Houston Immigration Lawyer's Case Results

Successfully appealed Immigration Judge’s finding that client from El Salvador did not meet her burden of proof for asylum and withholding of removal.

Client was detained by ICE after leaving his probation appointment with Harris County. He was transferred to immigration custody and put into removal proceedings. Client was a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) for 20 years and entered when he was a child. Client was a citizen of the West Indies. Client qualified for a waiver to forgive his criminal history by showing that he his United States citizen wife, mother, and sister would suffer hardship if he were deported. The Immigration Judge found that he merited favorable discretion and granted him a waiver for his crimes, allowing him to keep his residency.

Immigration Judge granted Cancellation of Removal for Non-Permanent Residents (Form EOIR 42B) for a client from Mexico based on his step-child’s physical disability and complete reliance on him to provide for his large family, all of which were U.S. citizens. Client had a criminal history of DWI and public intoxication charges.

Successfully obtained Deferred Action status for numerous clients, resulting in the issuance of work authorization and deferred deportation.

Successfully reopened deportation case based on lack of notice due to client’s age. Client was a Mexican national.

Helped a Mexican national obtain a waiver of inadmissibility after client had previous attorney who did not file proper waiver in anticipation of consular interview in Ciudad Juarez. Client was separated from his wife and child for over 2 years. I filed the proper waiver and it was approved because the Attorney General found that his wife and child would suffer extreme hardship if he weren't return, even though he had been out of the country for over 2 years. He was able to return to the United States with his green card.

Successfully removed conditions on Legal Permanent Residence (I-751) for Client and her two children, even though she had obtained a divorce from petitioning spouse.

Client, a citizen of El Salvador, had a previous Order of Removal from an Immigration Judge. Client's brother had recently been killed in El Salvador by gang members trying to extort his father because his father owned a business. I successfully reopened his case to apply for asylum due to a change in circumstances. Client's Order of Removal was vacated and he was able to present his case to the judge.

Successfully obtained a certificate of citizenship (Form N-600) for a client from Philippines based on his parent becoming a United States citizen. Client entered as a Legal Permanent Resident and immediately became a citizen due to his mother becoming a U.S. citizen years prior.

Successfully obtained a Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver, Form I-601A, for a man from Nicaragua who is married to a United States citizen, has no children in the United States, and has no criminal history. Client’s waiver was granted on the basis of economic and medical hardship to his United States citizen wife.

Successfully obtained a Unlawful Presence Waiver, Form I-601, for a client who voluntarily departed (VD) to Mexico after being in the United States for twenty years. Client had a criminal history of DWI and alleged child molestation, which authorities dismissed over eight years ago.

Successfully obtained an extension TN visa for a computer analyst from Mexico.

Successfully obtained Legal Permanent Residence for a client from Cameroon who was abused by a spouse. Client received Legal Permanent Residence based on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in which the United States citizen spouse subjected the client to severe physical and emotional abuse while they were married.

Successfully obtained Legal Permanent Residence for a client from Mexico who married a United States citizen and was eligible to adjust his status through a prior petition under section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (grandfathered petition). Client was also eligible for adjustment of status as a “waive through” at the border more than 20 years ago.

Successfully obtained Legal Permanent Residence for a client from Mexico who was issued a allegedly fraudulent birth certificate. The birth certificate was issued over 30 years ago in the Texas Valley.

Successfully obtained United States citizenship for a client from Mexico who had a criminal history of drug possession and DWI.

January 2017 – Successfully reopened and terminated a case in Miami Immigration Court for a client from Haiti who was originally granted TPS. Client had married a U.S. citizen and was eligible for adjustment of status to obtain Legal Permanent Residency based on his marriage.

Successfully obtain U Visa for victim of armed robbery, resulting in work authorization for her and her husband.

Successfully obtained U.S. Citizenship for a client who was accused of polygamy. Client filed application without an attorney the first time and was interrogated by immigration officers when he attended his interview. Subsequently, he was denied. He came to Lopez & Rhodes to get help in reapplying. Attorney Lopez successfully argued that he did not commit polygamy in another state and Client was granted U.S. Citizenship.

Successfully obtained U.S. Citizenship for client who had an aiding and abetting transport of illegal immigrants criminal conviction.

Successfully obtained an approval of a waiver of inadmissibility for unlawful presence more than 1 year for client who was a Mexican national. Client was not allowed to apply for admission for 10 years but this was waived upon approval of I-601 wavier.

Successfully obtained granting of application for a waiver under section 212(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Client has been a resident since 2000 and traveled outside the country to visit family in El Salvador. He was stopped by Customs at the airport upon his return because of his criminal history. He was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and transferred to a detention center to await a hearing in front of an Immigration Judge in Houston, Texas. He was charged with being inadmissible under section 212(a)(2)(B) of the INA as an immigration who has been convicted of two or more offenses for which the aggregate sentences to confinement actually imposed were five (5) years or more.

Although the client had an extensive criminal history, dating back to 2000, he was eligible for a waiver under section 212(h) of the INA. This section allows certain crimes to be waived for Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who have been residents for five (5) years and who have resided lawfully in the United States for seven (7) years prior to the issuance of the Notice to Appear.

The Immigration Judge granted client's application for a waiver under section 212(h) based on the fact that his United States citizen wife and three children would suffer extreme hardship if he were removed from the United States."

Successfully obtained an approval of a waiver of inadmissibility based on unlawful presence. The client had resided in the United States for more than one year before voluntarily leaving for Mexico. He then requested admission to the U.S. within 10 years of his departure. His I-601 Waiver of Inadmissibility was sustained after Attorney Lopez successfully established that his U.S. citizen spouse would suffer extreme hardship due to relocation and separation.