At just 19 years old, Joy made the difficult journey to the United States with her husband and children five years ago, leaving behind most of her family in her home country in search of a better future for her children. After settling in Pennsylvania, she and her husband worked hard as painters to build a new life.

I first met Joy several weeks ago when a local organization requested an accompaniment for a family seeking to self-deport. Just one week earlier, Joy's husband had been detained by ICE. During the detention process, his vehicle's window was broken and the car was towed, leaving Joy without transportation. Suddenly unable to get to work and earn money, she found herself facing eviction the very next day while caring for her four young children, ages 3 through 8.

My initial role was simply to provide translation services, as neither Joy nor her children speak English. At the ICE office, we discovered that because her youngest child was born in the United States, the family could not self-deport together, nor would the youngest child be accepted into the family detention center. In order to return home, Joy and all four children would need passports. To obtain those passports, the children's father—who had been transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana—was required to provide consent.

At that point, Joy had not been able to communicate with her husband since his detention. I helped her set up a prepaid account so he could call her, but before they could even connect, he was deported.

Since meeting Joy and her family, I have been helping them navigate this incredibly difficult situation by providing transportation to appointments, connecting them with community resources, purchasing groceries, and providing translation.

Unfortunately, the road ahead remains challenging. Obtaining passports for five people could take months, and Joy faces the costs of passport applications, housing, food, and eventually five plane tickets back to her home country. The financial burden is overwhelming for a young mother who is now trying to keep her family together under extraordinary circumstances.

I am asking for your support—whatever amount you are able to give—to help Joy and her children reunite with their husband and father. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference.

Throughout this experience, I have been deeply inspired by Joy and her family. It takes tremendous courage to leave everything familiar behind and move to a country where you do not speak the language, all in pursuit of a better life for your children. Despite the uncertainty and trauma they have endured, Joy's children remain remarkably kind, resilient, and hopeful. Their strength is a testament to the love and determination that continues to hold this family together.

Families like Joy's represent the courage, perseverance, and commitment that have helped shape our country. It is deeply saddening to see people who have contributed so much to our communities being forced to leave.