It’s been 50 years since Godfrey Wade arrived to the United States from Jamaica at the age of 15 with his mother, moving to New York with a green card that granted him permanent residency.
The Black man enlisted in the U.S. Army a few years later, spending eight years in the service, where he was primarily stationed in Germany before he received an honorable discharge. He then began a civilian life in Georgia while raising a family, working as a fashion designer, master tailor, tennis coach and chef over the years while staying out of trouble.
That is, until September, when he was pulled over in Conyers, Georgia, for failing to use a turn signal, which was when police discovered he was driving without a license and arrested him.
He was then handed over to ICE for deportation and has been in federal custody ever since, while his family fights to keep him here.
“There is a very real possibility for him to be deported, even though we secured an attorney who submitted a legal motion to temporarily halt deportation,” wrote Christian Wade, one of Godfrey’s daughters, on a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money for legal fees
“We are currently waiting for his case to be reviewed by a judge, which could take anywhere between weeks to months.”
“Without Godfrey at home, his fiancée is left to carry a heavy weight: We are looking to minimize financial catastrophe during his absence. This GoFundMe will help with all the legal expenses it will take to represent him.”
The GoFundMe has raised more than $24,000 as of this writing.
“He wasn’t born in this country, and still, he loves this country enough that he signed up to serve it,” his fiancée, April Watkins, told 11 Alive news.
“Fifty years later, when he needs this country, this country is turning its back on him.”
‘Sewage Water Flowing on the Ground’
It all started on Sept. 13 when Wade was pulled over in Conyers for not using his turn signal. The cop discovered he had no driver’s license and arrested him. Watkins, who was with him, recorded a short video on her phone from a distance.
At this time, it is not clear why he did not have a valid driver’s license, but as a permanent resident with a green card, he is legally allowed to obtain and possess a driver’s license.
He has been incarcerated in overcrowded ICE detention centers since the arrest, a three-month ordeal where he was forced to sleep on a makeshift bed on the ground for the first 12 days, according to 11 Alive News.
In a telephone interview with local media from the Stewart Detention Center in Stewart County, Georgia, Wade said there are only two working urinals for an entire pod of 80 people.
“We don’t have any bunk space,” he told the news station. “We’re given what we call boats, and those are placed on the floor with a two-inch mat.”
“There’s sewage water flowing on the ground,” he said.
11 Alive News also reported that it had obtained records of the Office of Detention Oversight, a unit within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that oversees the federal detention centers, which revealed 12 deficiencies within the Stewart Detention Center related to health and safety, food service, phone access, use of force, and more.
“The agency also noted violations of the required 12-to-1 detainee-to-toilet ratio,” 11 Alive News reported, adding that the private for-profit company that runs the detention center, CoreCivic, has ignored various inquires by reporters seeking comment.
But the Trump administration has repeatedly demonstrated it believes it is above the law and the Constitution.
In 2022, when Joe Biden was president, his administration directed ICE agents to take into consideration an immigrant’s military service, according to an internal document that states the following:
A noncitizen’s U.S. military service, or the active duty U.S. military service of a noncitizen’s immediate family member(s), is a significant mitigating factor that must be considered when deciding whether to take civil immigration enforcement action against the noncitizen based on the totality of the circumstances.
However, the Trump administration rescinded that policy, issuing a memo in April stating that active duty members of the military may be granted protections from deportation, but not for former members of the military.
“An honorable discharge does not necessarily prevent an alien with U.S. military service from being subject to immigration enforcement action,” the new memo states.
‘I Shed My Blood for this Country’
Since Wade’s honorable discharge, he has obtained several college degrees and worked various jobs, most recently as a chef at the Georgia Capitol Café.
Wade, who has six children and three grandchildren, also spent decades as a tennis coach, according to the GoFundMe that describes him as “charismatic, animated, and caring on and off of the court.”
“My dad has dedicated his life to teaching tennis to students of all ages, helping many pursue their dreams—whether playing in college, competing on tour, or simply cultivating a lifelong love of the game,” Christian Wade stated.
“Tennis isn’t just a hobby for him; it’s a way of life. Every weekend, he makes it a point to stay active and connect with his friends or children on the court. His passion, discipline, and positive influence have touched countless lives.”
And while he never obtained his citizenship, his fiancée said they were in the process of doing that before he was arrested.
“We had an attorney, but it’s a very expensive endeavor; the cost is astronomical,” Watkins told local media. “Still, he did make the effort. We did a lot of things to make sure this day would not come, and yet here we are.”
And even if he does end up deported, he has long left his mark on the United States by instilling values and respect in his children.
“We’re here because of him,” Christian told local media.
“We have these rights because he came here. His grandchildren are experiencing their rights because of his bravery. And through all of this, he is still choosing the United States, his faith in and patriotism for this country.”
Despite the three-month ordeal, Wade still believes in the United States.
“If I didn’t believe this country is still great, I wouldn’t want to stay here,” he told local media.
“I shed my blood for this country. I can live with myself if I just have a day in court so somebody can hear my story.”
