Bring Toph Home!
A student, a friend, a community member, and a dancer. Phuong Anh Nguyen To, known affectionately as Toph, belongs with her community... not in an immigration detention center.
On Friday, September 25, 2026, at approximately 9:00 AM, Phuong Anh Nguyen To, known to her friends as Toph, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
She is currently being held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, approximately two hours from Los Angeles. Her loved ones have secured legal representation and are working to bring her home safely.
But Toph is more than a name on a detention roster. She is a person with a life, a community, a future, and people who love her. We are sharing her story because she deserves to be treated with dignity, and because no one should have to face detention without the support of their community.
Who Is Toph?
Phuong Anh Nguyen To has lived in the United States since 2018, having originally arrived on a student visa. Her time here has been marked by dedication to her education, professional development, and the communities around her.
She earned her bachelor's degree in Finance and Accounting from Grand Valley State University. After graduating, she worked for a year as an accountant at Gordon Food Service before continuing her education.
She subsequently began her MBA program at Davenport University, relocated to California, and is now completing her studies at the University of California, Irvine.
Beyond her academic and professional accomplishments, Toph is a deeply caring member of her community. She is especially loved within the dance community, both in the United States and internationally. Friends describe her as someone who consistently looks out for others, offering kindness, empathy, and support.
She is the kind of person who shows up for people.
Today, those same people are showing up for her.
Toph's Detention and the Fight to Bring Her Home
Following her detention at LAX on September 25, Toph was transferred to the Adelanto Detention Center.
According to her loved ones, during that transfer, both her hands and legs were restrained with chains. Her family and supporters have expressed deep concern about the way she was treated, particularly given that she has no criminal record.
Toph now faces the uncertainty and isolation of immigration detention while her loved ones work with an attorney to secure her safe return.
Her supporters have established a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of legal representation, bond, and other expenses associated with her case.
This is where community support matters. Legal representation, bond proceedings, and the practical costs of fighting detention can quickly become overwhelming. Contributions help give Toph and her loved ones the resources they need to navigate this process.
How You Can Help Bring Toph Home
There are several meaningful ways to stand with Toph right now. Whether you can contribute financially, make a phone call, write a letter, or join us in person, every effort helps build a network of support around her.
1. Donate to Toph's Legal Defense Fund
Support Toph
Her family and loved ones have established a GoFundMe to help pay for:
Immigration attorney fees and legal representation.
Bond costs and related proceedings.
Additional legal expenses necessary to secure her release.
Other immediate needs arising from her detention.
Please consider making a contribution and sharing the fundraiser with your friends, family, coworkers, and community networks.
Even a small contribution can make a difference when an entire community comes together.
2. Write to Governor Gavin Newsom
We encourage supporters to contact California Governor Gavin Newsom's office and ask that his administration take an interest in Toph's case.
Write a message asking his office to:
Review the circumstances surrounding Toph's detention.
Make inquiries through appropriate channels regarding her treatment and conditions of detention.
Support efforts to ensure her rights and access to appropriate legal processes are respected.
Contact the Governor's Office:
Phone: (916) 445-2841
Mailing address: Governor Gavin Newsom, 1021 O Street, Suite 9000, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Online contact form: Contact Governor Newsom .
3. Contact U.S. Senator Adam Schiff
As one of California's U.S. Senators, Adam Schiff's office can receive constituent requests concerning federal agencies and immigration-related matters.
We encourage people to contact his office and request that staff look into Toph's detention and make appropriate inquiries with federal authorities.
Contact Senator Adam Schiff:
Burbank office: (818) 303-3841
Washington, D.C. office: (202) 224-3841
Burbank address: 4111 W. Alameda Avenue, Suite 608, Burbank, CA 91505.
Online contact form: Contact Senator Schiff .
Office contact details are listed on the officials' respective websites.
Governor of California
When calling, you can say:
"I'm calling to ask Senator Schiff's office to look into the detention of Phuong Anh Nguyen To, also known as Toph. She was detained by ICE at LAX on September 25 and is currently being held at Adelanto. She has no criminal record, is a university student at UC Irvine, and her community is deeply concerned about her treatment and detention. We are asking the Senator's office to make inquiries into her case and help ensure that her rights and access to due process are respected."
You do not need to be an expert on immigration law to make your voice heard. Simply sharing your concern and asking the office to follow up is meaningful.
4. Join Our Toph Letter-Writing Party
We are organizing a community letter-writing party in Toph's honor!
We believe that people should not have to face detention and isolation alone. One of the most important things we can do is bring people together, build community support, and make sure the people responsible for reviewing these cases know that others are paying attention.
At our letter-writing party, we will come together to:
Write individual letters to Governor Gavin Newsom.
Write letters to Senator Adam Schiff.
Prepare messages and calls to elected officials.
Share Toph's story with our personal and community networks.
Help spread her fundraiser and connect people with ways to support her.
You don't need to have experience writing advocacy letters. We'll provide guidance, help you put your thoughts into words, and make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate.
Event details will be announced soon. Keep an eye on GAIA and ICE Breakers for the date, time, and location.
Bring a friend. Bring your community. Let's make sure Toph knows that she is not alone.
Our Community Has a Role to Play
Toph's story is a reminder that behind every immigration detention case is a real person: someone with dreams, relationships, responsibilities, and a community waiting for them.
Toph came to this country to study, build a career, and create a life. She has spent years investing in her education and building relationships with people who care deeply about her. Now, while her loved ones work through the legal process, we have an opportunity to make sure she has the support she needs.
At GAIA and ICE Breakers, we believe community is something we build through action. We don't just express solidarity; we organize, show up, and support one another when it matters.
We are asking dancers, students, educators, friends, organizers, and anyone who believes in human dignity to stand with Toph.
Donate. Write a letter. Make a phone call. Share her story. Come to our letter-writing party.
Let's make sure Toph knows that her community is standing beside her.
BRING TOPH HOME.
Support Toph's GoFundMe:
Fundraising graphic: