Ravi is an immigrant from Trinidad and the executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, a network of faith groups that works to reform detention and deportation practices. Eighteen years ago, he served time for a wire fraud conviction; after he finished his sentence, ICE detained him. He had been a legal permanent resident, but his green card was taken away, and he has been fighting a deportation order since 2006.

Ravi and I met through our mutual work on immigrant rights and married in 2010. Even though I am an American citizen, Ravi continues to face deportation because of his conviction years ago. As he fights his own deportation, he works with other immigrants in New York, accompanying them to their ICE check-ins, developing a legal support clinic and organizing churches and synagogues to fight deportation.

Last week, Ravi had his regularly scheduled check-in with ICE. Once routine, these check-ins have become terrifying under President Trump, with immigrants being detained and deported after meeting with officials.

When Ravi, his lawyer and I walked into the building, we were more nervous than usual, even though nothing had changed in Ravi’s case.