January 6, 2016
A Kobre & Kim pro bono team has helped secure legal U.S. immigration status for a teenage boy who was fleeing violence in his home country of Guatemala.
Our client was born in a small town in rural Guatemala. His mother died when he was young, leaving his father unable to provide care for him. Forced to leave school and his home, he sought work as an itinerant farm laborer. One day he was assaulted by members of a gang after stating his refusal to join; he was later threatened with death. He left Guatemala and made his way across Mexico to the U.S.
The then-teenage boy was eligible for relief under the Special Immigrant Juvenile program, which requires complex parallel state court and federal immigration proceedings. A Kobre & Kim pro bono team was able to gather evidence in the U.S. and in Guatemala, assembling a strong petition under tight time constraints.
As a result, our client was able to stay in the U.S., reunite with his family, and enroll in an ESL program. He has been able to continue his studies and work to help support his family.
Kobre & Kim is proud to have helped secure a new home and bright future for our client and his family.