Cleary Gottlieb successfully represented Ms. L and Ms. G in their applications for permanent residency in the United States as petitioners under the Violence Against Women Act. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services granted Ms. G lawful permanent residency on July 28 and Ms. G lawful permanent residency on August 10.
Ms. L was born in Seoul, Korea and came to the U.S. in May of 1996 with her boyfriend, a U.S. citizen, whom she married in 1997. Ms. L’s husband allegedly abused Ms. L physically and emotionally. In 2002, Ms. L divorced her husband on grounds of spousal abuse. Ms. G’s petition alleges that several years after her marriage to a U.S. citizen, her husband became abusive and interfered with her efforts to become a legal permanent resident.
The Violence Against Woman Act was enacted in 1994 and allows abused spouses and children to apply for lawful permanent residence on their own without relying on their abusers. Cleary Gottlieb lawyers filed the VAWA petitions on behalf of Ms. G and Ms. L and appeared with each of them at their respective interviews before USCIS for permanent residence.