Securing Proof of Legal Status for Diego After Years of Uncertainty

“Diego” – originally from Guatemala – came to ALRP for help finding proof of his legal status. He recalled having been granted some form of relief many years ago, but he had no documentation to prove it. In light of the current federal immigration policies, Diego was fearful of what could happen to him without having any physical proof of his immigration status. 

With the help of our immigration attorney Rafael Benzecry, Diego filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain a copy of his immigration records. Initially, Diego received a disappointing response to his request: There were no records associated with Diego’s name. Rafael then worked closely with Diego to identify a family member who helped him find his A-Number, a unique number assigned by the Department of Homeland Security that tracks an individual’s immigration history.

Diego’s Form I-94, demonstrating his status as an asylee

Diego submitted another request, and after a few months of waiting, he received a copy of his full immigration record, including an immigration judge’s order granting him asylum in 1996! Rafael was then able to help Diego obtain an I-94, a document issued by Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) proving his status as an asylee.

After decades of uncertainty, Diego finally has proof of his legal immigration status that he can keep in his wallet and – in the event of an encounter with ICE – he can prove he is protected by the prior grant of asylum.