Help Igor and Elizaveta Rebuild Their Lives
Donation protected
Dear friends,
We are Igor and Elizaveta, a young couple who fled Russia in 2023 after years of opposing Putin’s regime and the war in Ukraine. In Russia, Igor was a children’s art teacher and an artist, and I was an independent journalist. Our activism made us targets, and we knew that staying meant risking prison—or worse. When I was accepted to study journalism in Texas, we saw a way out. But Igor was denied his visa to come with me and had to take a 9-month dangerous journey to the U.S. southern border to seek asylum, which has destroyed his mental health.
Mexican authorities detained and extorted Igor, forcing him onto a prison bus where he spent 56 hours, finding himself in Tabasco, thousands of miles away from the U.S. border. He later endured inhumane conditions, mental and physical torment, and a 39-day wait at a cartel-controlled bridge in Reynosa before finally being allowed into the U.S. in April 2024. Even then, he was sent to immigration detention for another month. By the time we reunited in Texas, his mental and physical health had deteriorated. He was diagnosed with PTSD and later required dental surgery for issues exacerbated by his detention. He is still combating severe allergies and gastritis.
Now, we are rebuilding our lives in Texas. I am continuing my graduate studies, and Igor is learning English and freely creating art without fear of persecution. But the challenges are immense. Igor is not allowed to work for hire due to his immigration status, but at the same time cannot get health insurance for the destitute. We are expecting our first child in May, and medical bills are looming. We are struggling to afford prenatal care, delivery costs, and basic necessities for our baby.
We are asking for your help. Your donations will go toward:
• Medical expenses for Yelizaveta's pregnancy and delivery
• Health care to try and manage Igor's gastrointestinal issues and PTSD because he remains uninsured
• Basic needs for our baby’s arrival
• Legal fees and living expenses as we await Igor’s asylum decision till 2026
Despite everything, we are grateful to be here, free from persecution. But freedom comes with challenges, and we cannot do this alone. If you can contribute, share our story, or support Igor’s art, it would mean the world to us.
If you'd like to learn more about our story, here's what media wrote about us:
With love and gratitude,
Liza & Igor and baby Lavender or Kaspar
Organizer
Igor Babkin
Organizer
Driftwood, TX