"It was really a life of fear:" Family escapes horrors of Syria, hopes to make new life in Milwaukee

Family escapes horrors of Syria, hopes to make new life in Milwaukee

Family escapes horrors of Syria, hopes to make new life in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- President Donald Trump's executive order halting refugees from seven countries from entering the U.S. for the next 90 days is causing controversy -- as we've seen this past week.

The executive order is also causing one family to count its blessings.They were able to come to Milwaukee before the ban went into effect.

To put a face on the immigration issue, you could look at the Tammo family. The war-torn city of Aleppo in Syria was a place they called home -- until bombings and battles left it unlivable.

Mustafa Tammo

"It was really a life of fear," Mustafa Tammo said through an interpreter. "They don't know if they are going to be hit by the next strike. Even the kids would be outside and they would look for the barrel bombs. These are the devastating bombs that would bring down large buildings. He said there was just a total fear and there was really no life whatsoever."

The family got into a van and took a chance to see if they could cross the border.

"He said 'I would rather take that one chance and take the risk rather than sit there and watch my family being killed in that location,'" Tammo said through the interpreter.

The family made it to Iraq and to a refugee camp in Kurdistan. Once there, they waited three years before a United Nations representative asked where they would like to go. The answer -- anywhere that is safe.

There would be more years of interviews and investigations that followed. Eventually, the Tammos were placed in Milwaukee.

"He said 'I felt very, very happy in my heart. The fear I would lose my family and my children was gone. I can't really describe that happiness,'" Tammo said through the interpreter.

Tammo had to leave his mother and niece behind, as well as many others. He said he understands those in this country who fear for their safety from terrorists. He said he fears the same and he knows they are the minority -- a family which escaped just in time.

"'The feelings, I can't describe.' He said 'it's a very difficult situation.' He said 'I'm thinking about what it was like there. And now the people who are stuck there may have thought were coming. It's just an indescribable feeling,'" Tammo said through the interpreter.

Right now, the Tammo family has refugee status. In a year, family members can apply for green cards -- and five years after that, for immigrant status.

Milwaukee's Islamic Society is one place helping them at this time.

Islamic Society of Milwaukee