Freedom to Belong: A Mother’s Fight for Justice and a Family’s Mission to Help Others
Ana Piumbini knows firsthand what it means to be an outsider. She built her life in the United States, raised her only son, Filipe, with the belief that in this country, hard work and dedication lead to belonging. But in one heartbreaking moment, everything changed.
Years ago, Filipe found himself in a legal battle filled with errors, discrimination, and injustice in North Carolina. The judicial system failed him, his attorneys failed him, and the immigration system refused to see him as the responsible man he is. ICE forced him to leave the country, exiling him to Italy—a place that was never his home.
Ana, his mother, was left behind in Sarasota, Florida, with an unbearable truth—her only son, the person she loved most in this world, was now an ocean away, and there was nothing she could do to fix it.
She fought. She knocked on every door, pursued every legal avenue, but quickly realized a painful reality: the U.S. immigration system is deeply broken. No matter how much Filipe had paid his dues, no matter how much evidence of his good character she presented, there was no pathway for him to return home.
If she could not help Filipe, she would help those she could.
A System That Favors Criminals Over Families
Ana fights daily against deep depression, but helping others gives her strength. It gives her purpose, a reason to wake up each day.
The U.S. immigration system allows known criminals and gang members to enter and remain in the country, yet it punishes good people like Filipe, who had no criminal history before one incident. Filipe is not a danger—he is a son, a hard worker, and a man of integrity.
During the incident in North Carolina, he acted in self-defense, shooting his aggressor in the leg and even calling an ambulance to save him. Yet, due to poor legal representation and systemic failures, his case was mishandled, and instead of justice, he received exile. Now, he carries a criminal record that permanently bars him from obtaining any visa to the U.S.
📌 Filipe has paid every fine, completed every legal requirement, and yet, he still cannot visit his only living parent.
📌 This is just one example of how broken and unforgiving the immigration system is. There are countless others like Filipe—hardworking, law-abiding immigrants who made one mistake and are now permanently shut out.
Ana knows that crying won’t change the system, so she and her family decided to do what they can—to help others avoid the same fate.
Turning Pain Into Purpose: The Birth of Freedom to Belong
This is how Freedom to Belong was born—not just as an organization, but as a family’s mission to ensure that other immigrants never feel the pain, shame, and exclusion that Ana and Filipe endured. No one should have to live in the shadows. No one should have to feel like they don’t belong in the country they call home.
Together, Ana, her husband Steve, her cousins Marcella and Manu, and Filipe—even from across the ocean—decided to make a difference. They formed a team, committed to helping legal immigrants become American citizens—to belong, not just exist.
A Mission of Love, A Fight Against Shame
Too many immigrants in the United States live in fear—not of the law, not of deportation, but of not truly belonging. They work hard, they contribute, they dream of calling America home, yet they hesitate to take the final step toward citizenship. Why? Because they are made to feel like outsiders. They fear the language barrier, the civics test, and most of all, the shame of failing.
At Freedom to Belong, Ana and her family refuse to let that happen.
✅ They offer free English and citizenship classes, so that no one feels unprepared.
✅ They provide mentorship, ensuring that no immigrant feels alone in the process.
✅ They fight against the fear and shame, building a community where legal immigrants feel empowered, not excluded.
✅ They remind every immigrant who walks through their doors: You belong here.
The Fight for Change
Ana still fights for Filipe, and she always will. But through Freedom to Belong, she has turned her pain into purpose. Every immigrant who earns their citizenship, every person who finally feels at home in America, is a victory against a system that tried to break her.
This fight is bigger than one family. This is about changing a system that refuses to offer second chances. This is about helping legal immigrants become Americans with dignity, without shame, without fear.
📌 Beyond citizenship classes, Freedom to Belong is advocating for real immigration reform—reforms that allow legal immigrants with past mistakes to apply for waivers, be heard, and have a chance to prove they deserve to stay.
📌 We are not just offering classes—we are building a movement to fight for a fairer immigration system.
Join the Fight: How You Can Help
💙 We need your help. If you believe that hardworking families should not be torn apart, join us.
✅ Volunteer: Become a mentor or tutor for immigrants preparing for citizenship.
✅ Donate: Help us provide free classes and resources for immigrants in need.
✅ Advocate: Speak out against the injustices of the immigration system and support policy changes.
✅ Share: Spread awareness and help change the narrative about legal immigrants in America.
📞 Contact us today and take your first step toward citizenship. Your journey to belonging starts now.
🌍 Visit us at www.freedomtobelong.org and be part of the change.