spotlight

ALRP Panel attorney Cara Jobson helps refugees remain lawfully in the Bay Area. ALRP clients have told us horrific stories of abuse, gang violence, and even sexual assault resulting from the disclosure of their sexual orientations and gender identities. Others have shared the difficulty of accessing HIV/AIDS-specific medications in countries with resource-poor or developing health systems.

Robert was thrilled to resume working after being on disability leave for several years due to his HIV. “I work in sales and it’s a huge part of who I am,” he said. “I got recruited for a dream job and I felt really empowered again to be back at work. I put one hundred percent into it.” To make sure he could handle the demands of his job, Robert started with part-time hours until he felt confident that he could physically tolerate full-time work again.

ALRP client Carlos was living in a homeless shelter and grappling with serious HIV-related health issues when ALRP referred him to Panel attorney Ting Chen. A Mexican citizen, Carlos had applied for asylum through the San Francisco Asylum Office in 2002 because he had been a victim of anti-gay violence in Mexico.

Carlos was wearing a monitoring anklet and living in fear of being deported to El Salvador when he first met ALRP Panel attorney Jim Diamond—but thanks to Jim’s hard work, now Carlos can live in the United States without fear of deportation and without monitoring.