Protecting Your Rights in Admissibility and Deportation (Removal) Cases | Asylum Attorneys in California
At the immigration law firm of Levin and Pangilinan PC, our asylum attorneys advise, represent, and defend foreign nationals facing proceedings involving deportation (removal) and admission before the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). If you need dependable counsel in a situation that threatens your ability to enter or remain in the United States, contact our office.
Cases We Can Help With
Our asylum attorneys frequently advise and represent individuals who have been charged with immigration offenses such as:
- Prior immigration status violations;
- Unlawful entry or entry without inspection;
- Criminal arrests or convictions either before or after entry into the U.S.;
- Allegations of fraud, including cases involving immigration by marriage; and
- Overstaying a temporary visa.
We also advise clients about their options when, for those same reasons, their visa applications are rejected, or their entry is denied.
Options To Avoid Deportation
In many situations, our asylum attorneys can assist our clients by successfully applying for various forms of relief from deportation, including:
- Deferred Action - delaying removal for a set period of time;
- Prosecutorial Discretion - dismissal of the immigration case;
- Cancellation of Removal - if removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a client’s immediate relatives (spouse, parent, or child) who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents;
- Waivers of Inadmissibility - removing barriers to approving their visa application; and
- Adjustment of Status - if circumstances have changed and the client now qualifies for Lawful Permanent Resident status (a green card).
For Your Protection
When our client fears for their safety if they are returned to their home country due to extant racial, gender-based, religious, or political persecution, our asylum attorneys will determine if there is a qualifying claim for one of these protections:
- Political Asylum. Asylum allows the individual to remain in the U.S. for as long as the threatening conditions exist in their home country. When granted, it automatically confers asylee status on the applicant, their spouse, and any of their children under the age of 18 who came to the U.S. with them. Asylees are permitted to work freely and may also apply for a green card and, eventually, U.S. citizenship. Under normal circumstances, asylum must be applied for within one year of arrival into the U.S.
- Withholding of Removal. If the individual has lived in the U.S. for more than one year, they may apply for Withholding of Removal. Like asylum, this permits the individual to live and work in the U.S. for as long as the conditions in their home country remain a threat to them. Unlike asylum, withholding of removal is not automatically conferred upon the applicant’s family members, nor does the applicant receive the right to pursue a green card or citizenship.
- "CAT" protection. This protection falls under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ("CAT"). If the individual can demonstrate a very high probability that he or she will be tortured by their home government or by an illicit group operating in their country, the CAT treaty mandates that they must not be returned to their home. However, someone seeking CAT protection may be removed from the U.S. to another country that is willing to take them.
California's Best Asylum Attorneys Are Here To Defend Your Case
Our knowledge and experience with these often complex immigration cases enable us to expand your options for relief from removal from the U.S. When your case is heard in the immigration court; we can present your strongest arguments in clear and persuasive terms.
Philip M. Levin has been certified as a Specialist in Immigration Law by the State Bar of California, and his law firm has concentrated exclusively on immigration issues since 1991. To find out how you can minimize and manage the risk of being deported, contact a lawyer at the office of Levin and Pangilinan PC.
Levin and Pangilinan PC can assist with the following: immigration hearing and appeals; family immigration; marriage immigration; employment visas; H-1B work visas; E-1 visas & E-2 visas; perm labor certification; I-9 worksite enforcement; and protecting your rights regarding deportation, removal, and asylum. Contact Levin and Pangilinan PC for immigration help and support.
