Help Fatemeh's Family Secure Asylum in America

Seventeen years ago my husband Rick and I hosted a high school exchange student from Afghanistan. Fatemeh returned to the US to complete her bachelor's degree, and has been living with us in Austin since then, building her career working on refugee support services. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan three years ago, we applied for Humanitarian Parole so that Fatemeh’s family could escape danger and join her in the US. They were accepted under the program and Fatemeh’s mother, adult brother and sister, and 12-year old brother arrived in February of this year!

Applying for political asylum is a challenging and lengthy process, and the family needs an experienced lawyer to help them make their case. I am organizing this GoFundMe to help Fatemeh’s family cover the legal expenses associated with applying for political asylum.

Please read Fatemeh’s update below, and consider chipping in. Afghanistan is growing even more dangerous for women, and the prospect of this family being forced to return is unthinkable.

Melanie

Update from Fatemeh:

It’s hard to believe that my family arrived six and a half months ago! So much has happened since they got to the U.S., but that moment still feels like yesterday.

I will never forget seeing them come through the doors at the Houston airport, thrilled to be here and so exhausted from their journey. Reuniting with my family after almost ten years’ separation--there are no words for how emotional this was.

Each member of my family carried with them only a small backpack with two changes of clothes. They had traveled from Afghanistan to Iran to Iraq, hoping to get an interview at an American Embassy, and not dreaming they would finally be approved to travel within days. Less than 48 hours after getting their passports back from the embassy with entry papers, my family boarded the first flight of their lives, traveling from Baghdad to Doha to Houston. My host mom and dad, Melanie and Rick, rented a van and drove with me to Houston to pick them up.

Those first days were like a dream, as my family began to explore their new neighborhood and figure out what our household needed. Several kind people stepped up with donations of furniture and housewares and funds to help with items like shoes and clothing. We got my little brother Iliya enrolled in 7th grade at Lively Middle School, just a few blocks away. Rick gave Iliya a soccer ball and helped us find a soccer team at the YMCA he could join. Soon, we were in a routine around Iliya’s school days and soccer games! Mom and Fereshteh joined a “Ladies Let’s Talk”’ language class for newly arrived immigrant women that meets at a church in our neighborhood three times a week and Melanie tutored everyone with English lessons.

Elyas and Fereshteh applied for work permits and they arrived after a couple of months. They applied for many jobs (and did a lot of practice interviews!). Elyas now works full-time at the valet desk at the Hilton downtown and Fereshteh, who had a career in Afghanistan as a medical assistant in a health clinic, works part-time as a home health aid. They have both helped neighbors and friends with odd jobs and are always open to more of this kind of work. Mom is working hard on her English skills, studying her workbook and practicing every day.

We have a long way to go to be truly settled but have come so far in a few months’ time. Iliya started back at school last week and is enjoying 8th grade. He is on a new soccer team and practices three nights a week. Fereshteh hopes to enroll in Goodwill’s Phlebotomist training later this fall, and is working hard on preparing for her English proficiency test in hopes of attending ACC. Mom is diligent with her English studies and Elyas is enjoying working out at the YMCA when he is not at work.

The next and critical step for my family is to apply for political asylum. They are in the US through a program called Humanitarian Parole, which allows them to be here legally for two years. Our best hope for them staying is to get political asylum for them. This is a lengthy and difficult process, and we need to hire an experienced lawyer to put together the strongest possible case for them. The legal fees to submit their four applications will total $24,000.

Last week, there was news from home that I need to share with you. The Taliban government, which had already forbidden women from most jobs, eliminated education for girls, and legalized public flogging and lethal stoning of women accused of adultery, has passed a new set of ‘morality and vice’ laws that forbid women’s voices from being heard, even from within their homes. Women are no longer able to take a taxi without male accompaniment, make eye contact, or show their faces in public. (You can read more about the new law here: Taliban Laws )

You imagine how terrifying this news is, especially for my sister and mother, and how anxious we all are that they can stay in the US. Our hearts weep for all the women in my country.

Many kind people have helped me and my family get this far. My own application for political asylum was finally approved, after a seven year wait. My greatest dream is for my family to be able to live here in the US in safety and freedom. Thank you for being a fundamental part of my family’s story and for all of your help.