KENYAN ASYLUM AND OTHER FORMS IMMIGRATION RELIEF

Kenyans often present difficult immigration cases. A large segment of the community are good people who have overstayed their visas in the United States. They have no qualifying relatives or employers who might file immigration petitions on their behalf, and their overstays and unlawful employment in the United States often frustrates most forms of adjustment of status (the application for lawful permanent residency while the alien remains in the U.S.). Further compounding their troubles is the fact that they often become the victims of unscrupulous non-lawyers who mislead and take advantage of them.

However, beneath the surface of Kenyan society, boils a cauldron of political and social unrest, corruption and violence which drive a great number of Kenyans from their country. Many become the victims of domestic violence, both in Kenya and often at the hands of abusive U.S. Citizens or permanent resident spouses, who promise them the world, then hold them hostage, using their immigration vulnerability to enslave and coerce them. Some have lived in the United States for extremely long periods of time with immediate family members who are either US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents . Many Kenyans unfortunately, never come to an understanding that such circumstances, with very careful legal representation, could lead to a resolution of their lack of immigration status, without compromising their integrity. These aliens might qualify for asylum, withholding of removal, relief under the Torture Convention, Cancellation of Removal, protection under the Violence Against Women's Act (VAWA), adjustment of status, or other forms of immigration relief.

Chow & Hamilton's work with Kenyan asylum seekers and immigration court litigants is believed to be the gold standard in the United States. Hamilton's understanding of Kenya and techniques for winning Kenyan immigration cases has been crafted over the last 15 years. Hamilton is thought to be the longest standing attorney in the United States representing Kenyans in asylum claims on a consistent basis and over the last three years all of his Kenyan Immigration Court clients have been granted either asylum, withholding of removal, relief under the torture convention, adjustment of status, or cancellation of removal. This is quite remarkable since over 90% of the firm's immigration caseload are Kenyans.

Maria Rangel.