Mariya's Story

My Pakistani father had immigrated to the United Arab Emirates when he was young with some of his siblings. He took my Pakistani mother there after they got married. Most of my siblings and I were born in the Emirates. At the age of 5, my father moved my mother and all the kids to Pakistan. We moved back to the Emirates in 2006. In 2011, my mom and most of my siblings, including me, moved to Kent to go to Kent State. We moved up near Cleveland in 2015. A month ago my asylum application got approved and next year I will be receiving my green card.