It is important to find the right attorney to handle your immigration case. There are plenty of stories about unscrupulous individuals who prey on immigrants, and the legal profession is not immune from those problems. Some people who prey on immigrants are not lawyers but give the false impression that they are attorneys. They are “notarios” or individuals who speak a foreign language and who may have some basic knowledge of the immigration law system. These non-lawyers often (but not always) charge less than an immigration attorney charges in fees. The problem is that non-lawyers often mishandle an immigration case, may take a fee but do no work at all, may disappear and be impossible to locate, or may damage an immigrant’s case and cause a deportation or loss of legal status. Cranbrook Legal – Immigration Lawyers
There are also some attorneys who behave unscrupulously and who may encourage an immigrant to be dishonest in an immigration application. Some lawyers will go so far as to have their clients lie to immigration officials. Deceptive and illegal tactics do not help the immigrant, as the truth eventually is discovered by immigration officials. In the end, deceptive and illegal tactics usually cause an immigrant to become permanently barred from obtaining legal status.
Finally, consider the group of attorneys who simply do not have the expertise to handle an immigration case. Immigration law can be complex. Good immigration attorneys devote a great deal of time and effort to stay current with changes in immigration law and to understand immigration rules well enough to assist immigrants effectively.
As an Indianapolis immigration attorney, I encourage immigrants to consider these basic things before hiring someone to help with an immigration law matter: