Kramer Levin Wins Asylum for Gay Man With AIDS Targeted for Death in Colombia

Leslie Nguyen and Matthew Abbott have obtained a grant of asylum for a gay man from Colombia suffering from AIDS. In Medellin, the client was targeted for death by an urban militia organization based on his sexual orientation. After fleeing to the United States, he was diagnosed with AIDS and sought asylum based on his increased fear that he would be killed by the militias if he returned. The matter was complicated by the fact that the client had failed to apply for asylum within the statutory one year filing deadline. The Kramer Levin team filed an affirmative asylum application and prepared extensive briefing, successfully arguing that the client's recent AIDS diagnosis was a changed circumstance sufficient to overcome the one year deadline based on the increased likelihood of persecution if he returned to Colombia. Leslie and Matthew were assisted by then summer associates Katrina Baker and Kristen Coleman, and Aaron Frankel supervised. The matter was referred by Immigration Equality.