November 6, 2012 – Citizen of El Salvador receives CAT protection despite conviciton for “aggravated felony,” released after nearly two years of ICE detention

Facts: A citizen of El Salvador was placed in removal proceedings and charged as an “aggravated felon.” His family came to the firm for help.

The Firm’s Representation: The firm took our client’s case and discovered that our client had a viable claim under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The firm asserted that our client would be harmed by the violent street gangs in El Salvador if he was deported.

Outcome: Based on the firm’s extensive documentation and testimony from an expert, on August 15, 2012, the Immigration Judge granted our client CAT protection. The decision was appealed by ICE. The firm is continuing our client’s representation in the Board of Immigration Appeals.

On November 6, 2012, ICE withdrew its appeal in the Board of Immigration Appeals and released our client from ICE detention. He had been in ICE detention for nearly two years. Later that day, our client called the firm from his mom’s house to tell us how grateful he was for our help, then he sat down to his first home cooked meal in over two years.