Recent Success
Victory in Pro Bono Asylum Case for Somali Refugee
Associate Jonathan Ehtessabian was successful in obtaining Asylum for a Somali refugee in the San Diego Immigration Court in Otay Mesa. The applicant was seeking Asylum under United States Code § 1158, Withholding of Removal Statutes, and the United Nations Convention against Torture. The applicant was a 24 year-old Somali who was persecuted and tortured in his home county due to his membership in the minority Asharaf clan.
Amongst other hardships, the applicant was abducted by majority clan militia-men while celebrating the birth of his first child at the family home. He was kidnapped, held in inhumane conditions and tortured for 5 months until he was released for ransom. Upon release, continued oppression forced him to leave his wife and newborn to seek freedom abroad. It took him 3 years to arrive in the United States.
The administrative trial lasted one day, and asylum was granted for the applicant the same day. This matter was handled as a pro bono service.
Jon Ehtessabian is an associate in our San Diego office. He concentrates his practice on professional liability and civil litigation. For further information, Mr. Ehtessabian can be reached at (619) 238-1712 or jehtessabian@neildymott.com