Patricia (name changed to protect her family) did everything right. On December 10th, she went to her scheduled immigration appointment, fully expecting to return home to her children later that day. She never did. In an instant, four children lost their mother.

Their father was already absent, and now their only parent has been taken from them. Patricia was detained and transferred to a detention center in Texas, leaving her children behind in Silver Spring with no warning and no time to prepare.

The oldest child is just 19 years old. Overnight, he became the sole caregiver for his three younger siblings, ages 14, 8, and only 3 years old, trying to protect them while carrying a responsibility no teenager should ever have to bear.

As the holidays approach, these four children will be completely alone. There are no nearby relatives to step in. No backup plan. No safety net. Instead of thinking about gifts or celebrations, they are facing terrifying questions about survival.

Patricia is now being held hundreds of miles away, facing the very real possibility of deportation. If she is forced to return to her home country, she fears for her life due to gang violence—the same violence she once fled to keep her children safe. This fear weighs heavily on her and on her children, who are living with constant anxiety about what could happen to their mother.

With Patricia gone, her income is gone too. Her children are now living day to day, terrified of eviction and food insecurity, while waiting through at least two to three months of uncertainty before they have any clarity about her case or whether they will ever see their mother again.

We are trying to raise $7,000 to cover their rent and groceries for the next three months. This support will give these children the most basic form of stability: a roof over their heads and food on the table while they wait for answers. Our care team is also working to provide holiday meals, small gifts, and moments of comfort during what is otherwise a devastating time.

What these children want most is safety. They want stability. They want to know that they will not lose their home while their mother fights for her life and for the chance to come back to them.

Please give what you can. Every donation, no matter the size, is a reminder that these children are not alone, that their community sees them, and that we are standing with them during the most frightening moment of their lives.