The Worst Nightmare of a Mother 😔💔
Ana Piumbini built her life in the United States. She believed in the American Dream, raising her only son, Filipe, to work hard and do what was right. She never imagined that this country—the only home they knew—would one day separate them forever.
When a Mother Loses Her Son to an Unjust System
In 2017, Ana lost her son—not to an accident, not to an illness, but to an immigration system that treats good people like criminals and criminals like victims. ⚖️🚨
Filipe was just weeks away from becoming an American citizen. He had built a future, a career, a home. His Green Card gave him a promise of security, of belonging. After seven years of permanent residency, completing his biometrics for naturalization, he was only waiting for the citizenship test. 🏡🇺🇸
Then, in one single moment, everything was stolen from him. 😢
🚨 A Green Card Is Not Protection—Citizenship Is
For years, Filipe believed that having a Green Card meant he was safe. He worked legally, paid taxes, and followed every law. He thought that, as a permanent resident, he had the same rights as any American.
But he was wrong. ❌
📌 Green Card holders can be deported for a single mistake—even if the law says their record should be clean.
📌 Green Card holders can be permanently separated from their families—without the right to return.
📌 Green Card holders are always at risk—because as long as they are not citizens, the government can take everything from them. 😨
🔥 The only true protection is American citizenship. 🔥
⚠️ The Rights Filipe Lost for Not Being a Citizen
If Filipe had completed his citizenship process just a few weeks earlier, he would have been protected by the same rights that any American has.
1️⃣ Citizens Cannot Be Deported—Green Card Holders Can
✅ If Filipe were a citizen, he could never have been deported. No matter what happened, he would have had the right to stay and fight for justice.
❌ Because he was only a permanent resident, ICE took him away without a second chance.
2️⃣ The Cruel Reality of ICE Detention
Filipe was taken to an ICE detention center, where he faced inhumane conditions. He was held among dangerous criminals, with no protection, no support, and no knowledge of when or if he would be released.
📌 Placed among violent gang members, cartel traffickers, and criminals who saw him as an easy target.
📌 Beaten, threatened, and forced to spend nights awake in fear.
📌 His family begged for his safety, but ICE refused to move him to a secure location.
Filipe had no choice but to voluntarily leave the U.S. He was not deported, but he was forced to leave the only country he knew as home—just to protect his own life.
3️⃣ Citizens Have the Right to Due Process—Green Card Holders Do Not
✅ American citizens cannot be exiled without a fair trial. Even if they face legal issues, they can stay, pay bail, and defend themselves.
❌ Filipe was treated as if he had no rights. Bail was denied, and he was sent straight to ICE detention.
4️⃣ Citizens Can Expunge Their Criminal Records—Green Card Holders Cannot
✅ If Filipe were an American citizen, his record would have been erased after completing 28 days of probation, paying his fine, and meeting all legal requirements.
❌ Without U.S. citizenship, his record remains forever, making him ineligible for any visa—even a tourist visa.
This happens even though he holds Italian citizenship, is a law-abiding person, and contributes to society both in the U.S. and now in Italy.
⚖️ What Is Expungement? And Why Does It Not Protect Immigrants?
In the U.S., expungement or sealing allows some criminal records to be erased.
Filipe qualified for Judicial Diversion, meaning his record should have been erased. But immigration law does not recognize expungements.
💔 For U.S. citizens, a past mistake can be erased.
💔 For immigrants, it stays forever.
🔹 More Rights Citizens Have That Green Card Holders Do Not
5️⃣ Citizens Have the Right to an American Passport—Green Card Holders Can Be Denied Entry
✅ An American passport guarantees the right to travel freely and always return home.
❌ After being deported, Filipe could never return—not even to visit his mother.
6️⃣ Citizens Can Vote and Influence Laws—Green Card Holders Cannot
✅ Citizens can vote for leaders who shape immigration policies.
❌ Green Card holders must follow laws they cannot change.
7️⃣ Citizens Can Work in Government—Green Card Holders Face Restrictions
✅ Citizens can work in federal jobs, serve on juries, and access more opportunities.
❌ Filipe was treated as disposable—his contributions meant nothing when ICE decided he had to go.
8️⃣ Citizens Can Live Without Fear—Green Card Holders Always Live in Uncertainty
✅ Once a citizen, no one can take away your home, job, or future.
❌ Filipe thought he was safe, but he learned that a Green Card is not a guarantee—it is only a permission that can be revoked.
9️⃣ Citizens Can Sponsor More Family Members—Green Card Holders Face Restrictions
✅ Citizens can sponsor their parents, siblings, and adult children for immigration faster.
❌ Green Card holders can only sponsor spouses and children under 21—and it takes much longer.
🔟 Citizens Do Not Need to Renew Their Status—Green Cards Expire
✅ Citizenship is for life and never needs renewal.
❌ Green Cards expire every 10 years—if renewal is denied, you can lose everything.
🚀 Take Action—Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late!
📌 Citizenship means having all rights and protections.
🔹 If you have a Green Card, apply for citizenship now.
🔹 If you believe families should stay together, join the fight.
💙 Visit www.freedomtobelong.org and be part of the change. 💙