Attorney Shabnam Lotfi wants people to write letters of support on behalf of Sergio De La Hernandez and Michael Dix, as the couple appeal the decision regarding a U.S. visa for Hernandez.
Dix is the owner of Michael’s Frozen Custard, a beloved ice-cream chain in the Madison area. He married Sergio De La Hernandez in 2015.
After their marriage, Dix sponsored Hernandez for a U.S. visa so Hernandez could acquire legal status. He is an undocumented Madison resident who has lived in Wisconsin for the past 30 years. In August 2018, Hernandez was denied a visa that would allow him to gain legal status in the United States and continue living with Dix and their daughter in Madison.
The pair is living in Mexico, Hernandez’s home country, as they work to appeal the decision.
Their attorney hopes letters from the community will help with that process. According to a Facebook post by Monroe Street Madison, the letters should contain a short paragraph introducing the writer, a short paragraph talking about the popularity of Michael’s Frozen Custard, and a paragraph about how the community will suffer if Hernandez is not granted a visa.
Hernandez helps his husband run the ice-cream chain. Dix says the company has sustained significant financial losses in his husband’s absence, which is why he is closing the Monroe Street location. This shop will close on Sept. 9.
“My separation from Sergio has been extremely painful for both of us and has been disastrous for my business,” Dix said earlier this summer in a statement through his attorney.
Those choosing to write a letter should mail it to the following address:
Lotfi Legal LLC
P.O. Box 64
Madison, WI 53701
All signed letters are needed by Sept. 5.
