(Names changed to protect identities)

Juana and her husband, Miguel, fled Guatemala in 2023 with their daughters Lucia (7) and Karen (5), escaping the displacement caused by palm oil corporations seizing Maya Q'eqchi' land. In 2024, Juana gave birth to George, a joyful baby boy born with congenital heart disease requiring multiple surgeries, including a pacemaker at 6 months old. In August 2025, while George was hospitalized for a month, Miguel left briefly to attend his asylum hearing. Speaking primarily Maya Q'eqchi' with limited Spanish, he had previously missed a hearing due to miscommunication. At court, he was arrested and deported to Guatemala within two weeks.

Suddenly alone, Juana focused entirely on George's medical needs and didn't immediately enroll her daughters in school. In early September, CPS visited. Language barriers created devastating misunderstandings—when asked if she could provide for her children, Juana said no, thinking they were offering help. During the visit, her electricity was shut off because she didn't know how to pay the bill amid the chaos. CPS took her children.

Since then, Juana has attended every hearing and works tirelessly making and selling food to prove she can provide for her family. But she's 34 weeks pregnant and due in mid-February. She can barely work now and won't be able to for at least a month after giving birth. I'm raising funds to pay her February rent (due now) and cover living expenses, food, and court costs so she can reunite with her children. Please help Juana keep her family together and bring her children home. Your support will make a life-changing difference for her and her kids.