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Elizabeth Finds Stability After Years of Silence

Elizabeth* married her husband in 1988 when she was just 20 years old. From the beginning, she endured years of physical and psychological abuse. She stayed for the sake of her children and because divorce was strongly discouraged in her culture. For decades, she lived in silence, putting her family first while carrying the weight of harm no one should endure.

After a severe escalation of abuse that left her fearing for her life, Elizabeth made the courageous decision to leave. She reported the abuse to law enforcement, and with the support of her now-adult children, she was able to escape the marriage and begin rebuilding her life.

Because of her cooperation with law enforcement, JFAI  helped Elizabeth obtain a U visa certification and submit her U visa application. While U visa cases face long delays due to statutory limits, Elizabeth received a bona fide determination, confirming her eligibility and allowing her to obtain work authorization . With the ability to work legally and secure a driver’s license, Elizabeth now has greater stability and peace of mind. At 57, she was especially grateful to transition from a physically demanding job to less strenuous employment, an essential step toward healing and independence.

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*Name and photo changed for privacy reasons

This Giving Tuesday, your generosity helped ensure immigrant families and survivors have access to free, high-quality legal services when they need it most. Every gift, large or small, made a meaningful difference.

Thank you for standing with our clients and supporting JFAI’s mission. We are truly grateful for your compassion and partnership.

Music With Purpose: Winter Benefit Concert at Rice University

On Sunday, December 7, JFAI was grateful to be selected as the beneficiary of the Winter Benefit Concert at Rice University, organized by student groups Nocturnal and Basmati Beats. The concert showcased student talent while raising support for immigration legal services for low-income individuals and families.

“It was wonderful to come back to Rice’s campus as an alum and see the support student organizations have given us as an organization supporting immigrants,” said Gabriela López-Compeán, JFAI Managing Attorney. “All the students are immensely talented, and we appreciate their thinking of us for their benefit concert.”

“We loved having the opportunity to collaborate with JFAI on our winter benefit concert and appreciated all the guidance and work that went into organizing the fundraising,” shared Adina Olson, President of Rice Nocturnal. “We especially loved getting to meet Gabriela and share our music in support of JFAI’s mission.” We are grateful to the student organizers, performers, and attendees who made this meaningful event possible

JFAI 2025 Staff Retreat: Aligning for the Year Ahead

On December 5-6, JFAI staff gathered in Houston for our 2025 Staff Retreat, combining team-building activities with intentional time for reflection and planning. 

Through guided discussions and a year-end vision session, the team reflected on key accomplishments from 2025 and identified opportunities for growth. It explored ways to strengthen our organizational culture and support staff wellbeing. These conversations helped shape priorities for the year ahead and reinforced our shared commitment to delivering high-quality legal services.

“This retreat gave us the opportunity to pause, reconnect as a team, and think intentionally about how we continue supporting our clients and one another,” said Joy Green, Executive Director. “Building a strong, sustainable organization starts with investing in our people.

THANK YOU!

As always, we would like to express our appreciation to our supporters, whose donations have a profound impact on the lives of our clients.