After spending 25 years in the United States, Eddie Bellas, a Saint Lucian musician and self-proclaimed advocate for “love and light”, has returned to his homeland following his deportation. Now, he is fighting to rebuild his life and reunite with his four children.
Bellas, originally from Bellevue in Vieux Fort, was deported from the US on May 24. He has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise US$47 000 to continue his legal battle.
According to Bellas, his deportation resulted from overstaying a B-1 visa issued before he entered the US in September 2000. He was expected to return to Saint Lucia within six months, but failed to do so. However, he argues that the grounds for his removal were flawed from the beginning.
Bellas maintains that he was only 17 at the time, a minor under American law, and claims he never knowingly agreed to or signed a visa contract.
Now back in Saint Lucia, Bellas is seeking help not just for legal aid, but for the basic needs of reintegration. He says his former home is unlivable, and he lacks resources many take for granted, like shelter and stability.
He says critical legal questions, such as whether he was of age and whether there was proof of consent, remain unanswered.
“I just need a base where I can set up myself… and, most importantly, I just need the support so I can get restoration for my family and justice, especially my children who are away from their father.”
Bellas alleges that his children were taken from him under false pretences and that their separation was used against him in court to justify his deportation.
He says he is pursuing justice through the US court system.
“I have filed my case in there… With the proper funding, I can get legal representation so I can stand a better chance in those venues,” he told St Lucia Times.
Beyond the legal system, Bellas also claims he was beaten and placed in solitary confinement while in US Immigration (ICE) custody.
He alleges that a female officer punched him while another sprayed his eyes after he refused to consent to the proceedings.
“She was punching me in my back and telling me to keep my hands away from my face… They told me, if I do that again, they’re gonna spray me some more…They put a bag [over] my head, sprayed me again… I would not wish that on anybody.”
He says he was placed in solitary confinement for three days under harsh conditions: “They didn’t give me no toilet paper… they were just making it as miserable as possible for me.”
Bellas believes this was a tactic to pressure detainees into compliance. “ICE puts you under a lot of duress so that they can force you… to [accept] stipulated removals,” he said.
His GoFundMe campaign is titled Help Eddie Bellas Restore After Deportation. Bellas is calling on fellow Saint Lucians and anyone moved by his story to support his fight for legal representation, a safe place to live, and, most importantly, to reunite with his children aged between 3 and 12.
“I just need the support so I can get restoration and justice for my family, especially for my children.”
To learn more or support his campaign, visit his GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-eddie-bellas-rebuild-after-deportation
