Maya's Story

Maya* turned to CRIS after a long history of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her U.S. citizen husband and the father of her three children. Maya was sent to the United States for an arranged marriage fifteen years ago. The man she was sent to marry was emotionally and physically abusive during the course of their marriage. Maya felt like she was trapped in the abusive marriage because she feared deportation, separation from her children and impoverishment. Maya’s attorney at CRIS was able to file an immigration petition under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as a battered spouse of a U.S. Citizen. The VAWA petition was approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Maya now has a work permit and is supporting herself and her children. In the meantime, Maya is awaiting approval of her green card application.

*This name has been changed to protect our client's privacy.