After years of uncertainty, one woman finally received the opportunity she had been seeking — the chance to move forward and build a future in safety.
With support from Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services, her journey through the asylum process became a story of perseverance, resilience and hope.
For many asylum seekers in the United States, the process can take years. Cases move slowly through a backlogged immigration court system. Hearings are postponed. Policies change. Families live in uncertainty while trying to rebuild their lives, support themselves and navigate an increasingly complex legal system.
According to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), immigration court backlogs have now surpassed the 3.5 million pending cases nationwide, with asylum seekers often waiting years for final decisions. At the same time, immigration enforcement fears and legal uncertainty continue to grow for many immigrant communities, regardless of status.
That is why moments of hope inside immigration courtrooms matter so deeply.
A Long Road to Safety
Recently, Catholic Charities of Oregon’s Immigration Legal (ILS) team helped secure asylum for a woman who had survived years of violence, persecution and displacement because of her sexual orientation. An asylum seeker is someone who has fled their home country and is requesting legal protection in the United States because they fear persecution if they return home.
The client left her home country after experiencing severe violence and sexual assault at the hands of a police officer. After escaping, she spent years trying to survive in another country before eventually making her way to the United States alone, working difficult jobs and navigating detention, instability and fear along the way.
When she arrived in Oregon, she was referred for assistance ahead of her final asylum hearing, known as a merits hearing.
Preparing for an Asylum Hearing
Preparing for asylum cases often takes months. Clients and legal teams work together to gather evidence, medical and psychological evaluations, witness statements and detailed testimony that can help establish the legal basis for asylum under U.S. law. In many cases, asylum seekers are required to recount deeply traumatic experiences repeatedly throughout the process.
This case was different.
During the hearing, the immigration judge relied heavily on the extensive written evidence already submitted rather than requiring the client to verbally relive the most traumatic details of her abuse in open court. The hearing lasted only about 30 minutes — unusually short for an asylum merits hearing — and the government waived appeal, another uncommon outcome in asylum proceedings.
Then came the decision.
The judge granted asylum from the bench, allowing the client to hear the decision immediately in the courtroom rather than waiting weeks or months for a written ruling.
The government declined to appeal the decision, allowing the grant of asylum to become final.
‘There Were Tears from Everyone in the Room’
“There were tears from everyone in the room,” said DOJ Accredited Representative Melissa Rodney, who represented the client. “The client heard through the interpreter that she had won asylum and just started sobbing.”
The timing carried even more emotional weight because it also was the client’s birthday.
For the client, the decision means safety, stability and the chance to begin building a future without fear of being returned to the violence she escaped. After one year, she will be eligible to apply for permanent residency. Eventually, she hopes to pursue citizenship and continue building a life in Oregon with her wife, whom she met after arriving here.
Her dream is to someday open a pizza shop.
The Human Side of Immigration Cases
Cases like this are powerful reminders that behind every immigration proceeding is a human being trying to survive, heal and build stability.
They also underscore how difficult asylum cases truly are. Contrary to common misconceptions, asylum seekers must meet complex legal standards and provide extensive evidence showing they were persecuted or fear persecution based on protected grounds recognized under U.S. immigration law.
“Asylum is incredibly difficult to win,” Rodney said. “The people seeking it often arrive with legitimate fears of persecution or harm. They are coming here because they are trying to survive.”
At Catholic Charities, ILS staff and volunteers continue working alongside individuals and families navigating these complicated systems every day, helping provide legal guidance, stability and hope during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.