Formerly incarcerated leaders like the APSC 4 are the heart of our movements—their compassion and resilience inspire us all to create change in our communities. Maria, Ke, Bun, and Peejay are strong advocates, leaders, and healers in our community. They have served over five hundred individuals and families in the Bay Area since they’ve returned home from prison. They have educated organizations and agencies on crimmigration issues. They continue to assist formerly incarcerated community members and their families in accessing social services and finding employment. Despite their work and transformation, Maria, Ke, and Peejay remain in immigration limbo and are at risk of being detained by ICE and deported. Deporting APSC’s core staff would devastate our community. I urge Governor Newsom to take action now, and pardon APSC 4 to protect them from deportation.
Who is APSC 4?
Borey “Peejay” Ai
As a Community Advocate at APSC, Peejay Ai advocates for policies to end the impact of the migration-to-prison-to-school-to-deportation pipeline, leads in coalition spaces to help end mass incarceration, and supports anti-deportation defense campaigns.
Peejay is one of 4 APSC staff members at risk for deportation. Since his release from ICE detention 5 yrs ago, Peejay has been an invaluable advocate for communities impacted by incarceration and deportation.
Meet APSC4
Chanthon Bun
As the Reentry Coordinator at APSC, Chanthon Bun supports people to enroll in educational opportunities, find housing & employment, and speak publicly about the experiences of incarcerated people and the impacts of incarceration and deportation in the community.
Bun is one of 4 formerly incarcerated APSC staff members at risk for deportation. Bun’s lived experiences and leadership help inform APSC’s work, in which his contribution to our community is truly valuable.
Nghiep “Ke” Lam
As the Reentry Navigator at APSC, Nghiep 'Ke' Lam provides reentry support for people returning home after incarceration. Ke aids formerly incarcerated people in seeking housing, enrolling in education opportunities, and providing job assistance and other resources needed for successful reentry.
Ke is one of 4 APSC staff members at risk for deportation. Since Ke joined APSC, our org thanks to his leadership, has been able to center the needs of impacted people. Ke is a huge asset to our community, and his crucial work is valuable and needed.
Maria Legarda
As the Re-entry Consultant at APSC Maria Legarda is passionate about women’s rights, ending the deportation of immigrant and refugee communities, and healing the systematic trauma of incarceration. She uses her lived experiences to inform her work and advocacy at APSC.
APSC’s work is directly led and informed by our impacted staff members. Without the invaluable experience of people like Maria, APSC would not be able to successfully serve our community.
PodCasts
Immigration Statistics
In 2021, the United States government detained nearly 250,000 people in a sprawling system approximately of 200 jails across the country
In 2022 4.7 million immigrants in the United States faced deportation.
More than 700 Cambodians have been deported from the United States since it signed a repatriation agreement with Cambodia in 2002.
1.Admin. “Immigration Detention 101.” Detention Watch Network, 20 Apr. 2022, www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/issues/detention-101#:~:text=In%20Fiscal%20Year%20(FY)%202021,and%20Customs%20Enforcement%20(ICE).
2.Sacchetti, Maria. “Deportation Cases in U.S. Balloon as Border Numbers Rise.” Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/12/30/immigration-enforcement-trends.
3.“---.” NBC News, 16 July 2020, www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/first-cambodian-return-after-deportation-inspires-others-after-gaining-u-n1234050.