The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Act Now Donate
Start of main content.

News

A Mother’s Story: Marie

Global Refuge Staff

May 21, 2025

Beginning Mother's Day weekend, Global Refuge will be sharing a weekly story celebrating mothers and mother figures who have risked everything to pursue safety and a brighter future for the children in their care.

For Marie*, being a mother means making tough decisions and always finding a way forward, even when nothing seems certain. It’s that determination that drove her to flee the only home she’d ever known in search of safety for her daughter.

Marie and her family arrived in the U.S. in the summer of 2024, fleeing from violence and uncertainty in Haiti. They first sought safety in Turkey, but there, they faced persecution as Haitians were targeted by local authorities. When Marie's family was granted humanitarian parole to the U.S., she knew she finally had a chance for a fresh start.

But starting over in a new country wasn’t easy.

“Coming to a new country is hard to navigate, especially with the language barrier,” she shares. “Without Global Refuge, we would have been two years behind.”

Global Refuge provided essential support, helping Marie with paperwork, medical appointments, housing, and transportation. But now, due to funding cuts, families like Marie's are losing access to the crucial assistance they need.

As Marie explains, “Having Global Refuge is like having someone hold your hand and guide you to the right doors. But now, the stress has doubled.”

Marie’s story echoes the experiences of countless others. Families who fled dangerous situations, often with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, are now facing a new set of challenges in their quest for stability and opportunity.

“We didn’t come here to depend on anyone,” Marie says. “We came to start over, rebuild our lives, pay taxes, and be good citizens.”

Marie's dream is to know with certainty that she and her daughter will always have the safety and stability she has now found in the U.S.

“My biggest joy is watching my daughter go to school without danger,” she says. “I want to offer the stability to my daughter that everyone wants for their child.”

At Global Refuge, our mission is to ensure that mothers like Marie have every opportunity to help their children succeed. With new immigration policies threatening the future of many refugees and other immigrants, we need your support to ensure they have access to all possible protections.

*Name has been changed for client’s protection. 

The Latest

  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    July 21, 2025

    TPS for Afghanistan Expires, Leaving Thousands at Risk of Deportation and Job Loss

    The policy change leaves nearly 12,000 Afghans in the U.S. without protection from deportation and, in many cases, without valid work authorization.

    Read More
  • News

    July 16, 2025

    Generous Donors Plant Hope with a Very Special Gift

    A generous couple recently donated a tractor to Global Refuge's community garden in Fargo.

    Read More
  • News

    July 14, 2025

    How Does the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Affect Immigration Fees?

    On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a large budget reconciliation bill, into law. The Senate and House of Representatives narrowly passed this version of HR 1 on July 1 and July 3, respectively. The OBBBA makes sweeping changes across the U.S. immigration system on enforcement, work authorization, fees, and access to services like SNAP, and healthcare services such as Medicaid, Medicare and the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

    Read More
  • News

    July 14, 2025

    How Does the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Affect SNAP?

    On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a large budget reconciliation bill, into law. The Senate and House of Representatives narrowly passed this version of HR 1 on July 1 and July 3, respectively. The OBBBA makes sweeping changes across the U.S. immigration system on enforcement, work authorization, fees, and access to services like SNAP, and healthcare services such as Medicaid, Medicare and the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

    Read More
  • News

    July 14, 2025

    How Does the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Affect Healthcare?

    On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a large budget reconciliation bill, into law. The Senate and House of Representatives narrowly passed this version of HR 1 on July 1 and July 3, respectively. The OBBBA makes sweeping changes across the U.S. immigration system on enforcement, work authorization, fees, and access to services like SNAP, and healthcare services such as Medicaid, Medicare and the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

    Read More

Share