Perseverance pays off for labor certification clients

Last week, I won an immigration battle for an elderly pro bono client and his employer who were abandoned by his previous attorney and left with a seemingly hopeless case.

For context:

- Client was let down by another attorney

- Labor Certification process was completely botched

- Client is in his 80s with limited resources

My colleague asked if I wanted to work on it together for free. When I looked at the client's situation, I realized why my colleague believed the case qualified.

He qualified under the LIFE Act - an incredibly narrow section of immigration law that very few people qualify for. 

It allows people with older approved cases to complete their permanent resident process from within the U.S.

The path forward for this labor certification wasn't easy:

- Got the prevailing wage

- Advertised for the position (as required by PERM, employer paid the recruitment fees)

- Filed the labor certification through his employer 

All while navigating endless government delays.

We started in early 2023, and just now got approval for the employer's part of the case. Now he waits for his place in line - hopefully just a few more months.

And what makes these cases more meaningful is the connection.

With regular clients, if they were not working with me, they'd likely find another attorney. With a pro bono case the clients truly need your help and it is unlikely that many attorneys would take on the case pro bono. 

There's something powerful about knowing you're the difference between someone staying in the country or facing removal.

Some cases wrap up in months with expedited processing. Others require you to be in it for the long haul. Immigration law isn't always quick wins - sometimes it's about staying the course and being there when someone needs you most.

That's what makes these cases worth every minute.