On August 18, 2023, Williams & Connolly obtained asylum for a pro bono client in Fort Snelling Immigration Court. In 2007, the client, represented by Williams & Connolly, initially obtained asylum because in her native country, the Central African Republic, she faced horrific beatings, unlawful detention and abuse due to her political opinions, ethnicity, and familial connection to a former President of the Central African Republic. She became a lawful U.S. permanent resident two years later and began creating a life here for herself and her two daughters, who are U.S. citizens. When the client’s parents fell ill and died in 2011, she felt compelled to go back to the Central African Republic to care for and bury them. When she returned to the U.S. in 2016, she received a Notice to Appear claiming she was removable for having abandoned her lawful permanent resident status. A Williams & Connolly team led by Dana Kinel, Catherine Depret, Indira Martell, and Linda Gitonga took on her case in October 2022, shortly before a final merits hearing was scheduled to take place before an Immigration Judge who, at the time, denied more than 90% of asylum cases before him. After compiling persuasive evidence, the Williams & Connolly team was able to convince the government and the presiding judge that the client was entitled to humanitarian asylum. After being granted this asylum, the client is now able to stay in the U.S. with her two daughters.