Sara*, a Nigerian survivor of domestic violence, had lived undocumented in the United States for over 20 years. She endured years of severe physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her U.S. citizen husband. Sara did not know of any available alternative to her situation. Catholic Charities recognized that Sara qualified for relief under the Violence Against Women Act, which allows battered immigrants to petition for legal status in the United States without relying on abusive U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident spouses. With her required documentation and applications, Sara received her green card within a year. She is now eligible to apply for naturalization, and Catholic Charities is currently helping her take this step. [*Name changed to protect privacy.]
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