AOTR Elevates Jose Manuel Ramos Bastida

Authors of The Resistance is elevating the story of José Manuel Ramos Bastidas, a 30-year-old Venezuelan father who never set foot in the U.S. as a free man. He fled Venezuela in January 2024, trekking across continents in a desperate attempt to provide for his newborn son—affectionately called milagrito—who suffers from a life-threatening respiratory illness.

José followed every rule set by the U.S. government. He used the official app. He waited for his scheduled appointment. He turned himself in to request asylum. But after being denied and complying peacefully, he was still detained. Then came the mass deportations under Trump’s second term—and the terror began.

Now, José fears he may be rerouted not to Venezuela, but to Guantanamo Bay, alongside other Venezuelan migrants the regime has labeled “gang members” without evidence. His recorded video call to his wife, clutching what he believed to be a deportation notice to Venezuela, was filled with panic. “What if they don’t keep their word?”

This isn’t immigration policy. It’s targeted displacement. It’s racialized punishment disguised as procedure. José’s case exposes how easily even those who follow the rules can be discarded in America’s militarized immigration system.

We demand transparency. We demand justice. We demand safety for José and all others caught in this state-sanctioned limbo.

#FreeJoseManuel
#JusticeForRamosBastidas
#MeltICE
#AbolishICENow
#VenezuelanLivesMatter
#StopMassDeportations
#AsylumIsAHumanRight
#EndGuantanamoTransfers
#ProtectImmigrantFathers
#NoMoreDetentionCamps