The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic recently helped two clients with their preliminary approval for U Visas, which provide a path to lawful status for noncitizens who are the victims of serious crime and are helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution.
According to Jason A. Cade, the clinic's director and holder of a Hosch Associate Professorship, when the statutory backlog is cleared the clients will have full U status. "In the meantime, they can now reside and work lawfully in the United States," he said.
Current Community HeLP Clinic students James C. Berrigan and Lisa C. Garcia marshaled the evidence needed to achieve this successful outcome for both clients. Former clinic students and 2018 law school graduates Michael D. Aune, Caroline A. Jozefczyk, Clayton C. McClain and Christopher D. "Chris" Johnson assisted with earlier stages of the case.
The successful effort on behalf of these clients was made in conjunction with bilingual therapists from UGA's College of Education working at the Mercy Health Clinic, where the Community HeLP Clinic operates a medical-legal partnership addressing social determinants of health.