QUESTION: I have been put into deportation proceedings. Do I really need an Immigration Attorney?
Answer: Hiring an Immigration Attorney is critical to the successful outcome of your case. Immigration Law is changing all the time, especially with the new President Trump. What used to be the law is no longer the law. What once was not permitted is permitted at the present time. There are regulations, laws, cases, memorandum, policy and many other factors. Many times people will think that completing a case is as easy as just filling out some forms. Unfortunately, it is much more complicated than this. It is necessary that an Immigration Attorney is able to look at all the areas of immigration law in order to determine how a particular situation might affect another area of immigration law. For example, somebody might come to the U.S. on a B2 Visitor Visa and get married two weeks later. They might look online to see the forms they need to complete to get a green card based on a marriage petition. Then, at the interview, the case is denied and the applicant is deported. Why?
It would have been fraud to get married within 30 days of entry to the U.S under those circumstances. An Immigration Attorney would have clearly seen this issue and advised the clients what to do and how to avoid the allegation of fraud. Another situation might be somebody applying for naturalization in order to become a U.S. Citizen. The Los Angeles immigration attorney explains that this person received their green card through employment and has no crimes, did not stay outside the U.S. for more than 2 weeks and has good moral character. Sounds easy? In this case, not only was the naturalization denied, but the person was put into deportation/removal proceedings. Why? Because it turns out that the company that petitioned the person for the green card went bankrupt prior to actually working at the company. The naturalization officer stated green card should never have been given. An Immigration Attorney would have seen this issue and prepared the legal arguments accordingly to have a much better chance of winning.
Question: Is Immigration Law complicated and does it take a qualified professional?
Answer: Immigration Law is like a 10,000 piece puzzle. If an Immigration Attorney is a certified specialist in immigration law, then he or she can look how one situation might affect another area of immigration law. In fact, the immigration attorney who is experienced in immigration law can most likely see paths to get the desired result (which would be to either stay in the U.S., get to the U.S. or avoid getting deported.)
Immigration officials do not always tell the truth. For example, many ICE officials will go to an immigration detainee and claim there is no hope and they will be in detention for 20 years and to just sign the paper. What they do not say is that only an Immigration Attorney can give the real truth about what opportunities exist and what possibilities there are. Additionally, detainees are not required to sign the document. In fact, the only realistic document a detainee signs is to self-deportation. They basically are giving the green light to ICE officials to send them out of the country without their day in Court.
Remember, you are just a number to the government attorney and to the Immigration Judge. They have a full load on their docket every single day and to easily get rid of a case is to their benefit. When you have a deportation lawyer who is experienced, you can properly fight your case and have a chance to win without being swept under the rug or deported.
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Atty. Brian D. Lerner has been an Immigration Attorney for nearly a quarter of a century. He is married to a Filipina and has helped thousands of Filipino families all over the country. In addition to his offices in Southern California in Long Beach and Carson, he has an office in Quezon City. He is a certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Legal Board of Specialization, California State Bar. The initial consultation is free. Call (562) 495-0554 and/or send an e-mail to [email protected].
