When Andrea Caruso joined Casa Cornelia in August 2000 to coordinate the asylum program no one could have anticipated the events that were to transform the program at Casa Cornelia Law Center for the next two years. At the time of her hiring in the spring, everyone anticipated increased activity at the port of entry. Certainly, it was thought [...]
Virtually no one can secure an immigrant visa (sometimes referred to as a green card because of its original color) without being sponsored by a close family member who is either a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident. Non-immigrant visas, of course, are available to visit, study, and even work in the United States but to live permanently [...]
Don Quixote has featured in each of the law center's annual reports. What significance does this have? Actually, it was an attempt at whimsy. When Casa Cornelia began, I sometimes felt as if we were tilting at windmills and that Sr. Mary Wayne and I were on an ephemeral quest. Looking back, David and Goliath probably would have been [...]
Between the dark and the daylight, when the night is begining to lower, comes a pause in the day's occupation, that is known as the children's hour. H. W. Longfellow Evening in Balboa Park in San Diego marks the beginning of a different children's hour- a time when homeless children move off the streets to find a "spot" for [...]
They were nearing the end of practice when Gabriela mouthed the words, “I’ve got a secret!” She was absolutely bursting with pleasure, and Ann knew the walk home would be better than ever. “So what’s the secret?” “You have to promise not to tell.” Ann crossed her heart. “My father is getting a new job and we’re moving to [...]
Casa Cornelia’s Development office is about as far away from a courtroom as you can get, so when Rose suggested I attend an asylum hearing, I was thrilled. My assignment was to sit in the courtroom and take notes. “Don’t show any emotion, no matter what happens,” Rose warned. “If you feel your emotions start to well-up, just look [...]
Kamel* is an Afghanistan native who, opposing the Taliban, has endured significant danger during his life in his home country. He believes the Taliban’s ideology is oppressive and refuses to support their regime. This led to him being persecuted and twice having to seek refuge. During the Taliban’s rule in the nineties, Kamel was targeted and imprisoned. He was [...]
Gabriela* is a Mexican-born woman with two children and a long-standing history of physical and psychological abuse. Growing up, she witnessed domestic violence from her father against her mother and was often even on the receiving end of his abuse. Gabriela left Mexico at the age of 15, fleeing from the abuse and hoping for a better life for [...]
