Marcy Hahn is passionate about helping abused immigrant women get their lives back together. And she's good at it.

Every year, thousands of women come to the United States on fiancée or student visas hoping for a better life. Unfortunately, their sponsors or "partners" don't always make it easy.

Because of their visa status, these women are eligible for permanent resident status with the support of the citizen with whom they are in a relationship. But getting that support is often a challenge once they reach the United States.

Once married, their spouses refuse to help them receive permanent resident status, and the women are legally—and often physically—held captive. They may not be permitted to work, and they have no way of getting the resources to escape their situations. Often, their partner will not let them get a driver's license or even leave the house.

Those who do escape, though, immediately look to start the process of getting back on their feet. And thanks to the help of pro bono attorneys like Marcy Hahn, they are given that opportunity.

Hahn, who works as an attorney with Ford Motor Company's Office of General Counsel, receives these cases from the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC). She has already successfully assisted two families and is in the process of helping a third.

When she gets a case, Hahn works under a section of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that often leads toward permanent resident status (green card). VAWA is gender neutral in its application, but the majority of MIRC's VAWA clients are women. The first step in the process is submitting a petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

While the application is pending, Hahn helps her clients get work authorization. They are then able to start earning a living, and working on getting their lives back in order while their other applications are pending. The whole immigration process, from initial client meeting to green card, can often take from seven months to two years.

If USCIS grants the first part of the application, Hahn and her client are granted an in-person interview where the client must establish her eligibility for a green card.  If the hearing officer is satisfied, the client is granted permanent resident status.

Ruby Robinson, a MIRC attorney, said he is grateful for the efforts of Hahn and the 120 other attorneys on the Center's pro bono panel. He noted that MIRC staff is limited and the efforts of pro bono attorneys allows the center to increase its capacity to serve more clients around the state. He added that Hahn and the other pro bono attorneys are eager to serve, often wanting additional cases as soon their current client's application is pending before the USCIS.

Meanwhile, Hahn, now on her third case, appreciates the support she receives from MIRC while working on the cases, especially from Robinson, who is always available to answer questions about the facts of her cases and intricacies of the law. She said there's nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes from helping these women move forward in their lives, and the smiles on their faces when they achieve permanent resident status.

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—Benjamin Ensroth (Robert Mathis and Lynn Ingram contributed to this story.)