Paul, Weiss Client Reunified With Child; Another Granted Temporary Restraining Order

Paul, Weiss and co-counsel Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Inc. represent three parents seeking reunification with their children, from whom they were forcibly separated near the U.S.-Mexico border. Our work has now led to the reunification of a second family, and to a temporary restraining order prohibiting the government from deporting a third client.

In early June, our second client and his 12-year-old daughter, who had fled Honduras after the father had been shot and his family threatened, were detained and forcibly separated from each other after crossing the border. Following a preliminary injunction hearing on July 12 before U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman seeking immediate reunification of our client and his daughter, the government reported last night that the two had been reunified and released.

A third client and her nine-year-old son fled threats of violence in Guatemala to pursue asylum in the U.S. On July 16, Judge Friedman granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the government from removing her until further order of the court. Judge Friedman expressed concern about the risk that the mother could be deported without her son, before the court had an opportunity to rule on her pending preliminary injunction motion seeking immediate reunification. He observed that such reunification would be impossible should she be deported while her son remained in detention.

The Paul, Weiss team includes, in New York, counsel Steven Herzog, pro bono counsel Emily Goldberg and associates Meredith Arfa, Anand Sithian, Katherine Kelly Fell, Rebecca Orel, Sasha Freedman and Stephen Thompson; and in Washington, litigation partner David Ball.