Support for Ms. Gabriella and Her Family During an Unimaginable Crisis

Last week, our beloved teacher Ms. Gabriella, her husband Joseph, and their young daughter experienced a devastating and traumatic situation that no family should ever have to endure.

Gabriella and her family entered the United States legally through the CBP One program and have followed every step required of them. Their immigration case is being processed in Ohio, where they appeared in court last week. Because they were unable to secure legal representation in time, they were ordered to return to court just days later.

What happened next was heartbreaking.

Gabriella, Joseph, and their daughter were detained and held in a detention facility, where they were subjected to extremely harsh and unsafe conditions. They were kept in a small, cold room with another family of five, provided only cold sandwiches for meals, and forced to sleep on concrete surfaces without blankets. Their daughter became ill from the conditions. Only then—after paying a fee—were they released late at night and fitted with ankle monitors.

The family is now restricted to the state of Ohio and must report for weekly check-ins.

They have no relatives, no friends, and no support system nearby. They are currently staying in a motel with very limited resources, facing discrimination when trying to access medical care and basic necessities for their daughter.

Despite doing everything correctly and following immigration procedures legally, this family is now facing mounting and unexpected costs, including:

Legal representation

Motel expenses

Medication and medical care for their daughter

Weekly travel and check-ins

Their Chicago rent and essential bills

Food, transportation, and day-to-day essentials

On top of all of this, they are considering selling their car just to cover basic survival expenses.

Gabriella and Joseph are hard-working, kind, respectful, and active in their church community. They have never asked for anything—they contribute, they care deeply for others, and they have always followed every rule and requirement asked of them. What they are experiencing is unjust, heartbreaking, and deeply overwhelming.

We are raising funds to help support this family through the immediate crisis they are facing—so they can secure safe housing, access proper legal representation, care for their child, and simply make it through the next several weeks.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a direct and meaningful difference during an unimaginable time.

Thank you for caring, for sharing, and for helping us support a family that truly deserves compassion and stability.