| Since 9/11, immigration trial attorneys are more | | | | - Judges will not create law. They do not study rules |
| important than ever. Rules are tougher. Procedures | | | | like an immigration trial lawyer. If a law has been used |
| are tighter. Judges are stricter. | | | | a certain way by courts in the past, a judge is going to |
| Yet, over 50% of immigrants go to Immigration Court | | | | do things the same way. Only an experienced and |
| hearings without a lawyer. This is a recipe for disaster. | | | | confident attorney will challenge how laws and |
| Americans looked for causes after the 9/11 attacks - | | | | procedures have been used in the past if your situation |
| many blamed the immigration system. Nineteen | | | | is different. |
| hijackers had entered the United States on student | | | | The Role of Your Immigration Trial Attorney |
| visas; the others used tourist visas. The results were | | | | An immigration trial attorney can bring many |
| predictable. It became harder to qualify for green | | | | advantages to your case - and can help to offset the |
| cards, U.S. citizenship, and other immigrant visas. | | | | problems you will face at Immigration Court. These |
| When green card applications fail, immigrants - and | | | | advantages may make the difference between |
| often their family members - are sent to Immigration | | | | winning and losing. |
| Court. The government asks the judge to deport the | | | | First, everything counts at an immigration trial. How you |
| immigrants. It becomes a winner-takes-all situation. | | | | prepare your application will influence every step of the |
| Like all aspects of immigration law, court procedures | | | | process. Too often deserving and honorable |
| have become more rigid in recent years. These | | | | immigrants destroy their chances with poorly prepared |
| changes make winning your case harder than ever | | | | paperwork. Confusing information can make it difficult |
| before . . . and the role of an immigration trial attorney | | | | to challenge a bad decision by the judge. Your lawyer |
| more essential to your success. | | | | should be able to prevent these mistakes before they |
| The Immigration Court Overload | | | | happen. |
| Immigration courts are flooded today: too many cases | | | | Second, there are many programs unknown to |
| and too little time. | | | | immigrants. They are easily overlooked if you do not |
| Since 2002, immigration judges are responsible for | | | | have an experienced attorney. For example, 5-10 |
| over 300,000 cases per year. There are 54 | | | | years ago, a special program may have existed for |
| immigration courts and 226 immigration judges. It is | | | | immigrants from your home country. Now it no longer |
| estimated that each judge makes about five rulings | | | | exists. A good immigration trial lawyer will know if that |
| per day, sometimes with less than 15 minutes to | | | | old law can still be used to help you stay here as a |
| render a decision. | | | | permanent resident. |
| The results of overcrowding: | | | | And most important of all, a trial lawyer with |
| - Judges take a quick look at written materials, | | | | immigration appeals experience can protect you |
| searching for errors and omissions. A single error may | | | | against bad decisions. Judges are humans. They make |
| cause a case to be denied, setting an immigrant's | | | | mistakes. A judge might overlook important evidence |
| petition back by a year or more. The error can even | | | | which helps your case. A judge may fail to properly |
| lead to your permanent removal from the U.S. | | | | consider testimony from a witness. Or the judge might |
| - Judges are forced to complete trials as quickly as | | | | use a rule against you in an improper manner. Your |
| possible. Instead of hearing from all possible witnesses, | | | | lawyer will be able to challenge these errors. |
| judges commonly ask for written statements instead | | | | Because immigration cases are harder today, hiring an |
| of actual testimony. Important information may be left | | | | immigration trial attorney may be the only way to |
| out. Unless there is an immigration trial attorney doing | | | | protect your right to a fair hearing - and your right to |
| the writing, most immigrants will fail to include certain | | | | stay legally in the United States. |
| evidence the judges need to know. | | | | |