Lucy Baptiste/Borderless MagazineCity officials and refugees gathered at Daley Plaza for World Refugee Day to push back against Trump’s immigration policies.
Samar Mesleh fled her home country of Jordan in 2017. The single mother felt a sense of responsibility to create a new life for herself and her three children.
“We arrived in the United States with nothing but hope and each other,” she said. “I carry not just my life, but the weight of three hearts that depend on me.”
Mesleh’s story grounded this year’s World Refugee Day in a personal truth experienced by refugees fleeing their homes. Starting over in a new country isn’t just about paperwork or policy; it’s about rebuilding daily life from the ground up.
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Since 2002, Chicago has marked World Refugee Day with performances, workshops, and community celebrations. But this year’s event carried another message: a call for action amid changing immigration policy.
“This year, we’re standing as a united voice,” said Emily Parker, a manager at RefugeeOne. “Refugee leaders and Organizations are coming together to push back on policies that are hurting the very communities we serve and come from.”
Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders impacting immigration and refugee policy, including the:
- Suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP);
- Termination of humanitarian parole programs;
- Expansion of the travel ban;
- Expansion of expedited removal; and
- increased border militarization and surveillance.
Samar’s voice conveyed the weight of shifting policies as she addressed the crowd. Though she didn’t name specific laws, her words reflected the uncertainty and responsibility that many refugees carry.
Samar credited community organizations like REACH, a local nonprofit that supports refugee youth through education and enrichment programs, with helping her children regain a sense of stability and giving her hope during a time of deep uncertainty.
“REACH gave my kids a space where they felt safe and seen,” Samar said. “It reminded me we’re not alone.”
Despite losing federal contracts for new arrivals after Trump’s 2025 executive orders, RefugeeOne remains one of Chicago’s largest refugee resettlement agencies.
Today, the group continues to serve individuals and families in the city by providing an array of services such as case management, youth programs, therapy, counseling and immigration services.
“We’re still here,” said Emily Parker, a manager at refugeeOne. “Even if arrivals have slowed, our communities haven’t disappeared and neither has our support.”
While the pace of new refugee arrivals has declined, RefugeeOne continues to adapt, advocate and provide vital services to those already here.
During the event, Chicago leaders sent a strong message of support.
“As long as I’m Mayor, we will not succumb to division and hatred,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Chicago will remain a welcoming city for all.”
U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez echoed that commitment.
“Refugees are not going anywhere,” she said. “This country’s and the success that it does have is because of its diversity, equity and inclusion. Refugees are part of that story and we’re here to stay.”
For Samar, rebuilding life in the United States has meant more than finding safety. It’s meant learning a new language, navigating unfamiliar systems, and helping her children feel at home in a world that once felt foreign.
“We left behind everything, even our identity,” she said.
But the support her family found through community groups gave them room to grow, connect and heal.
“There’s nothing more powerful, as a mother, than watching your kids feel safe again,” Samar said. “Rebuilding a life takes more than paperwork, it takes compassion and it takes community.”
Lucy Bapiste is a Borderless reporting intern. She can be reached at [email protected].
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