Cepos* is a young man from Egypt who identifies as gay. While being gay is not explicitly criminalized under Egyptian law, prosecutions are common under debauchery laws and gay people have long been targeted by police and tortured in prison. In Egypt, Cepos was in a relationship with a male friend. The violence against Cepos began when his friend’s father, who is a police officer, discovered they were in a relationship and told Cepos’s family. Cepos’s family disowned him, and his uncle set out looking to kill him.

Searching for help, Cepos went to the police but was only met with laughs, insults, and a slap on his face for trying to report this. He tried to escape but his friend’s father followed him and took pictures of him to use as blackmail, forcing him to sign over a large amount of money to him. He was finally able to escape to the United States but was robbed and kidnapped along the way.

Cepos is having problems with bullying and assault in detention so he would like to proceed quickly with his case. He passed a credible fear interview and his release request is pending. Cepos is eligible for fear-based protection from deportation that may include asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture and needs a pro bono team to represent him in his deportation hearing.

All Amica Center matters placed with a pro bono team are robustly mentored by an Amica Center attorney and/or fully Accredited Representative with expertise in representing clients in immigration proceedings. Our mentoring program includes an opening meeting to discuss the scope and process of the matter, provision of samples, guidance on the law, review of draft filings, assistance with client contact, and guidance on preparation for interviews and hearings.

• Location: Caroline County, VA (detained) – facility allows in person visits and uses the Virtual Attorney Visitation system.
• Timeline: Individual (merits) hearing is on February 24 in Annandale, VA. Amica Center will help a pro bono team obtain a continuance for hearing preparation as a condition of representation.
• Language: Egyptian Arabic

Please contact our Managing Attorney for Pro Bono Coordination, Jennifer Grishkin, at jennifer@amicacenter.org if you are interested in taking this case.

*Pseudonyms are used to protect privacy.