Kaye Scholer Wins Political Asylum for Guatemalan Transgender Client
July 23, 2008
On July 23, 2008, the Los Angeles Immigration Court granted asylum to Kaye Scholer's pro bono client, Mariana Marroquín. Mariana had been persecuted and abused in her native Guatemala on account of her transgender status. Since arriving in the United States in 1998, Mariana has become an important transgender rights activist and educator. The court's decision ensures that Mariana will be able to continue giving back to the community and will not be deported to Guatemala, where 10-20 transgenders are murdered each year by police and vigilante groups. Mariana was represented by Matthew G. Clark, Associate in the Litigation Department, and Aton Arbisser, Partner and Chairman of the Litigation Department in Los Angeles.