As part of our firm’s pro-bono practice and commitment to the principals enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we have counseled victims of human rights abuse on obtaining legal services and asylum in the United States. We have previously advised and counseled clients in F-1, J-1, H-1B and O visa applications, as well as change of status and other U.S. permanent resident petitions based on marriage and political asylum.
In 2021we were successful in representing a member of the LGBTQI community (a Pakistani foreign national student in the USA) in a dispute with a major university after he had suffered severe mental health issues during the COVID-19 emergency shut down. We were successful in advocating for the university to make special academic accommodations for the student and renegotiate his student loan debt. Ultimately the student graduated on time and earned his B.A. degree, thereby significantly shielding him from the possibility of having to depart from the United States with no academic degree and no viable options for professional advancement. Upon his graduation, we successfully coordinated with a New York-based NGO specializing in LGBTQI immigration to obtain further pro-bono legal counsel for this individual related to filing his Petition for Withholding of Deportation and Asylum with U.S. Immigration authorities.
In another case, we provided representation to U.S. “next of kin” of a deceased U.S. national who died while living as an expatriate in Buenos Ares, Argentina; interfacing with the United States Consulate in Buenos Area to obtain a U.S. Consular Certificate of Death for decedent’s U.S. daughter enabling her to obtain U.S. social security benefits.
We have also represented other foreign national students in the United States on their SEVIS and F-1 visa applications.