Federal judge William Haynes signed an order on Thursday recommending the approval of a special type of visa for Juana Villegas.
Villegas, an undocumented immigrant, sparked controversy after she was arrested and shackled to a hospital bed in the final stages of pregnancy in 2009.
Haynes recommended that Villegas be approved for a U Visa — a temporary visa given to immigrants who are the victims of crimes.
However, Haynes didn't accuse the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, whom allegedly denied Villegas the use of a breast pump, of committing crimes. Rather, he ruled that Villegas had “met her minimum burden of showing that she is entitled to U Visa certification.”
The final decision for U Visa certification lies with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
In another order issued on Thursday, Haynes awarded Villegas more than $1 million in attorneys fees [1].
Links:
[1] http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/judge-awards-villegas-11m-attorney-fees-and-expenses