Friend,
When 17-year-old Aryah arrived with her father and her siblings in the United States after fleeing a war-torn Afghanistan, they did so after traveling thousands of miles, through Mexico.
But when they presented themselves at the border, Aryah informed the authorities she and her 15-year-old sister had been abused by her father.
This triggered concerns that the two girls had been trafficked. As a result, they were separated from their family and placed in government custody.
Now stateside, Aryah found herself not qualifying for humanitarian parole because she had not been part of the airlift. She was also one week shy of turning 18. This meant Aryah was at risk of aging out and becoming homeless.
In response, the attorney assigned to Aryah’s case worked tirelessly to make sure Aryah would have a safe place to go while Young Center staff worked to get Aryah humanitarian parole.
Although Aryah and her sister were placed in removal proceedings, they were connected to a local transitional housing provider and Afghan community members to find a sponsor. Meanwhile, Aryah’s sister, who was still in federal detention, received support from a Child Advocate to ensure she had a legal service provider and any additional assistance.
Soon after, their maternal aunt was located in Northern California. At their request, Aryah and her sister were eventually happily reunited with their aunt. They were also able to enroll in school and other supportive services. In collaboration with the girls’ legal service provider, we were successful in terminating their removal proceedings.
Aryah and her sister are safe and supported in large part because of the contributions people like you can give us.This year, Giving Tuesday lands on November 28. But you can join our efforts of protecting immigrant children, many of whom are fleeing from conflict and violence all around the globe, by donating today. Help us reach our goal of raising $70,000.00 by the stroke of midnight this Giving Tuesday.
