frequently asked questions on statistics

What is HRI's client success rate?

For clients whom HRI represented in FY 2010 (July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011), the Asylum Program had a 81.67% client success rate. 

HRI's Women and Children's Program has experienced enormous success for clients.  The Vermont Service Center, the US Citizenship and Immigration center which adjudicates U-visa applications, publishes a national approval rate of 69.85% for U-Visa Petition applicants (USCIS Data on Victims of crime for USCIS FY 2010 found here).  HRI's approval rate in the same category is an astounding 100%. Similarly, HRI has an impressive 100% approval rating for VAWA self-petitions.  The national average for VAWA self-petitions was 79.2% in FY 2010 (USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting giving statistics for USCIS FY 2009 found here). 

How many cases does HRI handle per year and what is the breakdown per program?

In FY 2010, HRI opened a total of 230 new legal cases. 

76 of those legal cases were within the Asylum Program and included:

• Affirmative asylum applications before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Defensive asylum applications before the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR)
• Employment authorization documents and adjustment of status (CIS)
• Supervised Removal cases before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• Applications to replace I-94 Arrival-Departure document (CIS)

Women and Children's program accepted 158 legal cases, which included:

• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
• U-visa
• Supervised Removal
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and managing conservatorship cases in family court
• Employment authorization documents and adjustment of status
• Applications to extend U nonimmigrant status
• Petition for U family member

How many cases does HRI evaluate per year?

Overall, in FY 2010 HRI evaluated 237 clients in their respective legal matters. 

What percentage of cases does HRI accept?

In FY 2010, HRI accepted 42.62% of its evaluated cases. 

What continents are HRI's clients from, and what are the percentages by continent?

HRI accepted 101 new clients in FY 2010.  Of that number, 62 were from North or South America (61.39%), 31 were from Africa (30.69%), 7 were from Asia (6.93%), and 1 was from the Middle East (1%).

What percentage of cases involve pro bono assistance?

Overall, the Asylum Program placed 100% of new asylum cases (i.e., opened in FY 2010) with an attorney in the community who offered pro bono representation. 

The Women and Children's Program placed 75% of new principal legal cases with an attorney in the community who provided pro bono representation to an HRI client.  

What is the dollar value of "in-kind" legal services donated to HRI annually?

The total dollar value of pro bono time for FY 2010 is over $1.95 million and the value of other volunteer services is more than $127,000.  This brings the estimated total value of volunteer time since 2000 to be nearly $8.5 million. 

Approximately how many volunteers does HRI have?

In FY 2010, HRI staff trained over 182 legal professionals and supported 143 legal professionals who worked on active cases.  Additionally, HRI staff trained and supported more than 88 volunteer physicians, interns, translators, and administrative volunteers.  Pro bono attorneys donated an average of 91 hours for affirmative asylum cases, 144 hours for defensive asylum cases, 38 hours for VAWA cases, 36.5 hours for U-Visa cases, and 30 hours for SIJS cases. 

What kinds of immigration relief does HRI provide to its clients?

HRI represents clients for the following applications:

• - I-246 Application for Stay of Removal
• - I-360 Petition for Ameriasian, Widow(er) or Special Immigrant
• - I-589 Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal
• - I-751 Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence
• - I-914 Application for T Nonimmigrant Status
• - I-918 Application for U Nonimmigrant Status

HRI provides various forms of supporting relief to current clients (i.e., meaning we have represented an individual in any of the above referenced applications or petitions).  This includes representing clients for the following applications to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS):

• - AR-11 Change of Address
• - G-325 Biographic Information
• - G-639 Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Request
• - I-102 Application for Renewal/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document
• - I-192 Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant
• - I-193 Application for Waiver for Passport and/or Visa
• - I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
• - I-602 Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability
• - I-765 Application for Employment Authorization
• - I-730 Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition
• - I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card

What percentage of asylum cases does HRI win?

In FY 2010, HRI won 61.54% of its affirmative asylum applications to the Houston Asylum Office.  Nationwide, the affirmative asylum grant rate is 61% ("FY 2010 Statistical Year Book." US Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Jan. 2011. Web. August 30, 2011) and the State of Texas (in FY 2003) reportedly approved 19% of affirmative applications ("FY 2008 Statistical Year Book." US Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Mar. 2009. Web. July 2009).  The Houston Asylum Office (in FY 2003) only approved 12% of evaluated cases.  (Please note that the affirmative asylum grant rates from FY 2003 for the State of Texas and Houston Asylum Office are the most recently published numbers available.)

In FY 2010, HRI won 66.67% of its defensive asylum applications before an Immigration Judge.  Nationally, the defensive grant rate is 35% ("FY 2010 Statistical Year Book." US Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Jan. 2011. Web. August 30, 2011) and the Dallas Immigration Court grant rate is 42% (id.).

What is the percentage breakdown according to type of asylum case?

In FY 2010, HRI's clients had asylum claims based on the following groups and respective percentages:

Race 12.5%
Religion 16.67%
Nationality 0%
Political Opinion 83.33%
Social Group 87.5%
Torture Convention 95.83%

In the Women and Children's Program, what sort of assistance is provided?

The Women and Children's Program was created in 2005 to address the growing needs of society's most vulnerable - females and children.  Today, the program is taking off with record numbers demonstrating the ever increasing needs of battered and abused spouses, victims of qualifying violent crimes, and abused/abandoned/neglected children.  HRI plays a critical role in representing individuals before the US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Justice, and district family courts.  In FY 2010 we were successful in obtaining relief in 27 cases for children who have been subjected to abuse, abandonment, or neglect.  In FY 2010 we also were successful in obtaining U-Visas for 17 Victims of Violent Crime and 14 immediate relatives of those victims.  We also had 9 VAWA Cases approved for victims of domestic violence.  In addition, we were successful in obtaining green cards for 10 clients and obtained employment authorization for 65 clients.