Help Us Keep Ilya at Home

We’re sharing this urgent appeal on behalf of our friend Katia, a member of our

community and the devoted sister of Ilya—his only remaining family and strongest

advocate.

Katia and Ilya came to Canada when Ilya was just 12 years old. Since the death of both

of their parents, it’s been the two of them—Katia raising and supporting Ilya through

unimaginable hardship. Canada has been their home for most of their lives. It’s where

they’ve built their future, their community, and their sense of safety.

Now, Ilya is facing deportation to a country he hasn’t known since childhood—a place

where he has no family, no supports, and where his life is at risk due to war and

ongoing instability. This isn’t just a legal battle—it’s a fight for Ilya’s life and safety.

We’re standing with Katia as she fights to keep her brother here, where he belongs. But

the legal costs are immense. A $35,000 appeal fee has been set, with $2,000 monthly

payments beginning June 30, 2025. Katia is doing everything she can to raise these

funds—but she cannot do it alone.

Despite facing homelessness, systemic discrimination, and a criminal justice system

that continues to punish rather than support, Ilya has remained resilient, kind, and

deeply committed to his growth. He is not just someone’s brother—he is a loved person

and a dear friend to many of us at Street Cats YYC and others in the community, and he

deserves to stay.

He also deserves the chance to connect with the programs, legal advocacy, and

community-based supports that can help undocumented and criminalized individuals

like him find stability and a path forward.

We’re asking—urgently—for your support. Every donation, every share, every voice

added to this cause helps us get closer to keeping Ilya in Canada, where he is loved,

supported, and safe.

Let’s help keep this family together. Let’s give Ilya a real chance at a future.

In solidarity,

Street Cats YYC