Melvin* was 12 years old when he left school to begin working. In Guatemala, public school is only free through sixth grade and his parents couldn’t afford to support both his and his sister’s educations. A few years later, Melvin migrated to the U.S. to better support himself. He had an uncle in Phoenix. “It’s very hard to prosper in Guatemala. That’s why I came here,” he says.
A Florence Project legal assistant connected with Melvin at a shelter for unaccompanied minors. “She asked me where I was from, how old I was, who I was going to meet with in the U.S. I told her everything,” he says. “Then, 3 or 4 days later, she told me, ‘Congratulations, you qualify for a free lawyer who will take your case.’”
“I felt so happy to know that,” he recalls. “Fifteen days later, I was released from the shelter to live with my uncle. And since then, I’ve had an attorney. They’ve always looked out for me.”
We worked with Melvin for years to help him achieve his goals. When he began working in the U.S., at age 16, he looked so young, he had trouble getting hired, he says. Eventually. he did landscaping, then lawn remodeling, and now at age 21, Melvin cleans pools. He recently resumed his education, too, taking English classes at night. Next, he wants to train to become an electrician or mechanic.
Hard work does pay off. Melvin recently won his immigration case! “It went very well,” Melvin says. “It’s rare when someone wins, so I wasn’t expecting it. When I learned I had won, I felt very happy.”
He expressed gratitude to his attorney, Tracy Kallassy — “Without her, I would not have won.” — and the entire Florence Project Children’s Program: “They always helped me. They treated me well. They were always looking out for me.”
Congratulations, Melvin! We celebrated his case with a small fiesta in our office. Was this the best corn muffin ever, since it was paired with the sweet sense of relief? “Yes,” Melvin confirms. “It was delicious.”
We are so happy to be a part of Melvin’s long, resilient journey and wish him greatest happiness and success. Thank you for your support, which makes our free legal and social services possible!
*Pseudonym