Lilian was traveling to the United States from Honduras when she was separated from her mother and siblings in October 2022. After being separated, Lilian gave birth to a baby girl. She and her daughter, Gisselle, were placed under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement before coming to the International Foster Care program with Catholic Charities Dallas in the spring of 2023.
Lilian and her daughter were placed with a foster family with young children. During her time with the family, Lilian enrolled in high school. She was passionate about learning and made strides in learning English. In addition to helping her in school, CCD helped Lilian learn essential life skills and gained information about community resources she could use to advocate for herself and her child.
Despite the challenges, Lilian hoped that she would eventually be reunited with her family. While Lilian and her daughter were with the foster family, her mother and siblings stayed in Mexico, awaiting an appointment to claim asylum before entering the United States.
In July 2023, Lilian’s mother and her younger siblings were able to enter the U.S. and settled in North Carolina. From there, CCD began the reunification process. In September, just two days before Lilian’s 18th birthday, her dream came true. A CCD case manager traveled with Lilian and baby Gisselle to North Carolina.
It was a happy and special reunion. Lilian’s mother met her granddaughter for the first time, and Lilian was thrilled to have the support of her mother. The family will celebrate Gisselle’s first birthday as a family this month.
