As an indigenous teen working in the fields of Guatemala, Andres lived amid uncertainty and unfathomable adversity. More than once, thieves attacked him and other overnight workers to compel his employer to submit to their demands. On one occasion, they broke Andres' arm. But they didn't break his spirit.

His escape from violence led him to the United States in 2017. Andres was 15 years old and alone. Today, he has a green card, allowing him to live and work permanently in the United States.  

The years in between consisted of agonizing waiting punctuated by occasional bursts of hopeful anticipation—the latter made possible by a small team of Cisco colleagues and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND).

Eric Wenger, senior director of technology policy for Cisco, who had volunteered with KIND previously, understood the challenges faced by minors embroiled in the complex legal process. "I wanted to do it again, but I didn't want to do it alone," recalls Eric, who recruited Chad Breckinridge, vice president and deputy general counsel for Cisco, to join his cause. 

Working with KIND, Chad and Eric were offered a number of cases before choosing to work with Andres. During the two years he'd been in the U.S., Andres spent several months in an Arizona holding facility before being released to the custody of an uncle in the Washington, D.C., area. 

Because Andres knew little English— K'iche' was his first language and Spanish his second—the lawyers sought translation assistance from their Cisco colleagues. Veronica Reyes answered the call. "Veronica created the necessary level of trust by being able to communicate things in ways he was able to understand," Eric says. "We couldn't have done it without Veronica," echoed Chad. "It's a great example of how pro bono really is for everyone—it's a team sport." 

Chad and Eric approached Andres' case from two angles. One was to help him obtain special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) status based on his parents' neglect. As that process unfolded, "we separately filed an application for asylum, which was a little bit of a moon shot," Chad explains. "The claim was based on the fact that, because of minority status as part of an indigenous tribe, he was being persecuted," Eric adds.  

Chad and Eric received notice in early 2020 that asylum had been granted, which allowed them to apply for a green card. Andres also eventually received SIJ status, "but at that point we were already on a better path," Chad explains.

Another three years elapsed before an envelope arrived from US Citizenship and Immigration Services requesting that Andres complete a medical exam—with a two-week deadline—or his green card application would be denied. "Because the mailroom was running behind, we actually had only one week to get a medical exam and submit the paperwork," Chad recalls. Chad and Veronica helped Andres attend the medical appointment in time. And a short time later, Andres' permanent resident card arrived. 

"There was danger to his life," Eric says. "Now he's freed from that and has an opportunity to live in the open and get a job and eventually file for citizenship." Adds Chad: "It was a lot of work. But this was a chance to make a real impact on Andre's life. It has been the most meaningful work in my career."