The best way to understand what a US immigration lawyer does is to understand that immigration law is a subset of US federal law. Immigration lawyers are experts in this particular area of the law; they’re not just lawyers who specialize in immigration issues but someone who has studied, practiced, and become proficient in all aspects of this particular type of law.
US immigration law is a subset of US federal statutory law that deals with immigration. USCIS officers are the only people authorized to adjudicate applications for permanent residence and citizenship. If you need help with those matters, you’ll need an attorney specializing in US immigration law.
Here are among the duties of a US immigration lawyer:
Immigration lawyers can help employers navigate the regulations that define visas and employment eligibility.
Immigration lawyers can help employers navigate the regulations that define visas and employment eligibility. Employers who hire foreign workers must ensure they are allowed to work in the United States by obtaining a visa and complying with all applicable employment laws. Immigration attorneys can assist in this process by providing their clients with guidance on obtaining appropriate visas, correctly classifying positions as salaried or hourly, and other legal requirements associated with hiring foreign nationals.
Immigration lawyers are experts in a particular corner of the law.
Immigration lawyers are experts in a particular corner of the law. They’re not experts in other areas, like criminal defense or family law. If you have an immigration issue, it will be best to work with someone with experience in that field specifically—if you need help with your DUI case, then find a DUI attorney; if you have questions about your divorce papers, talk to a family law lawyer.
Immigration lawyers typically work directly with clients or companies that have cases in process, but they also participate in policy and advocacy discussions.
As an immigration lawyer, you’ll likely work directly with clients or companies that have cases in process. You’ll also take part in discussions about policy and advocacy. As an advocate for clients, you may be involved in your advocacy for them—for example, by helping them apply for visas or green cards and assisting them with any questions or concerns they may have.
As a policy maker, you could potentially help change legal requirements to improve the lives of people from other countries who desire to move here permanently but can’t because of the current system’s restrictions on their visa status; then, as an attorney working within this field:
- You could represent foreign nationals applying for temporary employment with American companies;
- You might also help those companies navigate through complicated processes related to hiring overseas talent;
- And finally—if new laws passed by Congress allowed more H-1B visas per year—you might even advise some businesses seeking such workers since they’d no longer have as much competition from other companies hoping someone might fill these positions at lower costs due mainly because they’ve been able.
Immigration lawyers help people petition for asylum from persecution by their home governments.
Asylum is protection granted to foreigners persecuted in their home country because of race, religion, political preference, nationality, or membership in a specific social group. People can apply for asylum in the United States after arriving here or while they’re still overseas. To qualify for asylum, applicants must prove that they meet the definition of “refugee” defined by the United Nations through its assigned committee named the UN Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. They also must demonstrate that it would be unsafe for them to return home or remain there because they fear persecution on account of one of these five reasons:
- Race
- Religion
- Nationality/ethnicity (the place where you were born)
- Political opinion (what you think about government policies)
- Membership in a particular social group (people who share similar traits like age or culture)
Immigration lawyers may work directly with the Department of Homeland Security on security, border crossing, and visa applications.
- Immigration lawyers may work directly with the Department of Homeland Security on security, border crossing, and visa applications.
- Immigration lawyers may also represent clients in administrative hearings before an immigration judge or a federal appellate court.
- Lawyers specializing in this area can help you petition for family members to come live in the US, get a green card or permanent residence status, or apply for citizenship. They can also assist with more complex cases like asylum applications or removal proceedings such as deportation/removal from the US, asylum claims, naturalization applications, and appeals against denial of these applications.
Conclusion
When looking for an immigration attorney, it’s important to remember that this is a very complex area of law and that there are bad actors in every profession. The truth is that most people who practice this specialty are dedicated to serving their clients no matter where they originate or what those clients believe in politically.