San Francisco associate Nicole Giuntoli successfully navigated the current immigration landscape to assist a longtime DWT client with a particularly complicated status adjustment.
The client, who was a former beauty pageant winner in her home city, fled El Salvador after being threatened on several occasions by a member of the MS 13 gang. DWT first started working with her in 2010 and helped her secure a U visa.
The client returned to DWT last year seeking assistance with her adjustment of status application and seeking renewed employment authorization. Nicole agreed to help out with what was thought to be a pretty routine application. However, because the client had gotten married, given birth to a child with significant special needs, and had trouble with both employment and housing, she did not have the typical documentation that most clients have when seeking a status adjustment.
Nicole spent hours helping the client painstakingly piece together relevant documentation necessary to show her continuous and law-abiding presence in the United States during the last five years. Despite that effort, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) still requested supplemental information, which required many additional hours of work.
Nicole proved how valuable it is to have a zealous advocate when navigating the immigration system, as USCIS ultimately approved the client’s request for a green card.