Removal Defense

Our firm has extensive experience in removal defense before the Immigration Courts (or Executive Office for Immigration Review within the Department of Justice) in Arlington, VA and Baltimore, MD. If you have received a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court, we can help you determine your best options for relief and guide you every step of the way until the conclusion of your immigration proceedings.

Release from Detention

If you or a family member is being detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), we have extensive experience helping detainees navigate their legal rights. Depending on the circumstances of their arrest, they may be eligible for release after paying a bond to ICE or filing a bond motion with the Immigration Court. Our attorneys can meet telephonically with detainees in any state to help them prepare for a Credible Fear Interview. Our firm has worked respectfully with the local offices of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Virginia and Maryland to ensure that eligible detainees are released quickly to their family while they await their Notice to Appear in Immigration Court.

Asylum

Asylum is a constantly evolving area of immigration law and can be extremely complex. Generally, an applicant must prove that they fear persecution in their home country by the government (or someone who the government is not able to control) specifically because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. There are several nuances to each factor and we will work with you to determine the best possible arguments to win asylum. As an alternative to Asylum, some cases may result in withholding of removal or relief under the Convention Against Torture.

Cancellation of Removal (for Permanent Residents and Non-Residents)

In certain circumstances, Respondents in Immigration Court may seek Cancellation of Removal when they have lived in the US for 10 years, can show good moral character, and can prove that their removal would cause exceptional hardship to their family. Individuals who were granted permanent residence over 5 years ago and who have lived in the US for over 7 years may also seek Cancellation of Removal if removal proceedings have been instituted against them.

NACARA

The Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) is often thought of as a law only applying to Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans fleeing violence and poverty decades ago, however there are still many ways to apply for permanent residence under NACARA. If your parent received their Permanent Residence through NACARA when you were under 21 years of age and unmarried, it may be possible to apply as a derivative. Similarly, you may be eligible if your spouse received NACARA while you were married. In other cases, we have helped the applicant realize that they were eligible to file under NACARA previously and can pursue NACARA in Immigration Court.

Motions to Reopen

Motions to Reopen can be used to reopen Immigration Court proceedings that have been closed for many different reasons. Common examples include an in-absentia removal order (where the person did not receive proper notice of the hearing or could not appear), removal orders (where the person did not eventually leave the US) or voluntary departure orders (where the person did not leave the US within the time allotted by the Immigration Judge).

Appeals

If you have received an adverse decision by an Immigration Judge, there are options to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (and subsequently in Federal Court).