Another victim of crime comes to our office, another U visa granted. Our client received his U visa in August and his work permit (one day later). Our client came in because he had some vague idea that a petition had been filed for him many years prior, but he didn’t have any of the documentation. We investigated it but could not find anything. But, in our thorough intake process, we found out that he had been stabbed in a bar in an unprovoked attack by a drunk psycho. This was — as you can imagine — a very disturbing incident for our client. Though he was released from the hospital the same day, he continues to have flashbacks and flinches when people move around him rapidly or unexpectedly.

After we saw that he was attacked we found out that he had cooperated with the police. We contacted the police department in Norwalk. They had never heard of a U visa or the I-918 supplement B that we needed them to sign. It took some work, but we finally convinced them to help us. We educated them on the U visa and how it helped the police fight crime by making undocumented immigrants an unattractive target for criminals. Whereas previously criminals knew that undocumented immigrants were unwilling to report the crimes to the police, now they had an incentive.

MORAL OF THE STORY

If your attorney does not do a thorough intake with you s/he may be missing a key part of your narrative/history. Many undocumented immigrants have an avenue to adjust their status open to them, they just have never talked to a great immigration attorney to find out. Make time to do that today.

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Scott McVarish, Lead Attorney at The Immigration Law Office of Los Angeles, P.C. is available for speaking engagements, interviews, seminars and trainings on this and many other immigration law topics. Providing pro bono (donated) legal services at such community education events are part of this law office’s “Giving Back to the community” philosophy.
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