Hello,

Here is a recap of Just Neighbors’ February.  This month we highlight Afghanistan, a nation from where many of our clients have fled as refugees.

Client Story by Just Neighbors intern Robin Chen Delos

Ahmed* grew up and lived most of his life in Afghanistan until he was forced to flee because of war.  His country has been embroiled in almost continuous conflict since 1979 when the Soviets invaded.  Popular guerilla forces who called themselves mujahideen rose up in opposition and promised a jihad or holy war against the Soviets.  The U.S. got involved and began supporting and training the mujahideen because it viewed them as a cold war ally against the Soviet Union.  The Soviets fled. But conflict continued as rival factions fought each other for control of the country. 

At last in 1996 a group called the Taliban asserted itself as the strongest.  It imposed harsh fundamentalist laws, including stoning to death as punishment for adultery, severing hands for theft, and forbidding women from attending school or working.  It also committed many human rights abuses.

Greetings,

As the new year kicks off, Just Neighbors will be starting a series of newsletters that will focus on different native countries of Just Neighbors’ clients.  In this series of stories, we hope to interweave the news and recent history of each country with the circumstances that have led clients to us.  This month we look at Sierra Leone in Western Africa.

Client Story

“I have found my children!  My children are alive!”  This was the thrilling news from our client, Mr. D. 

Mr. D. fled Sierra Leone in 1998 during the country’s civil war, just before rebels succeeded in a bloody coup overthrowing the democratically elected government.  A successful businessman in Freetown, Mr. D. had been imprisoned for providing financial support to a government opposition group.   He managed to flee during a jailbreak, and walked to a refugee camp in neighboring Liberia. 

Happy New Year!
 
Thank you for helping make 2006 a great year for Just Neighbors.  We have worked with hundreds of immigrants this year (the final count will be in soon) and have taken on more time-intensive cases, primarily those involving domestic violence.  With your support, we look forward to continuing to expand our services in 2007.

Client Story

“I don’t know what we would have done without you,” Mr. "Vande" said to his Just Neighbors attorney, glad that his family’s long road with Immigration was complete.

Mr. Vande had come to the United States seven years ago on a “Diversity Lottery” visa, which allows individuals selected by lottery from particular countries to obtain permanent resident status in the United States and bring their family members. 

Dear Friends,

As Thanksgiving winds down, Just Neighbors is grateful that so many of you are supportive of and involved in our work.  We are also thankful to have the chance to meet with clients everyday who show a resilience, patience, and dedication that inspires us.  We trust that as you learn their stories, you will be inspired too.

Client Story
Maria came to Just Neighbors two weeks ago frazzled, in part because she unknowingly made an illegal U-turn trying to find our office and received her first ticket in seven years.  But her more pressing concern related to her ongoing uncertainty about her status with Immigration.  She thought that her U.S. citizen mother had filed a family petition with Immigration for her in 1990, but her mother had not successfully filed the petition until 1998.  The process became complicated several years ago when Maria came to visit her mother here with her young children from Bolivia.  Maria lost her passport at the Miami airport and has documentation to show her extensive efforts to retrieve it; with the passport Maria lost proof that she entered the United States lawfully.