Success Stories

Vietnamese Asylum Seeker Wins Release from Custody

 Mr. Minh Van Tran is an asylum-seeker from Vietnam who suffers from severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of years of persecution and torture at the hands of the Vietnamese government.  He was detained by ICE for over two years and he awaited a decision from an immigration judge as to whether  he will be deported to Vietnam. His nightmare with the U.S. immigration system began in late August 2007 when he went to his local USCIS office in Orange County, California to inquire about his green card status. Instead, he met several ICE agents who handcuffed and transported him to the now defunct San Pedro Detention Center to face deportation proceedings, even though he had never been arrested or convicted of a crime in the U.S.  After several months, DHS abruptly shut down San Pedro and shipped Mr. Tran off to Pearsall, Texas, far away from his US citizen wife and pro bono attorney. 

Mr. Tran believed that if he applied for asylum, the U.S. government would protect him.  After all, he had fled to the U.S. to escape persecution by the Vietnamese government for his pro-democracy activities.  He had also been tortured by Vietnamese government agents on a daily basis for approximately three months in the 1980s.  Mr. Tran’s hopes for winning asylum dimmed with each passing day as his health deteriorated. 

A few weeks ago Mr. Tran was released from the detention center. Read his story in a three-part series that ran in April 2010 in Nguoi Viet, the largest Vietnamese newspaper in Los Angeles.

Torture Survivor Reunited with Family

Violence was everywhere in Kenya. Kibujo (*) recognized the injustices around him and wanted to be a voice of reason. “All I wanted was to express my rights,” said Kibujo, who sought asylum with his family in the U.S. several years ago. A member of the Kikuyu tribe, Kibujo inadvertently became embroiled in political and tribal strife. Eventually, he lost his only brother, two cousins and his uncle to the violence. In his homeland, he was constantly detained and even tortured.

Forced to leave Kenya at the age of 42, Kibujo left his wife and a five-year-old son behind. He was referred to LAFLA in September 2002, where he sought help to bring his family to safety. Attorney, Michael Ortiz and legal advocate, Carolina Sheinfeld from our Torture Survivors Project, assisted Kibujo to file petitions for his wife and son. Various hurdles had to be overcome along the way because Kibujo had no documentation to verify his marriage. As a result of LAFLA’s assistance, Kibujo was reunited with his wife and son in June 2004. After their arrival, LAFLA helped them get established and to stabilize their lives. As Kibujo explains it, "LAFLA gave me a bridge to cross over two lives and put my foot down on the ground."

In 2004, LAFLA applied for Kibujo to become a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)--his residency was granted in January 2007. LPR applications were also submitted for his wife and seven year old child, who were granted permanent residency in July 2008. In 2010, Kibujo will be eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship, and LAFLA will continue to provide legal assistance and necessary referrals.

A former chef in Kenya for 20 years, Kibujo has started a catering business and recently graduated as a chef from the Hollywood Kitchen Academy. His wife is currently pursuing a nursing degree. They also now have a three-year old son. Kibujo continues to be active in the Kenyan community.

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