2020 Wasn't All Bad - Some Successful Case Stories
2020 has been a difficult year and I am thankful for everyone who has contributed to getting us through it. But it wasn’t all bad. I want to share some successes!
Another provisional waiver granted for the husband of a U.S. citizen who had lived in the U.S. since the age of 16 with no lawful status. Because of her health problems and the support he provides for her, we got his provisional waiver granted by USCIS. Then he finally got the visa appointment and is now coming back to the U.S. with his immigrant visa and green card!
Citizenship case approved for a man who came to the U.S. as a teenager, where he wound up with two drug possession convictions as a youth. Now in his fifties and with a successful career, he was able to become a U.S. citizen thanks to a change in the law and a thoroughly prepared application. He is an American citizen just like his wife and children.
Deferred Action granted to halt a deportation for a man from Haiti fighting cancer. Thanks to a dedicated team of community members, elected officials and other attorneys, my law office presented a request to ICE to halt the deportation of a man receiving cancer treatment in New York City. And we did it! ICE gave a wonderful man some time to receive treatment without the worry of a deportation to Haiti.
Motion to reopen granted to a woman with a deportation order from 2012. I prepared a motion to reopen for a woman with an old deportation order who ICE had told to get ready to leave the U.S., even though she is a single mom with two daughters and a domestic violence survivor. We got her petition filed under the Violence Against Women Act and argued that her old drug possession conviction should not prevent the Immigration Judge from reopening the deportation case. The judge agreed and reopened her case!
Removal proceedings terminated for someone who had a pending criminal appeal. Even though ICE attorneys didn’t want this man to have a chance to fight his criminal appeal until the end, we made several motions and were able to get the Immigration Judge to terminate the case.
Removal proceedings finally terminated for DACA recipient. Even after she was granted DACA, and then got a green card through her husband, we still had to file several motions to get her old deportation order cancelled. After waiting almost two years for the BIA to make its decision, we got the good news. Now this woman who has lived in the U.S. since the age of nine can finally have all her rights as a green card holder without an old order of deportation blocking her path to citizenship.
Let’s hope that 2021 will bring more success stories and some positive changes in our immigration system.