Initials & Country of Origin: GK from Ivory Coast

Type of Case: Affirmative Asylum

Language/interpretation needs: French

Date of Entry (and status, if any): 10/15/2023, C-1 Visa

GK, from Côte d’Ivoire who identifies as lesbian, has faced severe abuse and discrimination due to both her sexual orientation and albinism. After her family discovered her relationship with another woman around 2012, they subjected her to frequent beatings and forced her out of the home in 2015.

After relocating to Abidjan, she was later assaulted multiple times by a neighbor, including a July 2023 attack by the neighbor and his brothers that resulted in hospitalization. Despite filing police reports, authorities failed to investigate or protect her, forcing her to flee Côte d’Ivoire and seek asylum in the United States.

Theory of the Case: Past persecution and future fear on account of PSG (LGBTQ+, Albino)
* GK already filed for I-589 within the one-year deadline.

Commitment: Revision/update of I-589, gather evidence and testimony, appearances at USCIS; Work permit (initial and renewals)

Interview: Yes

Experience level/case team size recommended: Appropriate for any experience level and team size