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An Iraqi refugee dreams of reuniting her family
“When I become a citizen, I will put on my wings and fly.”
An Iraqi refugee and mother of five, Maha al-Obaidi has lived in Queens, NY, for six years. She proudly calls herself an “American woman” and emphasizes that she has “put down roots” in her new community.
But even as she embraces her life in the United States, there is one thing that still weighs heavily on Maha. Her family remains divided: three of her sons are thriving in America, but two others, her husband, and her 13-year-old grandson remain in the Middle East, in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Without citizenship, Maha has had to worry about the risks of travelling to see her family and at times policies like the Trump Administration’s travel ban have prevented visits entirely. Citizenship will let Maha travel more securely, once the coronavirus pandemic allows for it.
Citizenship may also bring her closer to achieving her biggest dream: making her family whole again, in America.
Maha is one of thousands of refugees in the U.S. with loved ones stuck abroad. Read Maha’s powerful story from the events that forced her to flee Iraq to her citizenship test and quest to finally see her family together again, for good.
P.S: The International Rescue Committee works with refugees like Maha around the world and in more than 20 offices in the U.S. You can join us—and let your community know you care—by setting up a Facebook fundraiser. Just set a goal and reach out to your networks to help displaced people around the world survive and rebuild their lives. |
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