Immigration Appeals - Reviewing Your Options

Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the U.S. Government went into overdrive when it came to protecting the borders of the country. Through the Department of Homeland Security, a number of changes went into effect that affected both those who wanted to emigrate to the U.S. and those who were already here. As an immigrant, it's entirely possible that you were or are facing deportation due to any number of legal entanglements. At this point, you have some options, one of which is the system of immigration appeals. Here is a look at those options and how you can use them to fight your deportation.

Hire a Lawyer

If you want to have a fighting chance of staying in the country, hiring a lawyer is a must. Immigration appeals is a complex and ever-changing field of law and is nothing that a layman should attempt to understand. Going it alone is always an option, but it's an almost guaranteed route to failure. Make sure you hire someone who is serious about helping their clients. There are plenty of attorneys out there who function as little more than an official "Form Filler", and that's not what you need. You need someone who will do more than simply tell you which forms to fill out and when to show up in court. You need someone who has a proven track record when it comes to successfully fighting the deportation process.

Defense

A sign of a good immigration appeals lawyer will be one who can take a look at your case and start coming up with strategies you may find effective. Depending on your particular situation, you may have several options available to you. Having family members who are currently citizens of the U.S. can be a big help when it comes to getting a legal visa. If you can show that someone else will suffer an undue hardship due to your deportation, it may be sufficient to present as a valid defense against the charges. A good lawyer will be able to look at your situation in total and come up with a defense with which you can move forward.

Be Realistic

While a good lawyer can come up with defense strategies based on extenuating circumstances, he cannot make up such circumstance from whole cloth. If you have no legitimate reason to answer the deportation charges, you're going to have a difficult time making an argument for exception. Even if you have legitimate reasons to enter into immigration appeals, be realistic about your chances of success. Once the government has rejected your application for a visa, it's very difficult to have the decision reversed. It can be done in some cases, but you're better off knowing that you have an uphill battle ahead.