Cleary Gottlieb represented Mr. F and his family, who on October 25, 2019, were granted asylum by an immigration judge in New York based on Mr. F’s status as a former police officer in El Salvador.
Mr. F served as a police officer in El Salvador for over eight years, working to combat human trafficking and gang violence. As a result of Mr. F’s work, local gang members threatened to kill him and his family members on a regular basis. After multiple direct threats, the family fled to the United States, where they were placed in removal proceedings.
Cleary represented Mr. F and his family in their removal proceedings for over two years, including through multiple changes in the law regarding particular social groups. Despite precedent suggesting that police officers, per se, do not qualify as a particular social group, Cleary argued, and the immigration judge found, that former police officers qualify and that Mr. F’s fear of future persecution on this ground warranted asylum.
Mr. F and his family were referred to Cleary by Human Rights First.