Deportation defense
A notice to appear is the start of a case, not the end
A Notice to Appear opens a case in immigration court. There is a judge, there is a hearing, and you have the right to a lawyer of your choosing.
I represent people at their first hearings and their final ones, ask for bond when a family member is detained, and file appeals and motions when an old order needs another look. Most of my clients’ hearings are in the Los Angeles and Adelanto courts.
What I handle
Bond for detained family members
Cancellation of removal
Asylum and withholding in court
Green cards granted by the judge
Motions to reopen old orders
Appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals
From the notice to the decision
A case can take months or years. I write to you after every hearing with what happened and what comes next.
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Step 1: The Notice to Appear
It lists the charges and, sometimes, a court date. Bring it to me as soon as it arrives, with the envelope.
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Step 2: The first hearings
Short hearings where the judge takes pleadings and sets deadlines. I answer the charges and tell the court what relief we’ll ask for.
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Step 3: Applications and evidence
We file the application and build the proof: years here, family, work, hardship, and letters from people who know you.
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Step 4: The individual hearing
The full hearing, with testimony. We prepare in practice sessions until the questions feel familiar.
Questions about deportation defense
My relative was just detained. What do we do first?
Write down their full name, date of birth and A-number if you have it, then call me. Don’t sign anything for them, and don’t pay anyone who promises a release. The detention guide lists the rest.
What is an A-number?
The number the government uses for each person’s immigration file. It starts with the letter A and appears on most notices, work permits and green cards.
Can I skip a hearing if I’m afraid to go?
Missing a hearing usually means an order of removal in your absence. If you’re afraid, call before the date; there are ways to ask for more time or to move the case.
Can an old order be reopened?
Sometimes: when a notice never reached you, when the law changed, or when new relief opened up. I need the court file to say; we can request it together.
Bring the court notice
Bring the Notice to Appear and any hearing notice. If the hearing is close, say so when you call.