Refugee obtains asylum following Board of Immigration Appeals decision granting motion to reopen proceedings

Client(s) Mr. M

After Jones Day client Mr. M refused to join Ethiopia's ruling party—and instead publicly denounced it—Ethiopian security forces beat him in front of his family, arrested him, interrogated him, beat him again until he lost consciousness, and threatened to kill him and leave his body for the hyenas. He fled to the United States and filed for asylum. However, he failed to appear for a calendar hearing. Although he had never received notice of the hearing, his asylum petition was denied because of the failure to appear.

Jones Day took on Mr. M's case in 2015, and filed a motion with the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen the case. The motion presented evidence of escalating human rights abuses in Ethiopia, and evidence that in recent years Ethiopian security forces had arrested and tortured Mr. M's wife, harassed his children, shot his brother-in-law, arrested seven other family members, and likely murdered his father.

The Board of Immigration Appeals granted Jones Day's motion to reopen the case. On remand, the immigration court granted asylum.