KENYAN APPLICANT'S PATIENCE REWARDED BY LOS ANGELES IMMIGRATION JUDGE

Yesterday, Judge Neumeister of the Los Angeles Immigration Court granted the asylum claim of of one of my Kenyan clients who has been litigating an asylum claim, with my assistance, for the last five and a half years.  One extraordinary aspect of this case is the number of times the applicant and I appeared for trial, ready to proceed, only to be rescheduled, for reasons beyond our control, to a much later trial date.

I am happy to say that so many years and two judges later, the client was afforded a hearing on the compelling merits of the asylum claim, with the most favorable of outcomes.

On behalf of the applicant, we thank Judge Neumeister, and DHS counsel, Ms. Woods, for their participation in this matter.

By: Duane Hamilton

MORE KENYAN HUMANITARIAN APPROVALS

On May 23, and May 30, 2013, I received a recommended approval and final approval of two of my Kenyan asylum cases which had been backlogged with the Asylum Office (AO) in Anaheim since last year.  Cases in Anaheim (which is the Los Angeles district AO), have been pending for much longer periods than usual, due to a backlog of cases which has developed in that particular office.  We believe that in spite of the frustrations associated with the unusual delay, the wait was well worth it for these applicants.

Yesterday, June 5, 2013, in trial, Judge Bartolomei of the San Diego Immigration Court, granted withholding of removal to another of my Kenyan clients who was applying for humanitarian relief well after the requisite asylum one year deadline, which requires applicants to file their asylum claims within one year after their last arrival into the United States.  Withholding which does not require filing in one year, but carries a higher burden of proof, nevertheless, protects the applicant from being returned to a country in which they have been harmed or fear harm, with renewable authorization to work in the US indefinitely.

By:  Duane Hamilton