On October 15th, two Filipino immigrant healthcare workers, Jovi and Dhenmark, were wrongfully arrested in Bayville, New Jersey. Despite acting in self-defense, they now face trumped up charges of aggravated assault by the racist criminal justice system and Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.

As Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) at the for-profit Crystal Lake Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Jovi and Dhenmark faced a difficult decision on how to handle a resident who became excessively aggressive and threw furniture at Dhenmark when he attempted to uphold the facility policy on smoking. Despite the CNAs following protocol in handling aggressive residents, the prosecutor has described them as “violent offenders” when in actuality they were defending themselves during a violent incident in their workplace.

Jovi and Dhenmark were granted release from the Ocean County Jail for the duration of their trial. However, they were immediately apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) upon their release and are now being shuffled between different facilities across various states.

We must stand with Jovi and Dhenmark, who are currently detained. We must demand justice, the dropping of their charges, and their release from ICE.

We call on the Ocean County District Attorney to drop the charges! Release Dhenmark and Jovi from ICE detention now! End criminalization of migrants and workers! Uphold and ensure a safe working environment for healthcare workers!

Public community support plays a significant role in pressuring the prosecutor to drop the charges, so make your voice heard.