19 “Marissa,” 13, relies on California Children’s Services for medical care, including regular doctors’ visits and physical therapy to treat her cerebral palsy. Her mother lives in Mexico and hasn’t seen her in eight years, and her father no longer contacts her at all. Since Marissa’s mother left her in Los Angeles in 2006, Marissa has been cared for by her grandmother, who receives support for Marissa from the local Regional Center, a nonprofit organization that provides services for people with developmental disabilities. In early 2013, a social worker from Public Counsel, a public interest law firm, contacted Mintz Levin to help Marissa file an I-360 petition for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Undocumented children whose petitions are granted by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services may apply for legal permanent residence in the United States. MintzLevinattorneyNadaShamonkiworkedwithMarissaandhergrandmotherforseveralmonths to prepare Marissa’s story and her application. Petitions for Special Immigration Juvenile Status are granted only to applicants who can demonstrate that they have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. In Marissa’s case, making that argument wasn’t difficult. “The biggest challenge was communicating with Marissa and her grandmother,” Nada says. Nada’s assistant, Jazmin Leon, helped translate for the clients, who primarily speak Spanish. Public Counsel’s social worker, Beth Tsoulos, also speaks Spanish and was a very helpful resource. To overcome communication challenges associated with Marissa’s cerebral palsy, Nada put her young client at ease. “We found that taking the pressure off of Marissa to communicate quickly made the process much easier. Keeping things lighthearted and playful also helped Marissa relax,”Nada says. On July 23, 2013, Marissa’s long-term prospects improved considerably when she was granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status in probate court. “We were lucky that since Marissa was under 14 years of age, she did not have to be interviewed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent. This made the petition process much easier for Marissa,” Nada says. Had her petition been denied, Marissa would have been deported back to Mexico, where she would have had little access to medical care to treat her cerebral palsy and limited opportunities to continue her education. In Los Angeles, Marissa attends a public school that provides her with an individualized learning plan and opportunities for one-on-one learning. Marissa’s status as a legal immigrant also entitles her to access resources such as the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants. Currently Nada is helping to appeal a decision by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services on the amount due to Marissa under that program. With reliable and continued support, Marissa is now focused on learning English and doing well at school. “I found the experience of helping Marissa very rewarding,” Nada says. “It was really inspiring to see that my work was able to change someone’s life in a very tangible way.” “Thanks to your dedicated assistance, this client now has opportunities and services open to her that were not available before your intervention. You handled her case with special care and attention and gave her the sense of security and confidence so needed with this process.” Beth Tsoulos Senior Social Worker Public Counsel Children’s Rights Project Route to Security