A Colombian lawyer who has dedicated her career to advancing gender equality has been approved for an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition.
The approval followed a Request for Evidence (RFE) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Gender-based violence remains a pressing concern across the United States.
Local groups often struggle to combine legal advocacy, social services, and community partnerships into a single support system.
The lawyer’s proposed work aims to close that gap.
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Lawyer’s background in women’s rights
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Law with specializations in Social Security and Procedural Law. Her career has centered on representing victims of such violence and pushing for stronger protections for women’s economic and social well-being. She has worked at the intersection of direct client representation and systemic advocacy, helping women handle complex legal proceedings while also engaging with broader efforts to improve institutional responses.
Plan to combine legal and social services
Her plan is to create a U.S.-based organization that supports survivors of that violence.
It will bring lawyers and social workers together into integrated teams.
It will also partner with educational institutions and public- and private-sector entities to broaden its reach. According to the legal team handling the case, the model is designed to address the layered needs survivors face and strengthen the overall support infrastructure.
After the initial filing, USCIS issued an evidence request asking for more evidence on the national importance of the project. The agency also wanted additional information showing the lawyer was well-positioned to carry out the plan, including details on outside parties willing to support the work.
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Response focused on federal policy goals
The legal team structured the response to that request around clarity.
They organized the submission so each concern was addressed with targeted documentation. The response highlighted how the project aligns with U.S. federal policy goals, including the Violence Against Women Act reauthorizations, Justice Department grants for survivors, and the White House’s National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. It also explained how the multi-disciplinary approach would have a broad impact on the field.
To show she was prepared, the response reinforced her track record and operational planning. It included an updated letter of support from a party already committed to backing her work in the United States.
Attorney’s approach
“Our strategy was to address every factor USCIS raised in a clear, systematic way,” said Jason Qiu, the attorney who led the case. “By mapping the evidence directly to each requirement, we made it straightforward to see how the client’s endeavor met the national importance standard.”
The agency approved the petition after reviewing the response.
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The approval acknowledges the national significance of the project and the lawyer’s readiness to advance it.
Immigration experts note that NIW petitions require a high bar of proof, and approvals are not automatic. The request process shows that immigration authorities take a close look at such applications. This case succeeded in part because the evidence linked the project clearly to national priorities, but each petition is judged on its own facts.
Next steps for the lawyer
With this approval, the lawyer can move forward with establishing her planned entity in the United States. Once she obtains permanent residency, she will be able to hire legal professionals and social workers into the integrated structure her model depends on. She will also formalize the partnerships with educational institutions and public- and private-sector entities that extend its reach.
“This case stood out to me,” Qiu added.
It shows that EB-2 NIW approvals are not limited to AI researchers or doctors. What matters is whether the endeavor has national importance and whether the client has the background to advance it. When those two things come together, the case can be made.
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