A Mother’s Story: Marie

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.