Orlando Fernandez Taveras is a New Yorker, father, and husband who came to the United States as a green card holder when he was just 16 months old and grew up in Long Island. As a youth, Orlando struggled with addiction which led to an arrest and conviction that changed his life forever. He entered a treatment program and began a new chapter in his life - proposing to his partner, who is a U.S. citizen and welcoming his child in 2008 who is now 14 years old. For years, Orlando worked hard to maintain his sobriety, gain steady employment and find stability in his life with his wife and child. However, while planning for his wedding in 2009, ICE arrested him and he was ultimately deported in 2014 to the Dominican Republic. His wife and child relocated with him, committed for the last eight years to fighting to return home as a family. They remain there now. It was a very difficult decision to all go to the DR together and ultimately decided the family unity was the most important thing - they all moved together, including their cat and three dogs