Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) is proud to announce a significant victory in our ongoing mission to fight for the right to asylum. Today, we celebrate our client Marc’s¹ victory. Project Corazon, along with its partners, fought for almost a year to free this man who only wished to find a safe place to live his life. He is now reunited with his family after almost a year and a half of separation and nine months of detention.
This is the first in a series about fighting for asylum seekers, the cruelties of the system, and the impact it has on those fighting the system.
False Imprisonment in Haiti and Torture in Mexico
January 2023: Initial Contact
Project Corazon received distressing images showing Marc with severe injuries from a kidnapping and torture in Mexico.
In January 2023, our team met a man who would show us all the trials and tribulations of the current US asylum system. Marc, a Haitian asylum seeker, had been subjected to unthinkable trauma, including abuse in his home country and then kidnapping and torture in Mexico. When we met him, he was stuck in Mexico, recently freed from his abusers, and unable to access the US asylum system.
Jessica Riley, Project Corazon staff attorney, took on Marc’s case from the beginning, from when we were seeking a humanitarian parole exemption to Title 42, to the final hearing deciding whether or not Marc would be granted asylum, navigating the complex asylum process with determination and legal acumen. At every turn, we faced barriers that even Priscilla Orta, our Director with over 12 years of immigration law experience, had never seen.
In a pivotal moment in March 2023, Marc's story was brought to the public eye through a story in the Washington Post, amplifying the urgent need for reform in the asylum process at the US-Mexico border. Comprehensive documentation of Marc’s dire situation and persistent legal advocacy from the Project Corazon staff eventually led to a breakthrough.
In March, Marc was finally granted entry into the U.S. to pursue his asylum claim, but his journey was far from over.
Unfortunately, DHS detained him and sent him to a detention center in Laredo where he would remain, away from his family, for the next nine months while he prepared for his case to be heard in front of a judge. Jessica and Priscilla represented him during his Credible Fear Interview, which he passed. However, his parole was denied time and again by DHS, meaning he was stuck in a for-profit detention center, resembling a jail. For the next nine months, Jessica and our volunteer Becky were the only people able to visit him during that time. Together, our team continued to provide unwavering support, legal guidance, and representation, getting him ready to tell his story and fight for a final ruling in his case.
9 Months Later: Marc’s Trial
December 2023: Post-Trial: Family Reunion and Reflection
After a year of legal advocacy, Marc was finally reunited with his family on Christmas Eve.
After months of fighting for basic rights–from the right to sit with our client to the right to have him in court before the judge–the trial came days before the holidays in December 2023. Our team was shocked when we arrived at court; despite this being a civil proceeding, we found Marc shackled hands to waist, waist to feet, in an orange jumpsuit, and with two armed guards standing over him. We objected to this behavior, but Marc, forever stoic, simply asked us to let the trial begin.
Despite being under immense pressure, Marc delivered powerful testimony about the harrowing experiences he had overcome and why his claim of persecution was valid. His testimony, along with his legal team's staunch defense led to a miracle–in a court with a 3-5% win rate, we won, ensuring Marc would not be returned to any place he feared. With this decision, Marc was finally released and reunited with his family on Christmas Eve.
Marc’s eventual reunion with his family marked not only a personal triumph but also a significant victory for L4GG and Project Corazon. It underscored the critical importance of legal advocacy in protecting the rights and dignities of asylum seekers.
The Fight For Asylum Is Far From Over
This case sheds light on the broader challenges within the immigration system and reinforces the necessity for a more humane and equitable approach. Marc only won his case because he was the fortunate recipient of a pro bono lawyer who was willing to spend countless hours fighting for him when others had written him off. The vast majority of immigrants, particularly detained immigrants, do not have access to attorneys in their asylum cases. L4GG is proud to have represented Marc, but we also know we cannot represent every asylum seeker who we meet because there simply aren’t enough Jessica’s to go around. Instead, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to providing legal support and advocacy for those who are most vulnerable and in need of protection.
As we celebrate this victory, we also recognize the ongoing struggles faced by countless others in similar situations. Marc's story is a powerful reminder of the impact that dedicated legal advocacy can have and the importance of continuing our fight for justice and human rights.
Join L4GG as we continue to champion the rights of asylum seekers like Marc. Here’s how you can help:
Donate to Project Corazon: The more money we raise, the more we can represent asylum seekers like Marc.
Volunteer with Project Corazon: We could never have done this without help from volunteers. If you are interested in helping with anything from writing supportive letters to our clients to fighting an asylum case with us there to guide you, please sign up here.
Share this story: The world is filled with negative stories of asylum seekers. Show those closest to you a counter-narrative--the story of a man whose story starts with torture and ends with reunification with his family on Christmas.
Contact your elected officials: Call your elected officials on EVERY level and let them know that YOU support immigrants. Your local officials need to know your opinions as every city faces difficult decisions ahead.
¹ Name changed to protect identity.