On April 14, 2015, after two years of legal procedures, a Jamaican national
immigrant woman who previously had been granted deferred action under
the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) finally obtained permanent
residence in the United States.
VAWA was enacted to provide immigration protection for abused spouses,
children and parents of United State citizens or lawful permanent residents,
allowing the victim (or survivor) to self-petition based on the abuse
they have endured. VAWA self-petitioners may also concurrently or subsequently
apply for lawful permanent status.
Attorneys David F. Vedder and Silvia Manzanero prepared a compelling VAWA
self-petition for their client, demonstrating that she had suffered both
battery and extreme cruelty by her U.S. citizen abusive spouse.
However, this was only the first step in the two-part process. In this
particular case, an old agency error jeopardized this immigrant woman’s
chances of obtaining permanent residence. At an adjustment of status interview,
attorney Manzanero persuasively explained the factual and legal arguments
to the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services officer, who rightly
approved her client’s permanent residence application.
As a self-petitioner spouse of a U.S. citizen who has been battered or
subjected to battery and extreme cruelty, Manzanero’s client will
be able to apply for citizenship after three years as a permanent resident.
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