The gap in paperwork is now the basis for her risk of detention and deportation, even though Atcharee Buntow’s entire adult life has been rooted in the United States.
Vissanee Bunnag, a Thai immigrant, came to the United States seeking a better life for herself and her daughter, Atcharee Buntow.
After settling in Alabama, Vissanee worked hard, paid taxes, and eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen more than 30 years ago.
She later moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where she established a successful Thai restaurant that has served the community for 17 years.
When Vissanee applied for her own Green Card and later citizenship, Atcharee was just 11 years old.
At the time, Vissanee didn’t realize she needed to file separate paperwork for her daughter.
She assumed that her own legal status would automatically protect or extend to Atcharee.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Because no Green Card was ever filed for Atcharee, she grew up undocumented.
Now, the missing paperwork from childhood has put Atcharee at risk of deportation.
Despite being married to a U.S. citizen, raising American-born children, and contributing to her community for decades, she faces detention and possible removal from the only country she’s truly known.
After 32 Years in America, Atcharee Buntow Faces Deportation Threat Over Childhood Paperwork
Atcharee Buntow, a mother of six originally from Thailand, has lived in the United States since she was 11 years old.
She moved to Alabama with her family and later married U.S. citizen Thurman Sims, with whom she had four children before their divorce.
Afterward, she married Dominic Wilson and had another child. She raised her family and supported her mother, who is a longtime Thai restaurant owner in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Recently, the family suffered a tragic loss when her first husband, Thurman Sims, passed away unexpectedly at age 43.
While Atcharee was driving to the store to get food for her mother, she was suddenly stopped by unmarked vehicles.
Without warning, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pulled her from her car, took her phone, mocked her, and placed her in custody.
Despite living in the U.S. for over 30 years, she was arrested due to unresolved immigration paperwork from childhood; her mother had never applied for a Green Card on her behalf.
She was first held in jail, then moved to Anchorage, and is currently detained in Tacoma.
Moreover, she is facing the possibility of deportation to a country she hasn’t lived in since she was eleven.
Atcharee’s Children Are Doing Everything They Can For Their Mother’s Freedom
Her children are now left to cope; one daughter, Jailah, is organizing the fundraiser while attending school and working side by side.
She is living with her grandmother and taking care of her younger brothers.
Likewise, Jazeree is preparing for her upcoming wedding in Boston, which is set to take place in eight days.
Now, regarding her son, Jamari, who is on a basketball scholarship, is trying to move to Walla Walla, Washington. However, his car is broken, so he is struggling with car troubles.
Also, he is working two full-time jobs to pay for moving expenses and lawyer fees to help his mom.
Similarly, Jeanae, who is married and working full-time, is helping out at her grandmother’s restaurant and stepping up to care for her younger siblings.
On the other hand, their stepfather deals with health concerns and employment challenges.
Together, they are holding their family, hoping, praying, and fighting for their mother’s release.
Prayers for Atcharee Buntow and her family during this unimaginable time.
May her years of love, labor, and legacy not be erased by a missing document.
