Angela, a 36 year old mother of four, came to the United States in 1990. Throughout her ten-year marriage to a U.S. citizen, she suffered both physical and mental abuse. When Angela became pregnant with their fourth child, her husband left her for another woman and refused to complete the immigrant visa petition he had filed for her. Angela feared separation from her children as well as deportation.

Angela approached NWIRP's office in Granger after she was placed in deportation removal proceedings. NWIRP's staff assisted Angela in documenting and filing an immigration petition for victims of domestic violence, which was granted eight months later. With the approved petition, directing attorney, Matt Adams, returned to immigration court with Angela and applied for an adjustment of immigration status so that Angela could become a lawful permanent resident. After a brief hearing on the merits, the immigration judge granted Angela legal status. Angela burst into tears of joy in the courtroom.