Ashley DeAzevedo

Because our laws do not provide a straightforward pathway to legal status based on marriage, our US citizen members at AFU thank God every single day that their immigrant spouses come home from work. Please don't forget that arrest, detention, and deportation hurts US citizens in this country, too.

More stories about what our members at American Families United go through on a daily and weekly basis. Listen to "What happens to the kids? Fearing deportation, immigrant parents make contingency plans." on NPR.

www.npr.org/2025/09/22/n...

Any immigration folks out there trying to build bridges across the political aisle and change hearts and minds? I'm eager to connect with you. Please introduce yourself or tag someone who is doing this work. We need a new approach to fixing America's division.

And these effects show up in our public schools, which are steadily being defunded by vouchers and other privatization schemes.

We need to get real about the deep psychological damage that our policies are inflicting on US citizens. Our members and their children should not be treated like second-class citizens just because of who they married. Help us raise awareness and compassion. We can't do this alone!

Mental Health and Immigration FAQ This FAQ focuses on the mental health impacts of detentions, deportations, and family separations in immigrant communities.

RESEARCH: Family separation, including the separation of children from parents in mixed-status families, is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, behavioral & emotional issues, sleep disturbances, & stress/distress in children.

updates.apaservices.org/mental-healt...

Listen to "The Forgotten Family Separation Crisis", my Discussion with Ashley DeAzevedo and Anna Lekas Miller About Mixed-Status Couples Due to Congressional inaction and immigration laws that haven’t kept pace with reality, millions of US citizens live in families where at least one person is, or could be, facing deportation.

Listen to what our American Families United members go through in my talk with @austinkocher.com & @annalekasmiller.bsky.social. I have to believe that when most Americans see someone suffering, they want to help. So let's get these stories out there!

austinkocher.substack.com/p/listen-to-...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: The Forgotten Family Separation Crisis: A Conversation about Mixed-Status Couples with Ashley DeAzevedo from American Families United and Anna Lekas Miller, author of Love Across Borders. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Join me for an essential conversation about the realities facing mixed-status couples, families where one partner is a U.S. citizen and the other faces potential deportation. This discussion will dispel...

Tune in at 1pm ET for an important conversation with @austinkocher.com, veteran & immigration researcher, and @afuashley.bsky.social, Executive Director of American Families United, advocating for families impacted by current immigration policies.

🔗 Register Here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Press Release: AFU Executive Director to Speak at Virtual Event on Mixed-Status Family Separation Crisis. Free public event will highlight stories of U.S. citizens in mixed-status relationships facing family separation due to our outdated immigration laws. us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

And if you or someone you know is in a mixed-status family or couple, American Families United is here for you. Learn more about the work we do at americanfamiliesunited.org and follow me here for more information every week.

Mixed-Status Families: Healthcare, Education & Rights Mixed-status families face unique challenges in healthcare, education, and legal rights. Learn how to navigate systems and protect your loved ones.

To learn more about the challenges that mixed-status families face, and how they can navigate these complex systems responsibly and safely, take a look at the rest of the article below.

www.lawyer-monthly.com/2025/09/mixe...

We know these stories because our AFU members live them every day. That's why we are working hard to raise awareness and bring people together from across the political spectrum to address this crucial gap in our immigration system.

Research finds that more than 5.9 million U.S.-citizen children live with at least one undocumented parent (!!).

These children grow up with opportunities in school and healthcare, but they also experience the stress their parents face navigating limited options.

As the article points out, understanding these differences is important because each family member may have different rights and benefits.

A U.S.-citizen child may qualify for health coverage or school programs, while their undocumented parent cannot.

What is a mixed-status family?

Mixed-status families are households where not everyone has the same immigration status.

A family might include U.S.-citizen children, one parent without papers, and another parent with lawful permanent residence.

What are mixed-status families, and how do they navigate the healthcare system, educational system, and legal system?

A new article by Lawyer Monthly digs into the details... 🧵

Event Announcement: The Forgotten Family Separation Crisis with Ashley DeAzevedo and Anna Lekas Miller Join me this Thursday, October 2, at 1:00 PM eastern for a virtual conversation with Ashley and Anna. Registration is required.

Event Announcement: The Forgotten Family Separation Crisis with Ashley DeAzevedo and Anna Lekas Miller

Join me this Thursday, October 2, at 1:00 PM eastern for a virtual conversation with Ashley and Anna. Registration is required.

open.substack.com/pub/austinko...

Most Americans think marriage gives you a path to citizenship, but it doesn't. A recent conversation reminded me that when people learn the truth about how our immigration system *doesn't* work for families, they respond with empathy and want to help. I wanted to share this hopeful message with you.

It's refreshing to hear someone with Andrea's expertise speaking the same truth that everyday Americans have known for years. These are the concerns that matter to people. If leaders in Washington actually listened to these voices, our system wouldn't be so deeply broken.

Thank you @andreaflores.bsky.social for highlighting the importance of keeping couples together. Marriage ≠ green card! That's why we'll share our stories with anyone, Rep. or Dem., if it will help people understand what our members go through.

Read Andrea's post here: substack.com/inbox/post/1...

Wawa and ICE don't mix

Marrying a U.S. citizen does NOT automatically grant a green card. 1.5 million US citizens are married to an undocumented spouse who cannot adjust their status because there is NO way to do it.
This puts all their family members in emotional limbo.

Shocking story from one of our members, just happened today. Two men were getting lunch at Wawa, speaking Portuguese, and two ICE officers also happened to be there. Here's the story of what happened next.

Watch the whole video on Instagram. www.instagram.com/reel/DPFHSh_...

Thank you for this message, Julie!

Register for our Monday Night Call here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

If you or someone you know is in a mixed-status family, or if you would like to stay informed about our work, please sign up at: www.americanfamiliesunited.org/emailsignup

If you know someone who is in a mixed-status family, please tell them about American Families United and about our Monday Night Call.

We’re in this together. We’re going to keep going, and we’re going to keep fighting for our families.

Sincerely,

Julie Moreno
NJ State Captain, AFU

Join us for our next Monday Night Call at 8:00 pm ET. This call is exclusively for people in mixed-status families. Whether you’ve been with us for years or you’re just finding us now, whether you’re feeling strong or struggling to get through the day: there’s a place for you at AFU.

That’s exactly what our Monday night calls are for. These calls are our place to connect, to update you on recent AFU wins, and to give you options for meaningful steps you can take to support your family and our whole community.

But here’s what I want you to know: we ARE working on things that can give us hope. We ARE making progress, even when it doesn’t feel like it. And we’d love to share those stories of hope and progress with you.

We're doing the best we can to figure out how to move forward when everything feels uncertain and overwhelming.

I know it’s hard to feel hopeful right now.

For those of you with kids, there’s the added weight of making the best possible choices for them, too. On top of all this, things are expensive, and many of us are managing single-income households or even two households in different countries.