By Jessica Jaramillo Perez, Interim NALC Director
“Jane Doe” came to the United States in June 2023 seeking asylum after fleeing severe persecution in her home country. She and her two children were subsequently placed in removal proceedings and filed an application for asylum in June 2024. Prior to fleeing, she had been married for several years to a lawful permanent resident, but financial barriers prevented the family from pursuing consular processing before she was forced to flee.
Before coming to the United States, “Jane” endured years of abuse and harassment at the hands of a former partner. Even after she re-married, the former partner refused to leave her alone. He repeatedly stalked and threatened her because she would not reconcile with him. His behavior escalated over time and resulted in a horrific incident in which he slit his wrists in front of her and attempted to kill her. “Jane” ultimately came to believe that he was involved in organizing a subsequent armed assault.
The traumatic incident occurred while “Jane” was driving her son to school. Armed men forced her out of her truck at gunpoint and pressed a firearm against her stomach while her son remained inside the vehicle. “Jane” feared the men would drive away with her son. Fortunately, they allowed her to remove him from the vehicle before driving off. The incident left her and her son deeply traumatized and drove her decision to flee.
After arriving in the United States, NALC assisted her husband in obtaining U.S. citizenship. We then assisted him in filing petitions for “Jane” and her two children, and pursuing adjustment of status for the family. With substantial support from one of our recent graduates (Thalia Enriquez ’25), we sought termination of the family’s removal proceedings. Although termination was denied, the Immigration Judge granted administrative closure instead.
While administrative closure provided temporary relief, it did not fully end the proceedings. The case remained pending without a future hearing date, requiring additional future litigation to re-calendar the matter and seek actual termination. This uncertainty became another significant source of stress and anxiety for the family throughout the process.
In addition, “Jane” was required to attend regular ICE check-ins while her case remained pending. Despite repeated reassurance from her NALC advocates, these appointments caused her severe emotional distress. She often arrived for the check-ins terrified that she could be detained or separated from her children.
NALC represented the family at their adjustment interview in July 2025, and the interviewing officer initially indicated that the case was approvable. As a result, the family felt an enormous sense of relief and hope that the years of uncertainty were finally ending. However, the matter took an unexpected turn when the family received a Notice of Intent to Deny in October 2025. The notice was devastating for “Jane,” her husband, and the children, particularly after they had been led to believe the applications would be approved. The possibility that she and her children could still face removal weighed heavily on the entire family.
But our team rose to the challenge. Through tireless advocacy, strategic legal work, and collaborative effort, we prepared and submitted a compelling response addressing the government’s concerns. Just two months later, “Jane” and her children were granted lawful permanent residence.
Throughout the process, “Jane” continued to struggle with trauma stemming from the persecution she experienced in her home country. This was compounded by the uncertainty and stress of the immigration process, despite being referred to therapy.
We are particularly proud of this case because it reflects strong teamwork, persistence, and zealous advocacy in overcoming unexpected obstacles to secure a positive outcome for a vulnerable family. “Jane” and her children are now living safely in the United States, free from fear of immigration enforcement and with the stability to begin rebuilding their lives together as a family.
This outcome is truly worth celebrating and reflects the high-quality legal services NALC provides; while also highlighting the meaningful role our students play in advancing NALC’s mission and advocating zealously for our clients.