“There aren’t many things in life that you can do that are as critical to another person and, consequently, are as meaningful to you when you can help. As a lawyer, I’ve found this work to be one of the most gratifying things I’ve done. I’m so glad that [Michael’s case] has a happy ending.” – Martha Koster, Member, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Attorney Martha Koster, a member at Mintz Levin and a 2012-2013 Access to Justice Fellow, first met Michael* in 2014 through her volunteer work representing asylum seekers and detained immigrants through the PAIR (Political Asylum/Immigration Representation) Project.
Michael, who was born and raised in Jamaica, realized he was gay at a young age. Homosexuality is criminalized and highly stigmatized in Jamaica, and Michael’s life there was marked by numerous incidents of extreme violence against him, as well as social isolation and rejection by his family.
After Michael entered college, he met and eventually began living with his partner Aaron.* Although they presented themselves as roommates, the couple started to receive frequent anonymous death threats from people who suspected that they were gay. They went to the police, who advised them to leave the country. Aaron was able to secure a visa quickly through his father and moved to Massachusetts, while Michael stayed behind and became increasingly concerned for his safety.
Eventually Michael’s visa application was approved and in 2014 he moved to Worcester, where he and Aaron lived together, supported by the LGBT Asylum Task Force. Pastor Judy Hanlon, co-founder of the program, connected Michael with PAIR and he began to work with Martha and her colleagues at Mintz on his application for asylum.
The Mintz team had Michael meet with a therapist, who evaluated him and diagnosed him with severe PTSD and depression. Michael also had permanent disabilities and problems with his memory due to the violence he had endured. Despite his trauma, Michael had to discuss his past many times in order to prepare for his eventual asylum interview.
In February 2018, four years after Martha took his case, Michael was finally granted an asylum interview. Martha and her colleague, Mintz member Drew DeVoogd, accompanied Michael to his interview, where Michael presented his harrowing story to a hearing officer. Six weeks later, Michael was granted asylum.
Coming to the U.S. and receiving asylum has completely changed Michael’s life. Today he has a fulfilling job working with children with mental health conditions and developmental disabilities and he and Aaron—who was also granted asylum—are engaged, living together openly, and are active members of their local LGBTQIA community.
The Clearinghouse extends its gratitude to Martha, a co-founder of our Access to Justice Fellows Program who has remained deeply involved and has been instrumental to the program’s growth over the past seven years. Since serving as a Fellow with PAIR in 2012, Martha has continued to represent many immigrants seeking asylum and has made a huge difference for so many people and their families. Thank you, Martha!
*Names changed to protect privacy.
