What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do?

The current administration announced more than six executive orders related to immigration laws. When you’re asking what does an immigration lawyer do, WA Law Group can answer your questions. 

One of the most important responsibilities is understanding the laws and how they affect immigrants.

Immigration lawyers offer legal advice and guidance to immigrants looking for visas and the appropriate steps to citizenship.

The lawyer’s main responsibilities include:

• Legal advice: Personalized advice specific to the situation.
• Legal strategy: After initial consultations, the lawyer decides on the best legal strategy. It might be a non-immigrant visa, family-based immigration, a national interest waiver, employment visas, EB-5, or naturalization.
• Documents and Filing: The immigration lawyer files the appropriate legal documents and supporting documentation with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• Legal Representation: An immigration attorney accompanies clients to interviews with immigration officers and immigration court hearings. They advocate for the client’s fair, just treatment.
• Appeals and Waivers: An immigration lawyer helps file the appeal or files a motion to reconsider a denied application. If waivers are necessary, an immigration attorney helps fill out those waivers.
• Deportation Defense: An immigration attorney protects a person’s rights and ensures fair treatment if deportation is a risk.

In addition to those crucial job duties, an immigration lawyer follows changes to immigration laws. Legal changes are time-consuming and challenging.

An immigration law firm navigates the changing legal landscape and ensures your applications and documentation meet the new requirements.

You can file for an immigration visa on your own. However, one small mistake can create a headache ranging from processing delays to deportation.

Hiring a visa lawyer protects you from possible errors and eventual denials.

• English is not your first language.
• You experienced a denial of your past visa application.
• You don’t understand how to accurately fill out the applications.
• You face legal complications.
• You have a criminal record.
• You need waivers of inadmissibility.
• You need your application expedited.
• You overstayed your visa.
• You’re facing deportation proceedings.
• You’re unsure what documentation to provide.
• You’re seeking complex employment-based visas.

Becoming a citizen requires you to follow the correct steps. One mistake and you jeopardize your chances. You need a citizenship lawyer if:

• You entered the U.S. without a visa or allowed your visa to expire.
• You have a criminal history.
• You were out of the U.S. for more than six months.
• You’ve falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen in the past on government forms, job applications, or legal forms.
• Your character evaluation points to problems with a “Good Moral Character.”
• USCIS denied your past attempts at citizenship.

Detained immigrants with legal representation are 4x more likely to be released, according to the American Immigration Council. Immigrants who were never detained are 5x more likely to get the outcome they wanted.

Have an advocate on your side through the challenging immigration process. Immigration lawyers ensure you follow the laws, even if they keep changing. The immigration attorneys and lawyers at WA Law Group focus on:

• EB-5 Petitions (Investment Immigration)
• Citizenship and Naturalization
• Employment/PERM (EB-2, EB-3, etc.)
• Family-based Immigration
• Non-Immigrant Visas (temporary work-related visas like H-1B, L-1, and TN)
• National Interest Waivers

Schedule a legal consultation today. Complete our contact form to get started.