December 11, 2018

Eighteen-year-old Syrian refugee Naji Aldabaan became the man of the house at the age of 10 after his father was imprisoned and tortured by the Syrian military for 40 days. During that time, Naji left his house only to buy bread for his family. He watched a woman get shot and killed before his eyes. As bombs fell in his neighborhood, Naji’s family walked for hours in the cold night to seek refuge in Jordan.

December 6, 2019

By Greg Sharenow

An asylum seeker is not a desperate person or a beggar coming to enjoy the privilege of being in the United States. Many of us find ourselves here because we don’t have anywhere to turn. If I knew that I would come here to experience everything that I am going through right now, I’m not sure that I would choose that. But at the same time, my purpose and my only idea was to save my life and my family’s life. I have no doubt about it—with me being a well-trained engineer and my wife a doctor—when this nation stretches their hands out to help us, to welcome us here, we are ready to give back.

These are words offered by Mr. Hope*, an asylum seeker from Cameroon who spoke at Refugee Action Fund’s event in Orange County on Wednesday.