Favorable Appellate Decision in Immigration Case Involving Nigerian

An established San Francisco immigration attorney, Christopher Stender has a strong commitment to the community he serves. In a notable 2010 deportation case, Christopher Stender successfully represented a Nigerian immigrant who contracted AIDS and was subsequently convicted of dealing drugs. The case hinged on conditions in his client’s home country, where he was likely to face torture upon return.

Coming to the United States on a visa, Lawrence Eneh contracted AIDS from a contaminated needle while employed at a Minnesota health center. Gaining legal U.S. residency in 2000, Mr. Eneh was convicted for selling marijuana two years later and was ordered to be deported following a three-year prison term. In 2004, Mr. Eneh presented evidence that individuals convicted of criminal activity related to drugs in foreign countries are imprisoned upon their return to Nigeria. In addition, AIDS patients are not provided with the medications they require. Mr. Stender’s representation in appellate court resulted in a 3-0 ruling in favor of his client in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.