In the past two years, more than 200,000 immigrant families have been shattered by deportation proceedings. In Ohio, one man was arrested for a traffic violation while on his way to work and found himself deported to Mexico City within a month. His wife had just learned that she was pregnant with their second child. It has now been three years since he has lived with his wife and two sons.
Immigration has become a hot topic in the United States, even though this country was built by immigrants from all over the world. For many years, there was no immigration process at all; everyone was encouraged to come. Current laws encourage deportation, regardless of the consequences to families and children. Receiving a notice to appear bfore the immigration court is frightening. It means that the immigration officials have already made up their minds to deport you and are actively working on doing so.
Unless a positive defense is made, the immigrant threatened with deportation will be forced to leave. However, there are laws in place which will prevent deportation under certain circumstances. Marriage to a U.S. citizen, having a U.S. citizen parent or having lived in the U.S. for at least ten years would allow continued U.S. residency. It is also necessary to show that deportation would cause an unusual and extreme hardship to a spouse, parent or child who is either a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
There are other legal strategies that can be employed as a defense against removal proceedings. One defense is to file for a waiver of inadmissibility, which would nullify the conditions that prevent legal immigration. For example, seeking asylum against persecution in the home country has proven successful in the past. Proving the right to claim asylum can be tricky, requiring the services of an experienced immigration attorney.
Bell Law Office specializes in providing immigration and naturalization services to their Worthington, Ohio area clients. Jessica Rodriguez Bell focuses her practice on providing her clients with the help they need navigating the difficult immigration process. She also assists those who have had their lives turned upside-down by a deportation order. It is necessary to act quickly to find out all available options. Ms. Bell offers a free consultation to discuss what needs to be done to preserve residency, especially if deportation will break up the family. There is no time to waste.
