Legal Wins
When Ilap Clients Win, It’s A Win For Our Whole Community
Help us celebrate a few of the many wins made possible because of our staff and Pro Bono Panel:
Catherine N. Lindgren and Eric Munyentwari from ILAP’s AALOP team share information with asylum seekers at the Riverside shelter during an outreach event.
A survivor of severe domestic violence successfully filed an application for a U-visa, a form of immigration relief for victims of a crime, with the help of ILAP’s Lewiston Office. ILAP also provided assistance on a pro se asylum application, allowing them the opportunity to access a work permit during the years-long wait for a decision on their U-visa case.
An ILAP client “Mariela” from Venezuela was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and received her first-ever work permit! Receipt of TPS provides Mariela with temporary protection from deportation. Mariela is thrilled to now have a work permit and is eagerly searching for a job.
ILAP pro bono attorney Mariana Baron, a partner at the law firm Preti Flaherty, won two Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases for a Honduran mother and her young daughter. Mariana, who is a native Spanish speaker, represented both clients through the state and federal-level processes. With Mariana’s help, this young family has found safety and community in the U.S. and is on the path to permanent status.
ILAP’s Asylum Assistance and Legal Orientation Project (AALOP) has helped more than 350 asylum seekers file applications, completed 1,000+ screenings and brief consultations, and reached over 2,500 people through legal orientation sessions and outreach events.
A mother and her children from Somalia were reunited with their husband/father after nearly 10 years of separation. Following years of inaction by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on this case, ILAP partnered with the International Refugee Assistance Project to file a federal lawsuit. This lawsuit, along with ILAP’s continued legal advocacy and, most importantly, the client’s own tenacity and bravery, finally resulted in a life-changing win for this family!
We celebrate the importance of these wins and the immense impact they have on people’s lives, while recognizing that they are not proof of a functioning or just immigration system. Rather, these examples highlight the importance and need for access to trusted immigration legal help.
