United States: Helping Immigrant Women Break Free of Domestic Violence

For the past two years, Camille Carey has represented hundreds of abused immigrant women as an Equal Justice Works fellow at the Legal Aid Society in Brooklyn.

"Battered immigrant women are particularly dependent upon their abuser because without the abuser’s sponsorship, they may have no legal status of their own," said Camille.

Camille assists women under the Violence Against Women Act in obtaining self-petitions and battered spouse waivers, which allow certain battered immigrant women who are married to green card holders or citizens to seek legal status without their husband’s sponsorship. Camille also provides legal services to immigrant victims in the areas of family law, public benefits, immigration law, and housing law. This often involves representing a woman in multiple cases.

For example, one of her clients is a woman from Barbados who was stabbed by her husband. Camille assisted the woman in obtaining an order of protection, legal status, and with housing issues. She also is assisting the woman, who has Parkinson’s Disease, in applying for SSI benefits.

Although Camille’s fellowship was due to end this summer, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw has extended funding of the fellowship for another year. Partners Philip Lacovara and Andrew Schapiro have coordinated contact with the firm and support for the program.

Associate Jennifer Mondino is working with Camille in representing a woman from Colombia and another woman from the Dominican Republic in immigration, divorce, and child custody matters. "What Camille is doing is very innovative," said Jennifer. "She is taking a holistic approach in working with her clients. I very much enjoy being part of it."

To reach clients, Camille conducts outreach to domestic violence shelters and agencies as well as community-based organizations that serve immigrant communities in Brooklyn. At these sites, she conducts training and presentations for domestic violence support group participants, staff members, and the larger community.

The work includes conducting regular legal clinics at the Arab-American Family Support Center and the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association.

Camille has developed relationships with New York City domestic violence agencies who refer clients. These agencies include the Park Slope Safe Homes Project, the New York Asian Women’s Center, and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services.

Camille says she is grateful for the firm funding the project. "Without this project funded by Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw there would be hundreds of poor immigrant women who would not be able to exercise their legal rights and who would fall through the cracks … The clients keep me going and bring a lot of depth to my work as a lawyer."

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