Emma Martinez is a 4th-grade student in Maplewood who has been a cherished member of our school community since kindergarten. Earlier this month, during the first week back from winter break, Emma and her mother, Clara, were taken by immigration officials while on their way to school.

Emma managed to call her father, informing him that the officials said she would be dropped off at school. He hurried to the elementary school, but Emma never showed up. By the end of the day, he received the distressing news that Emma and Clara had already been moved to an immigration detention center in Arizona.

This abrupt and traumatic separation has left Emma’s family heartbroken and affected her school community profoundly. Emma’s desk now sits empty. Her classmates are asking where she is, and her teachers and friends miss her terribly. She should be in school, laughing with friends, not confined in detention.

Family and friends are doing everything they can to bring Emma and Clara home, but the legal process is urgent, complicated, and expensive. The funds raised will go directly toward immigration legal fees, transportation for reunification, and basic essentials while they are detained. Access to adequate food in detention is severely limited, making outside support crucial.

Every donation, no matter how small, brings Emma and her mother one step closer to returning home. If you’re unable to contribute financially, please consider sharing this fundraiser—your voice can truly make a difference.

Help us reunite Emma with her father, her classmates, and the community that loves her.