USCRI

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Emil Gumpert Award Presentations
The American College of Trial Lawyers presented the Center with its Emil Gumpert Award at a luncheon in August and at its Annual meeting in October. The Center was honored to share the stage with the Hon. Sandra Day O’Connor. Click here to watch the luncheon video.

35 Computers Donated
Hogan & Hartson LLP donated 35 Dell computers. Thank you for greatly expanding our capabilities for the D.C. Office interns and field offices.

Center Staff Transition...
The Center welcomes attorney Sarah McDowell as Senior Immigration Program Officer and Nina Keres as Immigration Program Associate.

USCIS Issues U Visa Regulations
Effective October 17, 2007, regulations make U visas available for victims of serious crimes who assist law enforcement in their prosecution. Click here to view regulations in the Federal Register.

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3rd Circuit Decision
The Third Circuit joins the Second, Sixth and Seventh Circuits in holding that "injuries to a family must be considered when the events that form the basis of a past persecution claim were perceived when the petitioner was a child" from a child's perspective. Click here.

Have something to add?
Share your work or resources with your colleagues by emailing tswartz@uscridc.org.

For more Information:
National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children
A Program of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Second Floor
Washington, DC 20036-2003
Tel: (202) 347-3507
www.refugees.org/nationalcenter

November 2007

Attorney George Pappas Obtains U Interim Relief for Child
All too often, children searching for a better life become the victims of serious crimes during their journey to the U.S. At seventeen years old, Norma* left Honduras with friends who abandoned her in Mexico. Alone and without anyone to protect her, she was raped by a smuggler. The Center matched Norma with solo practitioner George Pappas in Charlotte, NC. At first Norma was too ashamed to speak about what happened. It appeared that she would be deported. However, after working with the Charlotte Latin American Coalition, Norma began to trust her attorney and revealed that she had been sexually assaulted. The Center’s Robert Wood Johnson project secured Norma social services to help her overcome trauma and document the assault. The Center connected Pappas with a mentor, Rebecca Sigmund, who provided crucial assistance to help Pappas navigate a U visa as a possible form of relief. Pappas and Norma worked with local law enforcement in Charlotte to investigate the crime. During this time, Pappas was able to convince the Atlanta Immigration Court to continue her case until Norma could apply for U Visa interim relief. Norma was recently granted U visa interim relief and will apply for a U visa now that USCIS has issued regulations. Norma is happy to be in school and is grateful that Pappas and her entire new North Carolina community never gave up.

Attorney from Lewis and Roca LLP Obtains SIJS One Day Before Child Ages Out
At 5 years old, Andre’s* mother abandoned him and a year later his father abandoned him. When his ageing and ill grandparents in Guatemala could no longer care for him and, with no other family members who would help him, the 16 year old left Guatemala in search of a better life in the U.S. The Center matched Andre with attorneys from one of the largest regional law firms in the Southwest, Lewis and Roca LLP. Awarded his firm's 2006 pro bono attorney of the year award and recently recognized as one of the top 50 pro bono attorneys in Arizona in 2007, Richard W. Tobin II successfully obtained Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for Andre. Moreover, Tobin adjusted Andre's status one day before his 18th birthday in August when he would have become ineligible to remain in the U.S. This was a birthday present Andre will never forget. For more information on SIJS, click here.