CONTINUED Attorney Secures Green Card for Former SIJS Client
Jacob W . E . Kearney
Jacob W . E . Kearney represented a woman from Mali who immigrated to the United States as a child . He sought to have her granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (“ SIJS ”), a special visa available for minors who have been neglected , abused , or abandoned by a parent . Jacob was successful in having a guardian appointed and finding that reunification with parents is not possible . He then petitioned U . S . Citizenship and Immigration Services to finalize the SIJS visa . Finally , Jacob helped his client file for Adjustment of Status to a Permanent Resident , or Green Card holder , which she was granted . Attorney Prevents Deportation of Russian Political Activist , Seeks Asylum
Harrison Brown Nicole N . Wentworth
Arash Beral
Harrison
Brown has worked for seven years on behalf of an asylum seeker from Russia . While living in Russia , his client was very politically active in opposition to Putin and his government . He became viewed as a threat and , as a result , was beaten and stabbed . Fearing for his life , the client obtained a student visa to study in the United States . While in the United States , he was apprehended and sent to an immigration detention center where U . S . Immigration and Customs Enforcement began proceedings to deport him back to Russia , where he would face jail time or death for his political beliefs .
Working with Nicole N . Wentworth , Arash Beral , and paralegal Irina Kebreau , they secured dismissal of the removal proceedings , ensuring that the client will not be deported and allowing him to pursue a path to permanent U . S . residency
Pro Bono Team Assists Victim of Labor Trafficking
A team led by Emma C . Jones and Stefanos N . Roulakis , with assistance from Emily R . Anderson , Shareen Sarwar , Natalie M . Radabaugh , Amit Roitman , Brooke T . Iley , Alan M . Freeman , Vanessa C . DiDomenico , and others , represents a woman originally from an African country who was trafficked into the United States by a diplomat with ties to the African country ’ s embassy . The client was lured with promises of good pay for her work . Instead , her employer paid her only a fraction of what she was owed and confiscated her passport , effectively forcing her to remain working in his home . The client was able to flee her trafficker and contact the U . S . State Department , who referred her to the Human Trafficking Legal Center . The Blank Rome team handled the negotiations and reached a settlement allowing the client to receive backpay for her work . They are now helping their client with pending immigration issues .
PRO BONO REPORT & COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT • 15