Nazry’s story: A changed life that deserves a second chance
My name is Hope Mustakim and my husband is Nazry Mustakim. He is a native of Singapore and has been a U.S. resident alien since coming here in 1992 at the age of 13.
To make a long story short, he was recently and unexpectedly detained on March 30, 2011 at our home in Waco, TX. The ICE agents said that his prior drug charge in 2005 violated the terms of his residency and he was being detained and put into removal proceedings.
Nazry had been battling with addiction since high school and was arrested in 2005 and convicted in 2007 of a felony drug possession charge. Between his time of arrest and his court date, Nazry entered a “recovery home” or drug treatment center here in Waco. It transformed his life and he has never been the same since. He completed 6 months of treatment, eventually moving up to become a house monitor there. He continued to grow and progress and eventually was hired on as staff at the non-profit organization that the treatment center belongs to. For 3 years, Nazry was the night monitor at Mission Waco’s homeless shelter, where he built genuine, strong relationships with the broken and downtrodden of our community and he still continues to stay humble and grateful. This is where we met in the summer of 2009. We were married in July 2010 (barely 9 months ago).
He has been drug-free for 6 years now and we are active, contributing members of our community. We recently purchased a home in the most impoverished area of our city, simply because we have the heart to build our community and serve the people that our culture considers the “least of these.” Nazry is a valued employee, a recent graduate of Texas State Technical College, and a dear friend to all who know him. We are members of two church congregations and also an anonymous 12-step program. 
He sponsors several other recovering addicts who credit him largely with their success in recovery. This program and Nazry’s relationship with God truly saved his life. His family in Singapore has disowned him for his conversion from Islam to Christianity. He knew the decision would cost him so much, but in return, it gave him a new life. If we are to return to Singapore, we will have no family or friends to turn to. We will truly be alone. We have high hopes, though, that this will all be resolved somehow.
We have hired an attorney with the help of our friends, family and community. We are filing for asylum, due to Singapore’s harsh penalties for drug charges (death penalty by hanging). We do not know if the Singaporean government would punish one of their citizens for committing a crime in another country, but we don’t want to chance that. We have a huge network of support here in Waco, including news coverage in our local paper and news channels. I’ve started a petition at change.org which can also be accessed through our website. Danny Rangel, a change.org staff writer, has begun working on a blog highlighting our story. We’ve made and sold home-made T-shirts and new, professional shirts are on the way. We have sold out of our wrist-bands, but more orders are on the way. Our slogan is “I BELIEVE in a changed life…FREE NAZ!”
Nazry was never told that he would be deported, or that it was even a possibility. He applied for renewal of his green card after his arrest in 2005 and it was granted. When he signed a plea bargain, he did not know that he was forfeiting his ability to stay in the U.S. After 6 years of perfect behavior, our life was interrupted and put to an immediate and cruel halt, as we were getting ready to start a normal day, with Hazry heading to work, and I to school. Nazry has been detained for over a month now and it is taking a tremendous toll on me, as well as the friends and family we hold dear.
Please visit our website for more details, updates, supporter videos, pictures, and more! Don’t forget to sign the petition and write a letter of support today! www.wesupportnaz.org
