The Immigration Mastermind

There are ghosts in immigration courtrooms. They attend every hearing on hardship. They never speak. They never testify. And yet, judges listen to them anyway. Related Podcasts: Hardship Is Not A Silver Spoon Theory...

It was my first briefcase. It was black. It was made out of wood. It was cheap. I paid $1.99 for it. I bought it at a Thrifty’s – a low cost drug store, located two blocks away from my home. When I carried it, I carried...

The moment we stepped out of court, he started crying. He cried . . . And cried . . . And cried. His wife had just won her immigration case. Related Podcasts: Sports And Immigration If There's A Will, There's A Way...

<p>Clients often ask “Do I really need a lawyer to handle my case?”</p><p>Here’s the truth. </p><p>It depends.</p><p>Some immigration cases are easier than others.</p><p>Run-of-the-mill family visas petition or...

<p>“If destruction be our lot”, Abraham Lincoln once noted, “we must ourselves be its author and finisher.” </p><p>That was 187 years ago.</p><p>Many things have changed in the United States since that time. </p><p>But...

<p>Immigration law, at times, reminds me of the classic Western, “The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.” </p><p>The Good, played by Clint Eastwood, is a subdued yet confident bounty hunter, ready to dive into battle...

<p>I still remember my first immigration trial.</p><p>I worked hard to cover every angle in advance. </p><p>At the end of the hearing, the judge threw a curve at me. </p><p>In his view, my client could not prove good...

<p>I subscribe to chaos.</p><p>More precisely, I subscribe to chaos theory as a time management philosophy. </p><p>Because chaos is inevitable, chaos theory teaches it is a force that should be accounted for in our...

<p>I am not a fan of hardship letters.</p><p>In a previous episode, I outlined my opposition. However, I realize some folks, seeking I-601 waivers, will proceed forward anyway.</p><p>As a result, I will discuss the six...

<p>Immigrants and their spouses often call my office for help with writing their hardship letter. Usually, the request is related to an I-601A waiver application.</p><p>To most callers, the request seems simple. But in...

<p>The only fear we have to fear, once said Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our country’s 32nd president, is fear itself.</p><p>His comment, though often quoted, is quite frequently not followed. </p><p>This is true of many...

<p>Many folks decide to handle immigration cases on their own. That’s understandable.</p><p>It is rarely prudent.</p><p>Over the years, I’ve seen the outcome for countless individuals who decided to represent...

<p>Even though I am a pro-immigrant attorney, I’m willing to admit that some immigrants commit bad acts.</p><p>It bothers me, as a matter of policy, when colleagues portray immigrants as quasi-angels. </p><p>Such an...

<p>The Make America Great Again folks, known as MAGA, have it all wrong.</p><p>What they consider a great America, I recall being a overly discriminatory county.</p><p>One in which my parents, my family, and my...

<p>The first step in the green card process, completing the initial petition for an immigrant relative, seems simple. </p><p>After all, the petition – called an I-130 petition -looks simple. </p><p>Nonetheless...