Help Family After Deportation and Death of their Matriarch

My mom passed away in July 2024 after six years of living with complications related to a severe stroke she suffered in 2018. She didn't have life insurance since her coverage was tied to her previous employer. With the help of family and friends combined with our savings, we were able to raise enough to cover the cost of her funeral. Unfortunately, this was not the end of our family's heartache...

In March, my Aunt Danlette, a nurse of almost 30 years and my mother's primary caregiver, learned that her I-485 for adjustment of status was denied and she was given 33 days to vacate the United States. By the time we received the letter, we only had a couple weeks to pack up 27 years of memories in our family home before she had to leave for Ghana. She self-deported out of fear due to the increasing hostility of the ICE raids.

My aunt cannot legally work in Ghana as a nurse despite her experience. She stopped working in the US immediately once she received the decision from USCIS denying her case. She used her savings to buy her plane ticket to Accra, housing for the first few months, and legal fees for consulting with immigration lawyers.

I have also been out of work since my mother passed away despite consistently applying for jobs. I'm unsure when I'll be able to work full-time again given the state of the entertainment industry and the economy in general. My unemployment benefits ended in March. I'm supporting myself through pet-sitting/dog walking, as well as working as a barista.

We support each other when we are able, but we've exhausted all of our resources. We have no more savings. My aunt only has a couple weeks to secure housing when her short-term lease is up at the end of the month. I am behind on rent and I have a limited amount of time before my property management company serves me a 3-day pay or quit notice.

It's not easy for us to ask for help, as I'm sure those who know us will understand. It took us a long time to make this decision, but we feel that we have no other choice.

My mom always used to say, "When it rains, it pours." And it's been pouring... and we've been drowning. But we're hopeful. It can't rain forever.

We hope that you will help in any way you are able, whether that's donating or sharing or even reaching out with kind words.