Dear John,
Today I want to share Maylary’s story with you. Maylary is an ILCM staff member at our Austin office who has helped hundreds of immigrants and refugees apply for green cards and/or citizenship. She is also a refugee from Burma (Myanmar).
During the 1988 Uprising, Maylary was forced to flee through the jungle on foot. After two grueling months and a bout of malaria, she reached a “safe” village. It was attacked by the Burmese military after just 10 months. Maylary then fled to the refugee camp where she would live for the next 20 years. Maylary married her husband and had all five of her children in this camp – all while the camp was sporadically attacked by the military and fellow refugees were killed.
Thankfully, Maylary and her family were able to come to the United States in 2008. And, in 2011, we were all lucky that they moved to Worthington. The Apolos later worked with staff at ILCM to become naturalized U.S. citizens. And since she started working with us in 2015, Maylary has assisted over 150 individuals in the naturalization process.
Maylary’s story is remarkable. She and her family have been through so much hardship for a chance at the opportunities many of us born in the United States are able to take for granted. Maylary’s story also shares many similarities with other refugees and asylees. Thousands of people are living in camps very much like the one where Maylary spent so many years of her life.
The previous administration set the United States’ annual cap on incoming refugees at the historical low of just 15,000. Thankfully, the Biden administration increased this number to 125,000 on October 1st. As the United States prepares to welcome these individuals, it is imperative that we here in Minnesota are prepared to support their needs.
By donating on Give to the Max Day, or any day leading up to it, you can support ILCM’s work with refugees and asylees. Together we can help everyone find a safe place to call home.
