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C.’s ex-partner, M., is a member of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang in Honduras.  When C. began her relationship with R., he was very kind to her, but soon after they moved in together he began to beat her and emotionally abuse her. He forbade her contact with others, threatened to harm her oldest child and frequently raped her. C. tried to report M.’s abuse to the police in Honduras multiple times, but was never able to obtain protection.  When C. first fled to Mexico for protection he threatened to kill the children. Fearing for their lives, C. fled to the U.S. with her children. NIJC timely filed C.’s asylum application with the immigration court in 2020.  All affidavits and supporting materials to C.’s case will be due 15 days prior to her individual merits hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

M. began exploring her sexual orientation at the age of 12.  When she was older, M. entered into a relationship with a man in order to hide her sexual orientation. After being caught in an intimate moment with a woman however, M. was arrested and taken into custody where she was beaten and tortured by fellow detainees once it was discovered she is a lesbian. M. fled to the U.S. and presented herself at the border in November 2016. NIJC filed M.’s asylum application in 2018. Her merits hearing is in March 2021; M’s affidavit and other supporting documents will be due 15 days prior to her merits hearing. 

A. was the victim of domestic violence at the hands of her former partner, D. A. and D. had been in a relationship for 10 years and D. was physically and verbally abusive throughout. The abuse only worsened. On July 7, 2018, D. was very drunk and struck A. on the left side of her face and on her head with his fist. A. called the police, but by the time they arrived, D. had fled. A. was fully cooperative in the investigation of the crime by providing a detailed report of the incident. A. was treated for her injuries by the ambulance that arrived to her home.