Immigration Equality Honors Kasowitz with 2024 Safe Haven Award

Kasowitz Benson Torres has been named by Immigration Equality as a 2024 Safe Haven Award honoree in recognition of the firm’s outstanding achievements in providing pro bono services for LGBTQ and HIV-positive asylum seekers over the past year.   
 
Kasowitz’s cases handled during the last year referred by Immigration Equality include the following:

• A transgender woman from Guatemala, who had been subjected to repeated persecution, including violent attacks and death threats, on account of her transgender identity.  In December 2023, the Kasowitz team obtained an Immigration Court order granting asylum to the client. 
• A transgender woman from Peru, who fled her home country, where she was a victim of repeated discrimination and violence based on her sexuality and gender identity.  The Kasowitz team represents the client in her asylum application and Violence Against Women Act claims that would enable her to remain in the United States and prevent her from being sent back to Peru, where she will likely suffer discrimination and violence as a result of her sexuality and/or gender identity. 
• A transgender asylum applicant from El Salvador living with HIV, in removal proceedings.  The client faced severe persecution in El Salvador on account of her transgender identity, including sexual abuse at the hands of police officers and gang members, and trafficking by a criminal gang.
• A gay man from Guyana living with HIV, in his application for asylum in the United States.  The client fled Guyana after being sexually assaulted and beaten by the police because he is gay.  The client filed for asylum in 2017 and the Kasowitz team is working with him to supplement his submission to the asylum office.
• A gay man from Nigeria living with HIV, in his application for asylum in the United States.  This client fled Nigeria because he was kidnapped and physically abused because he is gay.  Kasowitz filed an application for asylum for the client in 2020 and is working with him to supplement his submission to the asylum office. 

The awards ceremony was held on May 29, 2024 in New York City.  

Immigration Equality is one of the nation’s leading LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrant rights organization.

The Kasowitz Benson Torres teams representing these pro bono clients in the last year include partners David J. Abrams, Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, and Joshua N. Paul; counsel Teresa Matushaj, Deputy Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, and Julie R. Fischer; associates Kristine B. Abrenica, Katrina Bader, Kathleen Kennedy, Elliana Openshaw, John Planamento and Binta A. Watkins; staff attorneys Janine Kapp and Melissa A. Uson; and paralegal Blanquita Gomezcoello.  Kasowitz recognizes the importance of providing pro bono services to disadvantaged individuals and organizations unable to afford quality legal representation.  We encourage our attorneys at all levels to handle pro bono and other public service matters.  Learn more about Kasowitz’s Pro Bono Program.