The Uruguayan-American influencer and activist Carlos Eduardo Espina contributed $50,000 out of his own pocket to launch the Doral Family Emergency Fund, intended for families in Doral, Florida, who have lost their primary breadwinner due to arrests or deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Espina informed on his social media that this emergency fund was presented on Sunday at a press conference in Doral alongside representatives from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), LULAC Florida, and the Venezuelan American Caucus, as well as families directly affected by the operations.
He explained that the idea arose about two weeks ago, when he started receiving messages from people in Doral reporting detentions of family members despite having legal immigration procedures underway.
Las redadas de ICE siguen impactando a comunidades en Florida y todo el país. Sigue de cerca estos y otros desarrollos en nuestra sección de
"People who have been here for 10, 15, 20 years working, paying taxes, following the legal process, are being hunted like animals," declared the activist, who resides in Houston and has more than 20 million followers on his digital platforms.
“I decided to donate $50,000 to help as many families as possible,” Espina stated. “We want to be supportive during this time.”
The fund offers up to $1,000 per household to cover essential expenses such as rent, food, utilities, childcare, diapers, and baby formula.
"The fund is not for legal resources because we know they are very expensive, but we also understand that when someone is detained, it becomes difficult to pay rent, electricity, and water. We want to help at least 50 families," said the well-known activist.
LULAC will manage the resources and evaluate each application within a maximum of five days, taking into account factors such as residence, family circumstances, loss of income, and housing burden.
Assistance is exclusively limited to residents of Doral and does not cover legal fees or bonds. The initial goal is to benefit at least 50 families with approximately $1,000 each.
Telemundo 51 cited statements from Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, who summarized the purpose of the initiative: "This fund aims to assist those families who are left without that support."
At the conference, two Venezuelans whose spouses are in immigration custody shared their situation without revealing their identities.
A woman recounted that her husband was arrested on August 27 in Doral, that he has a pending asylum process, no criminal record, and held a valid license and work permit. "It's been a nightmare. These have been days of uncertainty, days in which I have to handle the work of two people at home," she said.
Another testimony came from a man whose wife was transferred from Miramar to Pompano Beach and is currently detained in Louisiana, also with pending asylum and without any criminal record. "We were doing everything the right way. We haven't even had a delay in payments, not in rent, and we file our taxes on time," he stated.
The background arises in the context of a escalation of ICE operations in Doral, a city in Miami-Dade County with a population of approximately 76,490 inhabitants, of which about 27,000 are of Venezuelan origin.
ICE arrests in the area increased from three in December 2025 to 17 in July 2026, creating a climate of fear that has emptied the streets and decreased sales for local businesses.
The organizers hope to raise more funds to expand the initiative's reach. Requests for assistance and donations can be made through the fund's website.
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