On February 24, 2022, the war in Ukraine forced my wife, our daughter, and me to flee our homeland. Seeking refuge, we initially traveled to Poland to stay with a friend for a month. During our stay, we learned of the opportunity for Ukrainians to seek a better life in America. After much discussion, our family decided to take the chance. Our journey began when we left Poland, flying to France, then to Mexico, and eventually reaching Tijuana. From there, we crossed the border into San Diego on foot, marking our arrival in the United States. Through Facebook, we were able to connect with compassionate and generous individuals who offered to let us stay with them at their residence in Hawaiʻi. Before we fled from the war in Ukraine, I filled out an application for the diversity visa lottery. After relocating to Hawaiʻi, I discovered that I had been selected for the lottery! We tried applying for the green card on our own but were overwhelmed with the number of documents we needed to complete, so we turned to The Legal Clinic for assistance. We were so glad we found them because we thought we had completed all the steps, but learned we were still missing the most important part of the application! Without The Legal Clinic's timely help in taking the final step, we would have lost our opportunity to get our green cards. TLC’s attorney, Omar Vaquerano, and legal assistant, Lia Nakao handled our case with professionalism and provided invaluable guidance. When our family was scheduled for an interview with USCIS, Omar was by our side, diligently overseeing our case. Thanks to the assistance of The Legal Clinic, we were able to secure our green cards, opening the door to a brighter future.

Client not pictured for privacy. Photo credit: Atlantic Council

Our client, a highly educated citizen of the Russian Federation from Siberia's Buryatia region, found himself at a crossroads. He had to make the difficult decision to leave Russia due to concerns for his safety, primarily stemming from his vocal criticism of the Russian government's policies. His decision was made after a peaceful picket protest against the Russian government's war in Ukraine, which led to his detainment by Russian authorities. He embarked on a challenging journey, traveling on foot through Mexico to reach the U.S. border, where he faced removal proceedings. He then went to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he encountered numerous obstacles, including a lack of support and difficulties navigating the process of applying for asylum. Eventually, he moved to Hawaiʻi, where he experienced homelessness and was even hit by a car, leaving him with injuries that required months of recovery. In Hawaiʻi, lacking the financial resources to secure legal representation, our client turned to The Legal Clinic (TLC) for assistance. After seven months of thorough preparation, TLC's attorney, Omar Vaquerano, presented his case before the Honolulu immigration court. The case was particularly challenging, as it hinged on the argument that our client faced a well-founded fear of future persecution, given that his prior detention in Russia was not severe enough to argue that the government’s past actions rose to the level of persecution. TLC's attorney was able to successfully make this argument at the merits hearing, and the judge granted the client's asylum application. Our client now has access to essential benefits like cash assistance, housing, and employment opportunities. This achievement marks the beginning of a new chapter in his life with the possibility of lawful permanent resident status in the future.

TLC is proud to celebrate two of our country’s newest citizens! TLCʻs Lia Nakao helped provide Estrella with study materials for the citizenship exam. Estrella says she is happy to be an American citizen and that she was so grateful for the support from TLC throughout the application process. Her husband, Jose, was sworn in as a US citizen two weeks later, and they hope to soon be renuited with their son from the Philippines, who is also applying for US citizenship.

TLC assisted this family in obtaining a green card for one of the parents who previously had DACA status (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

Click to watch Nelyʻs story on TLCʻs YouTube Channel.