Rosanna Tussey
Declaration Specialist/Paralegal
I have been given what I consider to be the most amazing and humbling opportunity that I could ever ask for – the opportunity to take someone’s darkest moments and turn them into a vehicle for hope. That is what an immigration declaration or affidavit represents to me.
All my life, people have told me that I am easy to talk to. I never knew what to do with this “gift” until I was asked to interview a domestic abuse victim and draft my first VAWA affidavit many years ago. Little did I know that one day, drafting declarations and affidavits for the traumatized would become my specialty.
I have been a self-employed immigration paralegal for approximately 20 years, serving U.S. immigration attorneys all over the United States and abroad. From solo practitioners to high-profile attorneys filing massive joinder mandamus lawsuits in federal court, I am
grateful to have worked with the best of the best – unabashedly telling the stories of real people who desperately need to be heard.
I now devote a tremendous amount of my business to interviewing clients and drafting their declarations and affidavits for VAWA, asylum, trafficking, waivers, victims of crime, and those facing extreme or exceptional hardship. Often, my clients have been through tremendous trauma or suffer agonizing anxiety about their immigration predicaments. I care about their stories, which I strive to retell as impactfully as possible in a legally relevant manner.
As a major trauma survivor myself, I understand how difficult it can be for survivors to open up and revisit difficult experiences. Thus, it is essential that I create a “safe space” in which every client can be at ease sharing their story without concern of judgement, criticism, or rejection – and where they can feel supported and free to speak openly about their experience and the impact it has had on them.
To me, it is all about hope. It takes so little. The smallest spark of hope can get anyone through tremendous challenges.
Brooke Tussey
Declaration Specialist/Paralegal
I have a passion for giving a voice to the unheard. I have worked with amazing clients who have survived great trauma and overcome incredible obstacles. It is an honor to tell their stories accurately and candidly.
From individual clients to contributing to the massive efforts of federal cases with thousands of plaintiffs, it has been my pleasure to ensure that the plight of each client is brought to life.
Each declaration or affidavit is a critical piece of personal history, the value of which spans far beyond even its immediate use. Time and again, I have been inspired by the relentless resilience of the human spirit and look forward to each opportunity to tell a story of a client that must be heard.
This is the most fulfilling work I could ever imagine. I am honored to play a part in creating hope for these clients who have shown me over and again the resilience of humanity.
This is the most fulfilling work I could ever imagine. I am honored to play a part in creating hope for these clients who have shown me over and again the resilience of humanity.
I feel so much lighter after our interview. I have never been able to share my entire story before. I was too ashamed. But somehow, I felt like I have always known you.
VAWA Client