Customs and Immigration Lawyer West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach Immigration Attorney, Jacqueline Delgado, is founding and managing partner of Delgado Law Group, LLC providing legal services for clients already in the United States as well as those still abroad. Please contact us at (561) 342-1429 to schedule a consultation to discuss your needs. We can help, whether you are petitioning for your spouse, applying for asylum, seeking a work visa, or facing deportation.
We accept all major credit cards and offer payment plans to make our services accessible.
President Obama's New Deportation Policy
This summer, the Obama administration announced that it is willing to reconsider deporting immigrants in many circumstances, especially when they have lived in the U.S. since they were young, or for many years, have family living here legally, and do not have criminal history. The government is declining to prosecute many of these cases as a matter of "prosecutorial discretion." This relief is for people who are already in deportation proceedings or in some cases, who already have a deportation order.
Bond Hearings
Most detained immigrants are entitled to request bond. We file motions and appear before the Immigration Judges at Krome, Broward Transitional Center, and Glades to request release of individuals who have been detained by immigration agents. We can also negotiate for release with the deportation officer.
Deportation Defense (Removal Proceedings)
Defense against deportation from the United States is complicated. First, the immigrant may not actually be deportable. Other times, the immigrant can apply for relief from deportation, such as cancellation of removal, asylum, or adjustment of status. Defending a deportation case can be the difference between children growing up without a parent or being forced to relocate to a country they do not know. Attending all hearings scheduled before the Immigration Court is important, as the Immigration Judge will order deportation in the immigrant's absence in all but the most exceptional circumstances.
Family Petitions
One of the most common ways to obtain a green card is through a family member who is either a lawful permanent resident or a United States citizen. Spouses, parents, children, and even brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens can petition for their family members to obtain green cards.
Waivers for Criminal History
Immigrants who have been convicted of certain crimes are eligible to apply for waivers in order to obtain their green cards or to avoid deportation. In some cases, longtime permanent residents are placed in deportation proceedings due to their criminal history, and risk losing their green cards. A well-prepared waiver package will document all of the factors in the immigrant's favor.
Employment-Based Immigration
The American dream is that if you work hard, you can make it, and immigrants have come from all over the world to realize that dream. H-1B, L-1, and other visas, as well as a route to a green card, are a popular way to immigrate to the United States legally.
U.S. Citizenship
Becoming a naturalized American citizen gives you many benefits: the right to vote, to petition for other family members without a wait, to travel with a U.S. passport, and to leave the United States on long trips without the risk of being denied entry upon return.
Asylum & Humanitarian Applications
This country has a tradition of being a safe haven for those who are persecuted on account of their religion, political opinion, race, nationality, or membership in a particular social group. Asylum, refugee status, and withholding of removal are available to individuals who can demonstrate that they have been persecuted in the past or would face persecution in the future if they were to return to their home countries.
If conditions in your home country are particularly bad, you may be able to seek Temporary Protected Status. Current TPS designated countries are:
- Haiti
- Nicaragua
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Honduras
- El Salvador
Investors
Immigrants who seek to bolster the U.S. economy through investments can obtain a temporary visa or a permanent green card, depending on the circumstances. This option allows immigrants more freedom than a traditional employment-based visa and is often a faster process.
Crime Victims
The U visa is available to immigrant victims of crimes and their families who assisted in a law enforcement investigation. There are 10,000 available every year. The prosecutor or police can certify helpfulness.
The Violence Against Women Act provides protection to abused spouses -- men or women -- and children, where the abuse was perpetrated by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The spouse or child who was subjected to battery or extreme cruelty can "self-petition" for a green card. Alternatively, he or she can apply for special relief from deportation.
Cuban Adjustment Act
Citizens of Cuba can apply for green cards on their own, without the need for a family member or employer to sponsor them, after they have been in the United States for one year and a day. They will need evidence of their time of entry, such as a parole card obtained at or after entry. Green cards are available even if the Cuban has dual nationality with another country, like Spain. Spouses of Cubans are also eligible for the benefit, even if they are citizens of a different country.
