When Tesfahiwet Kalab Beyen last shared a home with his daughter, Wezam, in 2012, she was only a toddler. Fleeing Eritrea amid conflict and fear of persecution, he arrived in the United States as a refugee and settled in Sioux City, Iowa, while Wezam remained behind in the care of relatives and family friends. What began as a short-term separation stretched into more than a decade, prolonged by bureaucratic hurdles and the complexities of navigating immigration systems. With the help of White & Case, Tesfahiwet and Wezam were finally reunited in 2025.

Barriers to legal support

Access to legal support is critical for migrants and refugees in the US, where immigration proceedings are complex and the stakes are high. Unlike in criminal cases, a lawyer is not guaranteed in immigration matters, leaving many people to navigate intricate laws and shifting policies on their own. Over the decade Tesfahiwet and Wezam were separated, multiple US administrations introduced new priorities and processes, further complicating the path to reunification.

The scale of the challenge is significant: Hundreds of thousands of families in the US face long wait times, extensive documentation requirements and frequent delays. Without accessible legal assistance, many are unable to overcome these barriers, making pro bono support essential for keeping families together and ensuring fair outcomes.

Helping families reunite

Seeking to reunite with Wezam, Tesfahiwet turned to the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), a nonprofit focused on refugee resettlement and family reunification. Given the Firm's longstanding partnership with IRAP and extensive experience with complex immigration matters, IRAP referred the matter to White & Case in February 2021. By then, Wezam was nine years old and living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia.

The White & Case team got to work on the legal and procedural obstacles that had kept the family apart. To bring Wezam to the US, our lawyers worked to establish her eligibility for an immigrant visa, gathering records from multiple jurisdictions and navigating shifting administrative requirements along the way—work that required persistence and skill as procedural steps often stalled, the situation in the region worsened and communication between agencies lagged. Our advocacy ensured that the case continued to move forward, despite frequent delays and changing policies.

By mid-2025, our persistence led to Wezam's interview at the US embassy in Addis Ababa. Weeks later, her immigrant visa was approved and, in August, IRAP, Tesfahiwet and the White & Case team received official notice that Wezam was cleared to enter the US.

Together again

Because Wezam was a minor traveling alone from a country subject to US travel restrictions, White & Case worked closely with refugee support partners to arrange for escorts at airport security and transit points, minimizing the risk of complications.

After a 35-hour journey from Addis Ababa, Wezam arrived at the Sioux City airport, where her father greeted her with a warm embrace and a bouquet of flowers. The moment capped four years of legal work by 17 White & Case lawyers, led by New York associate Joshua Butler and supervised by New York partner Philip Abelson.

For Tesfahiwet, who had to watch his daughter grow up from afar, their reunion brought immense joy and relief after so many setbacks—and marked a new beginning for their family as they settled into their new lives.

"Tesfahiwet and Wezam are just over the moon to be together," says Butler. "They've expressed so much gratitude and shared how relieved they feel after such a long and uncertain journey. Hearing that really brings home why this work matters."

Impact of pro bono work

This story highlights an often-overlooked aspect of the US immigration system: Family separation can persist long after initial resettlement, significantly altering lives. It also stands as a testament to the power of perseverance, the impact of pro bono work and the vital role organizations like IRAP play in bringing families back together.

"Outcomes like this reinforce the value of pro bono work," explains Abelson. "Seeing a case reach the finish line after so many years of uncertainty, and watching a father finally hug his child again, is exactly why we stay engaged in this work."

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After reuniting, a father and his daughter leave the airport waiting area together.