News

Media Contact: Laura [email protected] | 202-552-3508 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2022 Ayuda Supports Migrants Bused to Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C – Since April, Ayuda has been working to help coordinate the humanitarian response as the governors of...
10 Years of DACA: Lives Changed & Dreams Made Possible
Cheili came to Ayuda shortly after the DACA program was announced in June 2012 seeking to enroll with this new program. She had been in the U.S. since she was a small child and has grown up in the U.S. Ayuda was able to represent Cheili in securing her DACA, and we’ve...
A Story of Survival and Perseverance – This is Anahay’s Story
Anahay [1] a mother of two, came to Ayuda seeking legal representation to request custody of her two children as well as child support from their abusive father, Paco. Paco had a history of abusing Anahay physically, emotionally, financially and sexually – even...
Aicha’s story
*Aicha is a forty-year old North African woman who came to Ayuda seeking legal representation for a civil protection order, divorce, and custody of her children from her husband, David. Aicha and David had been married for 15 years and have two children in common....
Ayuda’s history as a national leader in holistic culturally specific services for immigrant survivors of domestic violence.
Leslye Orloff remembers clearly one of her first days at Ayuda. “It was 1985, and I walked into the waiting room. It was full of men,” she said. “The services were mostly focused on immigration options for the male head of households.” Little attention had been paid...
As Senators Renew Push for Immigration Relief via Budget Reconciliation, Hispanic Federation Launches National Legal Aid Coalition En Español Abajo For Immediate Release: September 16, 2021Contact: Carolina Gamero, [email protected], (310) 893-9038 NEW...
Tensay Kelile’s Testimony at The September 9 Asylumist Discussion at Immigrant Food
Dear distinguished guests, TASSC staff and TASSC members. My name is Tensay Kelile. I am a torture survivor from Ethiopia. Today I would like to share my personal story about why I was forced to flee Ethiopia, and how much I have suffered as an Affirmative Asylum...
“The support I received at Ayuda was life changing. This is my story.” – Luis, Ayuda client.
"I came to the United States from my home country of El Salvador 6 years ago, at the age of 14. After some turmoil traveling through Mexico, I arrived at the border. After being processed at the border I was put on a...
Alejandra’s Story
At the tender age of five years old, Alejandra*'s mother left her children to seek safety in the United States after experiencing severe domestic abuse from her partner. Alejandra stayed with her father, who was a dangerous and abusive man. Her father forced...
How DASH and West End Plastic Surgery Helped Ayuda Client Claudia
Ayuda is grateful to be a part of a larger network of community partners and supporters that work to hard ensure our clients are able to receive the support they deserve. Claudia, an Ayuda client and survivor of an extremely severe case of domestic violence in which...
Access to CAM Expanded
Washington, D.C. (June 16, 2021) – Ayuda is thrilled to hear about the expansion of the CAM program to include new applicants and new categories of applicants not previously eligible to petition for their children to come to the United States safely and lawfully in...
Giancarla
Meet Giancarla, Ayuda employee and DACA recipient. "My name is Giancarla, I am a DREAMER, and I have been working at Ayuda for the past 2 ½ years. I was born in Bolivia and I came to the US with my family when I was 10 years old. More than 80% of DREAMERS arrived to...
AB and LEA Vacated
Washington, D.C. (June 16, 2021) – Together with our clients, Ayuda celebrates the Attorney General’s decision today to vacate Matter of A-B and Matter of L-E-A. Matter of A-B- and Matter of L-E-A- were prior Attorney General decisions which dramatically limited...
Ayuda Commends USCIS’s Policy Alert on Work Permits for U Visa Petitioners
Washington, D.C. (June 15, 2021) – Ayuda is pleased that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced new procedures for issuing work permits to individuals with pending, bona fide U Visa applications. U Visas are a form of immigration status, and a...
Ayuda helps a young mother rebuild her life
Maribel is a 20-year-old woman from Central America. At age 16, she left her country after she found out she was pregnant, both fleeing abuse and to provide a better life for her child. She crossed into the US and was detained by Border Patrol. She had her son while...