Everlee Hearing in FDL
Update on Hortonville family, long time community members, impacted by ICE false arrest on April 10.
Everlee Wihongi's historic conviction hearing took place at 1:30 today at the Fond du Lac County courtroom. Judge Tricia L. Walker oversaw the hearing. Everlee’s family and friends sat together in Courtroom 1, kleenex boxes at the end of each padded pew. District Attorney, Eric Toney’s assistant was present, she had amazing white heals embellished with white pearls. Immigration Attorney, Marc Christopher followed. Everlee’s supporters sat quietly, patiently, eagerly. An adorable baby and toddler made a few noises. Judge Walker entered, the hearing began.
Everlee made several attempts to call into the courtroom for the Zoom meeting. The efforts were made in vain. The internet at the Eloy Federal Contract Facility in Arizona had mysteriously stopped working. Earlier in the week the facility guaranteed Everlee would be able to attend remotely via Zoom. She was able to communicate with her mom from a tablet device, but it was not enough for the sonographer in the courtroom to adequately proceed forward with the hearing. Thirty minutes of attempts passed, at 2:00, another client’s hearing began. We cleared the courtroom to make sense of what happened.
Fortunately, Everlee stayed on the phone with her mom getting crucial hearing updates. Attorney Marc Christopher was talking with DA Eric Toney. Family and friends got acquainted and shared connections to Everlee. She has worked at Arien’s for 11 years as a welder, safety training instructor, and first responder. She played on the youth Rugby team with her sister Reagan. I was standing by Everlee’s mother, Betty, and listened to their conversation. Betty assured her that things would be okay, that today brought them closer to the end goal, that her case will find resolution, and to hang in there for another week. She invited me to say hello to Everly. I said, “Hi Everlee, the rugby community is With You!!” Us three laughed, it felt special to share that vulnerable moment with them. Everlee’s Criminal court hearing is scheduled for May 28th at 11:00 in FDL. Her Immigration court hearing is on June 5. Public support is warmly welcomed!
Of all that I heard today, it was when Betty shared about detainees being transported to the facility in Arizona that the lowest levels of cruelty have become known. When citizens are transported, they briefly wear their own clothing again. Everyday people going to their jobs, nurses in scrubs, construction workers in jeans, children, and pregnant women wrongly occupy this contrived system of Congress backed human trafficking.
A pregnant woman was shackled next to Everlee for 12 hours during transport. Furthermore, when that baby is born it will not stay with its mother. 72 billion dollars is allocated to pay these federal contract facilities, like Geo, $100 per day per person. Tax dollars fueling an empty cruel performance, what good or service is being rendered? I see billionaires exchanging unethical funds and favors back and forth to one another while people’s constitutional rights are no where to be found.
