Steptoe Wins Immigration Pro Bono Case in Phoenix

A team of Steptoe attorneys in our Phoenix office recently secured the government's agreement to release Yong Sun Harvill from indefinite immigration detention, while working with the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center (FIAC).  Initially held in her home state of Florida, Mrs. Harvill was transferred to a detention facility in Arizona — thousands of miles away from her family, doctors, and immigration lawyers — where she was held for 15 months, with no end in sight.  Mrs. Harvill suffers from a rare form of soft-tissue cancer, as well as severe lymph edema in her left leg (a complication from past cancer surgery and treatment) in addition to other complex and debilitating medical conditions. This case was profiled in a front page article in The Washington Post on May 12, 2008.

Mrs. Harvill's health began to deteriorate significantly after she was moved from Florida, and FIAC asked Steptoe to help her secure access to vital medical care in Arizona.  Last month, our attorneys filed suit in federal district court, and quickly moved for a preliminary injunction, prompting the US Department of Justice to launch marathon settlement discussions.  At the same time, the parties continued litigating the case, briefing the issues with the aid of expert witnesses.

On July 1, 2008, the parties executed a settlement agreement that called for the release of Mrs. Harvill from detention within 72 hours.  She is now able to pursue immigration relief with her attorneys at FIAC, while receiving medical care from her oncologists in Florida. The Washington Post ran an additional article about our client on July 3, 2008.