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READ OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE DETENTION OF REFUGEES AND ONGOING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH DISPLACEMENT, RESETTLEMENT, DEPORTATION, AND ICE #ANONYMOUSAMONGUS
Stories

Religious Persecution

Nabi
Afghanistan

The Taliban Slaughtered Gay Men like Animals

It was hard to be gay in my country. You can’t live as a [free] man.
Heydi, West Africa
A West African Country

I Left Because of Religious Conflict

I wanted to stay in Africa, but I wanted my life to be secure, so I came to Europe.
Felix, Nigeria
Nigeria

In Libya Life is No Good

The first day I came to Italy, I had a friend, an Italian friend.
Ilhan, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I Was Tortured Three Times

We decided to leave and sold everything we had; there is no way back.
Kalil, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I Am a Civil Engineer; I Am Good at My Job

I hope I can find a good life and that I can continue in my profession.
Firoz
Syria

They Kept Killing — They Killed so Many

ISIS began invading our village on the first day of the revolution.
Samadi and Sabroo
Iraq

"We Always Kept One Bullet for Suicide"

In order to save our family, we were obliged to leave our country.
Pat
Pat  ·  A West African Country

The Journey: My Life Was at Risk

I said, “God, I left my country because I don’t want to die and now people are dying in the desert.”
Zurvan Daughter
Afghanistan

Who Will Listen to Our Pain?

I am responsible for the welfare of my children.
Greatest Weapon Is Love

Our Greatest Weapon is Love

Our greatest weapon against all workers of terror is love.
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What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2024, more than 123.2 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced from their homes due to war, persecution, or human rights abuses.

An increase of 7.2 million over 2023, that’s more than 19,619 people every day — roughly one person every 4.4 seconds.

They arrive in refugee camps and other countries, like the US, seeking the one thing they’ve lost: safety.

Fleeing political imprisonment, ethnic violence, religious persecution, gang threats, or war crimes, they come with what little they managed to carry:

Legal papers – if they’re lucky.

A single backpack.

Sometimes a child’s hand in theirs.

They also carry the weight of what they left behind: fractured families, homes they’ll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

They carry loss most of us can’t imagine – but also the truth of what they’ve endured.

At TSOS, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares their experience of forced displacement, they reclaim their voice. And when we amplify that voice – through film, photography, writing, and advocacy – the world listens. Hearts soften. Communities open. Policy begins to shift.

That shift matters. Because when neighbors understand instead of fear…

when lawmakers see people, not politics…

when a teacher knows what her student has survived…

Rebuilding life from the ashes becomes possible.

We’re fighting an uphill battle. In today’s political climate, refugee stories are often twisted or ignored. They’re reduced to statistics, portrayed as national threats, or used to score political points.

The truth – the human, nuanced truth – gets lost, and when it does, we lose compassion.

We are here to share their truth anyway.

At TSOS, we don’t answer to headlines or algorithms. We are guided by a simple conviction: every person deserves to be seen, heard, and welcomed.

Our work is powered by the people we meet — refugees and asylum seekers rebuilding after loss, allies offering sanctuary, and communities daring to extend belonging.

Your support helps us share their stories — and ensure they’re heard where they matter most.

“What ultimately persuaded the judge wasn’t a legal argument. It was her story.”

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, TSOS


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