Immigration Clinic Wins Case for Salvadoran Woman
UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic student Christina Medina '08 successfully represented a Salvadoran woman in residency proceedings. The client left El Salvador at the age of 18. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., she applied for asylum. In 2001, her lawful permanent resident husband applied for a family-based immigration petition on her behalf. In April of 2003, her husband suffered a stroke, which left him unable to continue working. The client then became the primary financial support for her husband and three U.S. citizen children.
Erin Hernandez '08 assisted Medina with the initial stages of the case, preparing applications for relief and gathering supporting documents. Medina wrote the pre-hearing brief, drafted the client and supporting witness declarations, and compiled all of the exhibits.
After Immigration Judge Beverly Phillips reviewed all of the pleadings and exhibits and allowed Medina and the assistant chief counsel of the Department of Homeland Security to ask the client questions, she granted the Salvadoran woman lawful permanent resident status. The entire hearing took less than 20 minutes.
Judge Phillips commented that Medina's submissions to the court were very well prepared and that she did not need to hear any further testimony to make her decision. The assistant chief counsel waived appeal, which means that after 19 years of waiting, the clinic's client is finally a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
UC Davis Immigration law Clinic
Erin Hernandez '08 assisted Medina with the initial stages of the case, preparing applications for relief and gathering supporting documents. Medina wrote the pre-hearing brief, drafted the client and supporting witness declarations, and compiled all of the exhibits.
After Immigration Judge Beverly Phillips reviewed all of the pleadings and exhibits and allowed Medina and the assistant chief counsel of the Department of Homeland Security to ask the client questions, she granted the Salvadoran woman lawful permanent resident status. The entire hearing took less than 20 minutes.
Judge Phillips commented that Medina's submissions to the court were very well prepared and that she did not need to hear any further testimony to make her decision. The assistant chief counsel waived appeal, which means that after 19 years of waiting, the clinic's client is finally a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
UC Davis Immigration law Clinic