Client Stories: Rosie

Some of our work involves cases that take years before we can see an impact. U-Visas for survivors of serious crime, in particular, feel sometimes as if we are providing assistance may arrive too late - it may take 5 or 6 years after applying for benefits before USCIS is able to even issue a work permit, let alone issue a final decision. Much of the immediate impact of our work with survivors of crime, then, comes from our advice and ability to help our clients plan for the future. After filing a U-Visa, we may not see a client again for years.

For Rosie, a woman who had escaped a long, abusive relationship with her ex-husband, our last meeting had ended with uncertainty - her abuser had been stalking her and harassing her, creating anxiety and fear in her life even after they had been separated. While we were able to connect Rosie to domestic violence resources for a restraining order and community support, her outcome remained uncertain.

Several years later, after we were able to finally obtain work authorization for Rosie, we were able to check in on her progress. Since our last meeting, Rosie had found a partner that was caring and responsible, and they had started a family together and had recently brought a baby daughter into the world. She had since found stable employment, and had since safely moved away to where her abuser could no longer reach her. She was looking forward to the new opportunities her social security number and employment authorization would now provide. It was an encouraging moment that reinforced one of our core beliefs - that vulnerable immigrants in our community can thrive if they are allowed to live in a safe environment, free from the threat of deportation and violence.