NY, where he attended public high school like any other teenager. He learned fluent English and eventually built his own landscaping business. Today, at 23, Gerson is a well-known, loved and law-abiding member of the Rhinebeck community.

 

This is ICE

 

On July 18, 2025 Gerson was returning from work when he was stopped by ICE agents, who were looking for someone else. Though they didn’t have a warrant, Gerson was detained, transferred in shackles to detention facilities across multiple states and scheduled for deportation - all without due process.

 

This is what we’re doing

 

Since July, Gerson’s friends and neighbors in Rhinebeck have launched a fight to raise awareness of his case and his right to due process. Members of Congress and NY state legislators are speaking up in support and his lawyers have won a stay on his deportation as his asylum case is considered. Your donations will go to legal fees as Gerson continues to navigate this complex and frightening new reality.

 

Any little bit helps. Updates will continue to be posted below.

 

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August 25, 2025 5:10pm....

 

Dear Donors, Friends, and Neighbors…..

 

I am so relieved and happy to update you that Gerson is finally back in New York State after a difficult multi-state odyssey through the country’s federal migrant detention system!

 

Last Friday, Gerson was granted a stay by the United States Department of Justice as his case proceeded; yet, despite that stay, he was moved through several detention centers, including Jena and Alexandria, Louisiana. Gerson's legal team has put forth tremendous effort to pull him off an airport tarmac where he was mere hours away from deportation.

 

This is an achievement worthy of celebration!! 

 

Now that he is back closer to home, the current focus is on ensuring his release and then ensuring he spends the rest of his life in the community where he is deeply loved. 

 

We are cautiously optimistic given that Gerson has no criminal record and is not considered a flight risk. I want to thank out loud the 55 friends and neighbors that allowed me to hound them mercilessly Friday and through the weekend that wrote and had notarized impassioned letters of support for Gerson speaking to his amazing character and attesting to how he is loved and supported by this community.

 

We hope that Gerson can and will return to his home and business for the duration of legal proceedings. Ultimately the goal is get Gerson home to pursue his asylum claim which was found to have merit from the DOJ and is further supported by a post-doctoral anthropologist and expert in Honduras from a very prestigious university. We will be seeking additional support of this nature and I will report back on that further down the line. We will keep fighting as long as there is hope and as long as Gerson wants us to do so.

 

I will continue to fundraise as a necessity to try to reach a goal of $150,000 which almost entirely goes towards legal bills. I know it is a huge number, but the legal battle is complicated and convoluted and has required a small A-Team of lawyers with outside-of-the-box thinking skills, as well as the will and conviction to follow through into court. 

 

Lastly I want to share that Congressman Pat Ryan, D-NY, who is Gerson’s congressman, weighed in this afternoon with the following statement of support…. "We are all-hands-on-deck to make sure EVERYONE has the rights afforded to them by our Constitution.  I am relieved to hear that after a harrowing week being shipped around Louisiana and nearly deported without due process, Gerson has safely returned to New York.  As he continues to pursue his lawful asylum, it is critical that Gerson is home where he can be closer to his community, family, and legal counsel. I won’t stand for anything less. And I know our community – Gerson’s community – won’t stand for anything less." 

 

Onwards!!!…..please continue to donate, share this fundraiser, and keep hope alive! Our love for our friend and our community is pushing us forward!!! Please continue to walk with us!!

 

More updates soon and as they unfold!

 

Love to all, Jenny

 

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August 21, 2025 8pm....

 

It’s been 34 days since Gerson Turcios was detained on July 18, 2025.

 

As many of you know, last Thursday while I was driving to the Orange County jail Gerson called to tell me that ICE was there and moving him in that very moment to where he did not know. I had to pull over and immediately contact his lawyers from the side of the Taconic.

 

What happened next was a harrowing part of his journey.....

 

Gerson was abruptly transferred from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Goshen, NY (where friends and family have been able to regularly visit him for the last several weeks) -------> 26 Federal Plaza (everyone has seen the leaked hell-hole videos, right!!?) ------->  Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark (quite obviously positioned next to the runways at EWR) and then, ultimately, -------> Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility in Central Louisiana.

 

It is heartbreaking for me to report that during that time Gerson was shackled by both his hands and feet for 26-hours and given little food, inadequate hydration, and absolutely no information about his destination and ultimate whereabouts. Gerson has asked me to report this to you.We are not going to lie -- the conditions in Louisiana are rough.  Gerson misses visits from friends and supporters which he was relying on to keep his spirits in good form while incarcerated. During these 34 days of unlawful detention, the bottom line is that he has been transferred to six different immigration jails. 

 

Gerson’s most jarring quote to me was “What you see on the news, I am now seeing with my own eyes.” And yet, he is resilient, has put this brutal experience away, and put a smile back on his face.

 

So where are we now?

 

Despite what has been reported, Gerson has diligently and continuously sought to follow the law throughout his time in the United States by having attended several immigration court hearings when he was provided notice of them. In the time he has been detained, Gerson has been incredibly resilient and thankful to the community that has stepped up to support him. He specifically mentions that when he hears about all the support for him, it lifts his spirits and gives him strength.  I have read to him many of the letters of support that you have written and he is delighted and moved.

 

So finally!! The biggest victory in his immigration case to date, happened this past Friday, August 15, 2025 which currently protects Gerson from being deported by court order.  This is a major victory for Gerson that would never have happened without this community, as well as friends around the state, the nation, and the world stepping up!  

 

So the good news is that the stay happened!! The less good side of that is that is happened while he was (quite literally) on the plane between New Jersey and Louisiana. That said, please know that Gerson won this stay of removal at the appellate level in the immigration court system where a judge’s decision found merit in Gerson’s claims that he should be allowed the opportunity to present his case to remain in the United States. The path to that victory was not straightforward and it involved six separate petitions/motions being filed in three different courts! And, his and our fight is not over!

 

What are the next steps??

 

We have made it an absolute priority to make sure Gerson has agency and can make the decisions that impact his own life; we have followed his wishes throughout and continue to work at his direction which  is to pursue release from detention to return to his community in the Hudson Valley and continue to  the lawful channels to remain in the United States.

 

We are now making all efforts, building off of the wins thus far in his case, to bring him back to New York State, and have him released. After winning the stay of removal, we now have the opportunity to make requests to ICE to release him as he pursues the procedures held out to him by law to follow a path to asylum and citizenship.

 

Alas, we are in this fight for a long haul and need the community to step up for Gerson again. While we halted fundraising previously thinking of his personal safety we now having to dive back in order to continue the legal battle and to set an example of what can and should be done when a community comes together for one of it's own.

 

Therefore we ask if you can afford to make another donation of any amount, we kindly ask that you do so — every dollar counts. While hard to ask people to reach into their purses and wallets a second time, please consider this plea in earnest. 

 

Further please consider reposting this fundraiser with it's new specific mission of getting Gerson released. Please share this news with your expanded families and communities whether on social media or by direct contact.  And, as always, I am here to field questions and respond as possible.

 

There IS a path here to get Gerson released and to get him back to the Hudson Valley so that he can pursue asylum and continue his long-term entrepreneurial goals of building a successful landscaping business.

 

Thank you for considering the request to further donate and/or share this post. 

 

With love, Jenny Friedberg

 

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July 31, 2025 at 10pm

 

Hello All!!!

 

A lot of you have been asking for updates on the legal motions that have and are occurring in Gerson's case. For a quick update on the status, please refer to today's article in The Daily Catch our "hyper-local" hub for news in Rhinebeck and the immediately surrounding communities.

 

Please see the link to the story here...

 

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/lawyers-file-motion-to-reopen-gerson-turcioss-immigration-case-likely-preventing-his-immediate-deportation/

 

I would like to reiterate that there is no way to know what will happen in this case, but we are working all of the angles and re-evaluating on a daily basis next steps based on developments or lack thereof.

 

For now our deep hope is that he will remain in Goshen while his immigration case is pending.  

 

Please keep Gerson in your thoughts and, as before, please consider visiting him at the Orange County facility in Goshen. Welcoming faces and embraces are going to be what we hope will keep him going through this unpredictable process.

 

I will help anyone wanting to know how to navigate this process which is started by registering with the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Please reach out to me and I will walk you through it.

 

If you have any questions, please reach out to me and I will either respond or direct you accordingly. 

 

Warm wishes and keep hope alive and let's take care of each other!

 

 

 

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July 29, 2025 4:25pm

 

Hi Everybody who is following this story!! ......

 

First of all, thank you for your continued interest and engagement!! 

 

So many of you have reached out individually to check in on any progress for Gerson, especially in light of the tomorrow’s expiration of the temporary restraining order that was granted last week in the SDNY.

 

Here are a few updates to keep you abreast of Gerson’s current situation….

 

Thanks to all of you, we reached a staggering $75,200 for legal and related services in just seven days!! As far as we are aware this is unprecedented for our community and reveals not only just how important Gerson himself is to those who know him, but also how important the matters surrounding his arrest are to our wider communities: here in Rhinebeck, here in Dutchess County, here in New York, and much further beyond.

 

The issues of lack of due process and our demand of a country where the people who live and work amongst us and with us are targeted is not acceptable; we the people will jump in and act when presented with this broken system and do what we can to push back. This is real grassroots engagement and it is the essence of participation!

 

Thanks to all of you, we have been able to retain a top-tier legal team who is now doing what they do best which is exhausting every angle and opportunity to fight for due process for Gerson.

 

How is Gerson holding up? The answer, encouragingly, is he is in good spirits, all things considered, and has an upbeat demeanor and is hopeful despite the uncomfortable circumstances of the moment. He has received some visits from close friends and his attorneys. He is reading a lot, learning to meditate, and exercising as permitted. I was able to visit him face-to-face (which was a first as he had previously been quarantined behind glass); he had a giant Gerson-smile on his face! He is full of gratitude and a kind of innocent disbelief that so many people are out here fighting for him!

 

Legally speaking, there are a few tracks proceeding which I will expand on in a further update in the coming days, but know that all wheels that can be in motion are turning. Please also know that there are some other moving parts that we will update you about at the appropriate time, but be reassured that the first deadline has already been met. 

 

Let’s keep our thoughts on a good outcome in immigration court, but understand the reality is what it is which is that Gerson is in a dynamic situation that may shift. We are all in uncharted waters. We continue to put one foot in front of the other with Gerson and our community in mind (and at heart) while we await the next news. As such arrives, we will act accordingly and report back.

 

If you are close to Gerson and would like to visit him in our efforts to keep his days full of warm energy, smiles, and to break up the monotony of prison, please contact me directly and I will walk you through how that process is accomplished in the most seamless way. It is no surprise the system is a bit tricky and not super welcoming. That said, it is very doable with some clear instructions and tips, and I can now say that first hand — a definite first for me!

 

Last, but never least….

 

Please keep hope alive!! ......Positive thoughts, prayers, whatever is your thing…. please do it in honor of our friend!!

 

With love and deep gratitude, Jenny

 

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July 25, 2025 1:15pm

 

We are so proud of this community for the outpouring of support for Gerson and are so grateful to everyone who has contributed to this effort. We launched this campaign for two reasons: 1. To ensure Gerson had the best possible legal representation and 2. To show those in power how much we value Gerson and that he has the full weight of our community's support behind him. Thanks to all of you, we have done both of those things and it has made a difference! 

 

We have far surpassed our initial goal which is absolutely amazing. We have enough funds to ensure Gerson has the support he needs for now, and as such, we will be closing this fundraiser. Gerson's legal team is in direct contact with him as well as his loved ones (in accordance with Gerson's wishes and in line with time constraints this week).  If more funds are needed for any reason or if we get the call to once again show up for Gerson, we are ready to do so! 

 

Until then, thank you for all you have done. If there are funds left over beyond what is used to fund Gerson’s legal defense, we will be in touch about how those funds will be used to help him.

 

Please continue to check back here for occasional updates -- as I have news, I will share it.

 

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July 23, 2025 5:38pm

Today, Gerson Turcios's community turned out to support him and do everything we can to make sure that every avenue is pursued and no stone left unturned to ensure he can stay in his Hudson Valley home surrounded by the friends he made here in high school, and continue to run his business.

It's a long road, but we are encouraged that the judge issued a weeklong stay pending further review of his case. We are incredibly grateful to the over 700+ donors who gave amounts ranging from $2 to $1000 to fund his legal team! THANK YOU!!!!!

Thank you to his teachers from Rhinebeck High School and classmates and their parents, and the people who hire Gerson to care for their yards and homes who showed up today.

We are also incredibly grateful to the elected officials who advocated for Gerson.

Today was step one. There is much more to come in this push for justice and fairness. Gerson is a 23 year old high school graduate and small business owner with no criminal record! He should be able to go about his life. We hope the legal system ultimately agrees!!

One step in front of the next!! Please continue to repost and push this story out into the world. We are making progress!!!!

 

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UPDATE July 22, 2025 4:30pm....

Bus to Hearing link Here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1c2xUO_dOONV8URrDk2rSmmCHXU-eiJQaK6h_fsvO1FI/viewform?pli=1&pli=1&edit_requested=true

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UPDATE July 22, 2025 1:10pm....

UPDATE July 21, 2025 1:15pm.....

To everyone who has donated - thank you!!!!!!!! Thanks to your incredible generosity, we have raised almost $40,000 and counting in just under 24 hours. in the face of tyranny. 

And we have some INCREDIBLE news just breaking: a federal judge has granted habeas corpus. Gerson cannot be moved out of the Southern District of New York.  

An in-person hearing before a judge is scheduled for Wednesday. 

We are urgently in the process of interviewing immigration attorneys who can represent him in court. 

A press release has gone out to media to further raise awareness and we hope that media attention will be helpful. 

Please continue to share our information with your networks. 

And thank you for everything you’ve already done. It’s a light in darkness.

For further information, please contact Jenny Friedberg, jennyfriedberg1@gmail.com. And, especially, if you know Gerson and would write a letter on his behalf, please contact Jenny as well.

 

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July 20, 2025

Today, we are reacting in terror to an out of control federal government that has broken its promise to the American people by not focusing its immigration policy on people with criminal records but instead terrorizes our friends and neighbors - many of whom are a warm, helpful, hardworking daily presence in our lives.

Case in point, Gerson Turcios, 23, a Rhinebeck High School graduate with a local lawn care business who many of us employ and consider a friend.

In an act that’s sending shock waves through the community, he was apprehended and detained by ICE as he returned home from a job site on Friday evening. 

We are not taking this laying down and neither should you! This is not what we signed up for.

It is Gerson today and others tomorrow!  

A team of volunteers from our town is springing into action to help Gerson legally and through advocacy. We are working with local, state and federal elected officials to determine recourse. 

Gerson is being held in a facility in Nassau County, and must be terrified, as we are for him and others in his position. 

Please consider donating to his legal defense! Please reshare this post generously. We intend to make change.

Thank you!! 

The New York Neighbors Unite Coalition