North Venice Little League officials encouraged community members to donate if possible, share the fundraiser, or offer legal resources, including immigration attorneys who may be able to assist the family.
A Venice youth sports league is rallying around one of its families after a father was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during what relatives say was a scheduled immigration appointment.
Ivan Garcia, the father of a North Venice Little League player, was detained last week while attending an appointment related to his immigration case, according to a statement from the league’s board. Family members say Garcia was in the process of legally pursuing U.S. citizenship at the time of his detention.
Garcia was later transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County, according to a GoFundMe campaign organized by his son, Jose Garcia, a five-year veteran of the U.S. Navy.
“This sudden detention has placed an enormous emotional and financial burden on his family,” the North Venice Little League board said in a statement posted to social media, calling Garcia a longtime community member and devoted father.
Garcia’s family includes multiple children enrolled in local schools. His oldest son, Jose Garcia, wrote that the family has been reduced to a single income as legal costs and household expenses continue to grow.
“My father is the heart of the Garcia family,” Jose Garcia wrote. “He has always been there for us, not just financially, but emotionally and mentally, keeping us together.”
The fundraiser, launched to help cover legal fees and living expenses, had raised more than $55,000 toward a $60,000 goal as of this week, according to the campaign page.
North Venice Little League officials encouraged community members to donate if possible, share the fundraiser, or offer legal resources, including immigration attorneys who may be able to assist the family.
“These are the moments that define a community,” the league’s board said. “We believe in showing up for our families, especially in moments like this.”
The fundraiser can be found at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-bring-ivan-garcia-home?attribution_id=sl:28e285d2-40c8-49b6-ab02-487bb2f01cce&lang=en_US&ts=1769562030&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp17_tc&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
