Immigration

Representative Cases

Asylum; Permanent Residence

A sixteen year old pregnant Guatemalan woman escaped forced prostitution by members of her own family and entered the United States undocumented. A doctor providing prenatal services to the woman contacted the Firm for assistance. The Firm immediately petitioned for political asylum and her petition was approved. The young mother has now applied for permanent residence in California.

Adjustment of Status; Criminal Conviction; Deportation; Consular Service

A young undocumented construction worker married a U.S. citizen and had three children all born in the U.S. He had pled guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to 12 months to be served on probation. When his spouse petition for his adjustment of status, he was arrested by the Immigration Service. The Immigration Service classified the misdemeanor as an aggravated felony thereby causing him to be barred from adjusting his status and he was deported. The Firm was contacted to review the criminal charge and petitioned the Court to amend its sentence, which was granted. The Firm is presently seeking his return through the Department of State.

Juvenile; Legal Permanent Residence; Adjustment of Status

A juvenile with no legal father and abandoned by his biological mother was placed in the custody of the Juvenile Court. The Juvenile Court contacted the firm and requested that a petition for legal permanent residence be filed. Within twelve months, the juvenile was interviewed along with his foster parent and the petition was granted.

Asylum

A young Gambian mother entered the U.S. as a tourist and remained with her first daughter. The mother and daughter had both been forced to endure surgical Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Gambia. When in the U.S., she married an undocumented Gambian man and conceived another child. The mother gave birth to a girl and the father returned to Gambia. Fearing that upon her return to Gambia the second daughter would be forced to undergo FGM as well, the mother contacted the Firm for assistance. The application for asylum was filed and granted.

Asylum

A high profile Colombian law enforcement officer investigating a large drug cartel in Colombia was ambushed, shot, and left for dead. The officer recovered and returned to work until he was rediscovered by the cartel. Since the Colombian government could not guarantee his safety, he entered the United States and the Firm was contacted to prepare a petition for political asylum. Asylum was granted to the officer and his entire family.

Religious Worker; Visa Petition; Adjustment of Status; Permanent Residence

The Firm was contacted by an Atlanta church to help obtain a visa for a sponsored Hispanic pastor to minister to the churchís large Hispanic population. The Firm prepared the petition for the pastor to enter as a religious worker. The pastor later married a U.S citizen and the Firm was contacted again to file for an adjustment of status for permanent residence.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); Battered Immigrant; Family Law; Adjustment of Status

A undocumented woman married a legal permanent resident and fell victim to physical and psychological abuse by her spouse. When forced out of the marital home by her spouse, the wife went to a shelter and the shelter contacted the Firm. The Firm obtained a divorce for the abused wife and subsequently filed for adjustment of status under the Violence Against Women Act.