Urgent Action Outcome: Pastor Steven Tendo released from detention

Steven Tendo is a 35-year-old pastor and asylum-seeker who fled from torture and other severe human rights violations in Uganda and requested asylum in the USA. He was held by US authorities in immigration detention since December 2018. He was at risk of being returned to danger in Uganda in September 2020, but emergency global campaign efforts on his behalf prevented his deportation. While in detention, his health deteriorated from inadequate medical care for diabetes amidst a COVID-19 outbreak in the detention facility. Pastor Steven is now free on parole while he awaits the adjudication of his asylum claim. 
 

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.

Pastor Steven Tendo arrived in the USA on 20 December 2018 to ask for asylum after fleeing persecution and torture in Uganda. While in detention for over two years, Pastor Steven’s health severely deteriorated.  For an extended period, his diabetes was left untreated, and he lost vision in one eye and much of it in his other eye.  Due to collective pressure, Pastor Steven was able to finally receive the medical care he urgently needed: he started to receive more appropriate medical care for his diabetes and other health conditions, and medical care for his eyes, which thankfully was able to reverse a lot of the vision loss. He can read now with glasses.  
 
In September, Amnesty helped stop his imminent deportation. And now, due to sustained global advocacy and activism, a new administration in the USA finally released Pastor Steven Tendo. Our work to free Pastor Steven is a crucial part of Amnesty USA’s priority 100 Days campaign to convince President Biden to free people – including all the families – from detention.  Freeing people from detention is a first step in resetting the immigration detention system in the USA. 
 
Please continue to take and share AIUSA’s campaign’s online action to President Biden, as well as other actions on their 100 days campaigning landing page: www.amnestyusa.org/100days.