by Gerald S. Sachs, Paul Hastings
Since my swearing in as a member of the Maryland Bar, I have always tried meet at least the recommended 50-hour minimum of pro bono activity per year. Oftentimes that can be challenging with other work commitments, but it is something necessary for our legal system to be just and protect those who may not have the current resources to do so on their own, in particular children. Fortunately, CAIR Coalition is a fantastic partner that works closely with Paul Hastings representing immigrants and their families. In the summer of 2015, CAIR Coalition asked me for assistance with a 12-year-old child who escaped gang violence in Honduras, traveling thousands of miles unaccompanied by a guardian and enduring months of detention before being reunited with his mother, brothers, and sisters in the United States.
As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Honduras from 1998-2000, I had a particular interest in this case. I knew the country, community, and culture from which the child left. I could also understand why he traveled the road he did and somewhat how difficult it must have been. I, along with two other attorneys from our firm, represented our client. Of our team, which in addition to me included Carlos Valdivia and Quadeer Ahmed, two of us speak Spanish and all of us had spent time living in other countries. During our first meeting with our client, we noticed that unlike a normal young boy, he was somewhat timid and withdrawn. However, over a number of months and after bonding with him over Honduran food and sports and the differences in culture and language, he became more engaging and appeared to have adjusted to his new life in the United States. Instead of reliving a harrowing story about losing family in Honduras, living under the threat of gang conscriptions, crossing three countries, and being held in a juvenile detention center, he would talk about school, sports, and his family. In essence, he had become a kid again. After a bench trial, the justice system agreed with our representation that our client, a juvenile, was forced to leave a very bad home country situation and deserved a fresh start with his family in the United States. We relied on the CAIR Coalition to advise us on specific procedural steps to take and support our representation as co-counsel. In the end, our team obtained Special Juvenile Immigration Status through state court and a termination of deportation proceedings. Instead of living in fear of being deported to face an uncertain future in a country struggling to stem gang violence, our client is a teenager in middle school learning and living free of this fear. Most importantly, he is now in the U.S. lawfully and on the path to becoming a U.S. citizen.
Help us celebrate Noviembre de Niños and purchase an item off of our Amazon Wish List which will be gifted to immigrant children in detention facilities served by CAIR Coalition.
