IJC connects hundreds of people with legal representation that can change the course of their lives. One of these individuals is Mousa, who our partners in Colorado connected us with when he was being detained by ICE at the detention facility in Aurora, CO. Mousa is from an East African country where he faced persecution because his family was perceived to be a religious minority. Tragically, he fled his country alone after his family were killed.
Mousa was just 17 years old when he crossed the US border, but in violation of the law, CBP disregarded his proof of identity and detained him as an adult. Our local partners began representing him and secured a dental exam to try to prove his age, but it was unsuccessful. To continue fighting for Mousa, they referred his case to us.
Our team successfully challenged the errors in his record in immigration court and Mousa was released on bond. At that point, Mousa moved in with a sponsor family in Colorado and enrolled in high school. Then, we took action to get his removal case terminated altogether; Mousa speaks an extremely rare language, and lack of access to a translator meant that he could not get meaningful due process in court.
He said, “I thought I was going to be lost in the jail forever, until my lawyer worked hard to get me out so I can get an education and live freely and without being afraid.”
