Our Clients
Ayuda Wins Big Case for Guatemalan Asylum Seeker, Trafficking Survivor
Ayuda Supervising Attorney, Katie Soltis, recently won an extremely arduous asylum case for her client Camila*, an indigenous Ixil Mayan from Guatemala and survivor of severe child abuse and labor trafficking. Camila was kept as a slave in a locked room for much of...
Resilience in the Face of Tragedy: Catherine’s Story
Silvia’s Story
Silvia Lopez moved to the United States from El Salvador more than 29 years ago, escaping the civil war that plagued the country from 1980 to 1992. When Silvia first arrived in 1989, she began the arduous process of applying for asylum and later for a green card...
An immigrant family gets a fighting chance
The Pineda family knows what it is like to fight. Ricardo Pineda served in the U.S. military for five years, including one year in Korea, away from his family. He was honorably discharged because of medical issues. Two of Ricardo’s sons, Juan Pablo Pineda and Kevin...
Despite Abusing His Wife, Diplomatic Immunity Protected Him
By: Clarissa Arevalo, Domestic Violence Staff Attorney Annette and her children came to Washington D.C. when her husband – a member of the military of a country in central Africa – was posted to the embassy. Already a violent man, he became even more violent in the...
Attorney Rwanda Campbell provides pro bono service and helps Estella rebuild her life.
Arnold & Porter’s Rwanda N. Campbell has been a pro bono attorney with Ayuda for three years, representing clients seeking U Visas, which helps undocumented victims of crime gain legal status in the United States through their cooperation with law enforcement. Her...
Nearly Perfect Strangers, Civil War Survivor Helps Teen Escape Gang Violence
By Kayleen Hartman, Immigration Staff Attorney Jose left El Salvador in 1986 during the civil war after a few of his friends were murdered. He moved to the United States – initially sleeping on the streets – but over time, building a new life. Jose worked hard, got...
From Slave Laborer to Devoted Wife and Mother
Isabel and Ernesto, a young couple, first came to Ayuda when Isabel’s high school English teacher, Audrey, noticed a four-year gap in Isabel's studies. Audrey asked Isabel about it. When Audrey heard Isabel’s story, she immediately knew that Ayuda could help. “When...
Ayuda Helps a Young Girl
Janna is a very talkative, energetic, and confident kid—imagine your typical eleven year old. When I met Janna, she told me that she had recently joined the 100-mile club at her elementary school. “But don’t worry," she said. "We don’t run one hundred miles all at...
A Family Safely Reunited
As a single mother with a full-time job and four children, how Eva Knight finds the time to study English, participate in her church community, and volunteer for a domestic violence support group, is a tribute to a person’s indomitable spirit. If anything, Eva's past...