Removal and Deportation Defense


Removal, commonly referred to as Deportation, has devastating effects on families and individuals. Our defense team will work tirelessly to ensure that your loved-one receives the most complete and thorough representation. We will review your situation and ensure that all grounds of relief are considered and heard in court, including possible claims to citizenship, eligibility for permanent residence, and any way to remain with your family.


Business-Based Immigration Services for companies transferring employees or recruiting talent from abroad who recognize that legal services can give them a competitive advantage in the global war for talent.


Family-Based U.S. Immigration Services to individuals seeking to obtain a lawful status through the sponsorship of a family member, such as a spouse, parent, or child. Our services include visitor, student, and permanent resident statuses.


U.S. Immigration & International Business Attorneys

During the recession that began in 2008, the U.S. government increased funding to agencies charged with assuring compliance with immigration laws, including I-9 requirements, LCA compliance, and violations of nonimmigrant visa terms. Most companies were not prepared for the increased scrutiny and the U.S. government handed down a record number of fines and prison sentences. Today, this strict compliance environment persists and companies must be prepared for site visits, workplace raids and other enforcement measures that could result in significant liabilities.


Workforce Compliance and Employer Sanctions


WHAT IS CRIMMIGRATION? – CRIMINAL DEFENSE ASSISTANCE / ANALYSIS
Since the enactment of IIRIRA under President Clinton in 1996, Crimmigration law, or Immigration as affecting Criminal Defense law, has emerged as one of the important and specialized areas of deportation and removal defense.

Advocates including those at O’Connor & Associates PLLC assist immigrants when Congress or the Executive Office of Immigration Review or ICE seek to limit due process and the opportunities for immigrants to become, or to remain, lawful permanent residents. More and more criminal convictions have been classified as immigration felonies, “aggravated felonies,” which prohibit immigrants from any relief against deportation.

This has led to a convergence of criminal defense and immigration law. The consequences of an immigrant’s criminal activity now go far beyond just time served in local, state, and federal jails. Punishment (“term of imprisonment”) and maximum term of imprisonment possible carries the potential for permanent deportation from the United States.

Often criminal defense attorneys do not grasp or appreciate the differences between representing immigrants and citizens; thus immigrants facing criminal charges must insist on seeking crimmigration lawyers, such as at O’Connor & Associates, not merely criminal defense attorneys.

IMMIGRANT DETENTION BED QUOTA

As if the imposition of stiff regulations for aggravated felony non-violent convictions and harsh rules for good moral character offenses, current U.S. deportation policy supports an unofficial detention bed quota. Congress has set a bed quota that requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house an average of 34,000 individuals in detention on a daily basis. 62% of these immigrants are detained in private, for-profit detention centers, casting more doubt on the fairness of the immigration detention and deportation system.


Naturalization and Citizenship


IMMIGRATION COURT, BIA APPEALS, CIRCUIT COURT APPEALS, OR HABEAS CORPUS
You may call or email O’Connor & Associates, (512) 617-9600 regarding your criminal or immigration problem, email info@oconnorimmigration.com