Importance of Hiring an Immigration Lawyer: A Latino’s Story of Avoiding Deportation

Having a good immigration lawyer can free you from serious problems if you process a document or if you are in a removal proceedings. A Latino who was almost deported for not having timely legal advice knows that well.

From May 2018 to June 2019, Rodney was detained at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, where the deportation process began. The defense of his lawyer, Marty Rosenbluth, was the key to avoid being deported. However, prior to Marty, he had two advocates who, in his opinion, failed to provide him with adequate legal assistance and prolonged his stay in the detention center.

“My process took a long time because I had three lawyers. The first wanted to charge me $30,000, in exchange for him being deported, and then she would fill out a family petition to try to enter the United States in the future. The second did not enter my information correctly in the documents and two days before my final hearing she told me that she could not go”, Rodney related to The News.

Having an immigration lawyer is key to a good defense

“I went with the third (Marty) and he had to ask for an extension because if I had gone to this hearing with the documents that my second lawyer filled out for me, I would have been deported. Both the judge and the government attorney agreed that it needed better representation and more time to prepare my caseRodney added.

Rosenbluthwho for more than a decade has worked exclusively with cases of Stewart Detention Centerensures that hiring a lawyer is a key step to increase the chances of avoiding deportation and having an adequate defense that increases the chances that the person can be legally in USA.

In fact, the lack of adequate legal representation can put the lives of those who seek protection in the United States at risk, by not knowing that they qualify for certain protections such as asylum.

“Unfortunately, immigration laws are very strict and sometimes there is nothing that can be done to prevent people from being deported, but if people contact a lawyer, our duty is to try to help them and that’s why one of the most important things is to have a lawyer”, commented Rosenbluth, who recommends:

Keys to choose an immigration lawyer and avoid bad experiences

1. That the lawyer is specialized in immigration

One of the things Rodney heard during his time at the ICE detention center is that relatives of some detainees were hiring “consultants” o “paralegals” that offered services such as filling out forms or carrying out procedures on behalf of these detainees.

For the lawyer Rosenbluth, although it is true that there are procedures that can be carried out by paralegals (such as filling out certain petitions), the main thing is to hire a lawyer specialized in immigration and who can practice his profession in the state where the case of the immigrant, due to the legal complexity of certain procedures.

2. ask for recommendations

Ask family, friends, community members about attorneys they know of in similar cases and have provided good service.

3. Check where the lawyer is licensed

Since immigration laws are federal, you can be represented by an attorney from another state. However, it is advisable to know where the lawyer you choose is licensed. This will help you know what remedies are available to you in the case of unprofessional behavior.

4. May your attention be face-to-face

“Most of the lawyers they conduct their hearings by phone in immigration court, but I think that this is not a good practice. How can you represent someone you only hear on the phone and don’t really see, that was one of the reasons I moved, to be in court with my clients and it’s something I recommend. Hire a lawyer who will be with you”Rosenbluth commented.

5. That it clearly informs you about the fees, services and expenses.

There are several factors that lawyers take into account when setting their fees. But the most important thing is that the professional has an open conversation with his potential client about whether these will be fixed, by the hour, conditional (in the case of winning his case) and how and when they should be paid. The recommendation is that an agreement be reached in writing.

How to check if your lawyer has a disciplinary record?

If you are looking for an immigration attorney who is licensed in North Carolina and you want to confirm that you do not have a disciplinary record, ideally you should carry out a prior investigation in the North Carolina State Bar Association.

This state college, known in English as North Carolina State Bar currently has a directory to locate specialized attorneys near your area. It works equally well to confirm if this is an active member.

The minimum data you need are: the status (in this case, North Carolina), the judicial district and the specialty you are looking for. The directory only will show those that are certified by the State Bar Association.

Once you do this search you will be able to see the lawyers who are near this area and get basic information about them such as their names, the location of their law firms, whether or not they are an active member, their email and phone number, and their professional identification number.

To confirm whether or not your lawyer has a disciplinary record, he also has the case finder before him North Carolina Bar Association Grievance Committeethe Disciplinary Hearings Commission and state and federal courts in discipline and disability cases. All you will need is the lawyer’s first and last name.