Abide in Love

We were honored to present at the Cambio Center’s 24th annual Cambio de Colores conference! We shared the origin story of Abide in Love, our work and that of our incredible affiliates in supporting people detained by ICE, and the data we’ve collected that sheds light on the detention to deportation pipeline in Missouri. What a wonderful opportunity for us!

Abide in Love Ste. Genevieve
Abide in Love - Springfield, MO
Abide in Love St. Louis
Abide In Love Kansas City
Abide in Love Tulsa

Even though what we do may seem small, to them it means everything. This is why we do what we do, and why we are able to continue this work because of our donors. So many have no one to explain what is happening, guide them through the next steps, remind them they are not forgotten, and let them know their life matters.

Update! If you missed it, it will air again at 7:00pm! Jonathan Ahl of STL Public Radio will be talking about one year of Abide in Love! Listen at https://www.stlpr.org/ or 88.5 if you’re in Rolla!

Jonathan Ahl of STL Public Radio will be talking about one year of Abide in Love around noon today! Listen at https://www.stlpr.org/ or 88.5 if you’re in Rolla!

Jonathan Ahl of STL Public Radio will be talking about one year of Abide in Love around noon today! Listen at https://www.stlpr.org/ or 88.5 if you’re in Rolla!

Brayan’s death here in our home town of Rolla will not be forgotten. He was the inspiration for Abide in Love. Thank you St. Louis Public Radio for remembering him.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a formal diplomatic protest of the United States government in response to Brayan Garzón-Rayo’s death in a Rolla jail last year.

“A young Colombian man committed su***de in an ICE detention camp run by the U.S. government,” wrote Petro in a social media post on Wednesday. “He wanted to call his mother, but was not permitted to do so. He chose to take his own life.”

The politically embroiled president is in his final days as the Latin American country’s leader, as he is constitutionally barred from running for another consecutive term, but appears to have spoken up after renewed reporting around Garzon-Rayo’s case.

St. Louis Public Radio previously found that the 27-year-old struggled with various health issues and did not receive a proper mental health screening as required under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy. Garzon-Rayo took his life days later.

Read more: https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2026-05-28/colombia-president-condemns-missouri-ice-death

Armande Namegni did everything right. She followed all the rules. On January 22, she went to a routine ICE check-in as instructed. She never came home. Read more at https://www.abideinlove.org/detention-diaries

This is an AMAZING opportunity to learn about the future of supporting immigrants in Missouri!

Join us for our first Ashrei Insights Webinar where UMSL Coro Fellow Aubrey Lay will share early insights from his analysis of Rapid Response Coalition data, including patterns in immigration enforcement and what they mean for our work. Executive Director Sara Ruiz will join the conversation as we introduce a more data-centered approach to our Hotline and plans for regular reporting.
All are welcome! Register at https://www.ashreifoundation.org/events/datatoactionwebinar