’90 Day Fiancé’ Stars Fernanda and Larissa Seemingly Support Jay Amid His Deportation Drama
Just days after In Touch exclusively confirmed that 90 Day Fiancé star Jay Smith was taken into ICE custody and is facing deportation, the 21-year-old Jamaica native’s fellow TLC cast members are speaking out. On Saturday, July 5, Fernanda Flores took to her Instagram Story to seemingly share her support for Jay amid this very trying time.
In the since-deleted message, which was reposted by 90 Day Fiancé blogger John Yates, Fernanda, 21, shared a screenshot of the GoFundMe that was set up for Jay by his pal in order to help raise money for his legal fees. In the version of the page that Fernanda shared, she seemingly underlined the parts that read: “Jay has not received his share of the money for being exploited on this tv show and we are asking help to obtain him a lawyer.” She also seemed to highlight another line that read: “This young man has been exploited on national television and as any real person knows TV is always far from the actual truth.”
“Help @Jay_Smith_Ja,” the Mexico native added to her post, which included a swipe-up link to Jay’s GoFundMe. “Where are the producers now?”
Fernanda starred alongside the tattoo artist during season 6 of TLC’s hit reality TV series 90 Day Fiancé, which follows engaged couples who are made up of one American citizen and one foreigner. Cameras document the process as the foreigner enters the United States under the K-1 visa, a.k.a the fiancé visa. Once the foreigner arrives in America, the couple has to marry within 90 days in order for the foreigner to be allowed to legally stay in the country after they apply for a green card. Jay starred on season 6 with his now-estranged wife, Ashley Smith (née Martson) while Fernanda starred on the same season with her now-estranged husband, Jonathan Rivera.
But Fernanda isn’t the only season 6 star to speak out in Jay’s defense. Brazil native Larissa Dos Santos Lima starred on the same season with her now ex-husband, Colt Johnson, and she shared her thoughts about Jay’s situation in a statement posted via her Instagram Story.
“My thoughts are with Ashley at this difficult time, and I pray for her safety. As I myself have been arrested and know the fear Jay must be feeling, I [have] some empathy for him. However, if he violated any laws, he must go before a judge and respect the judgment handed down to him. I believe many aspects of immigration laws regarding the K-1 visa have to change,” the 32-year-old wrote on July 3. “Despite the applicant contributing to the household as allowed, many feel like prisoners as they are solely reliant on the people that brought them over to the U.S. The K-1 applicant is left at the mercy of his or her sponsor and it is leading to more and more abuse of the immigrant.”
Have a tip? Send it to us! Email In Touch at contact@intouchweekly.com.
