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Deportation Defense Tips for Boston Immigration Court As a deportation defense lawyer who frequently appears in Immigration Court in Boston, here are some tips that should improve your experience at your immigration hearing: Attend all hearing in Immigration Court (and all other courts). If you don't go to Immigration Court for your hearing, the Immigration Judge will give you an order of removal or deportation "in absentia" and a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Arrive one hour before the time of your scheduled hearing. In Boston Immigration Court, for all master calendar hearings, a sign-in sheet is placed in the waiting room. I tell my immigration clients to arrive and sign in one hour before the scheduled time of the hearing. The sooner you sign in, the sooner your immigration case will be heard by the Immigration Judge. Plus, showing up early helps ensure that you will be in Immigration Court on time. Be careful: if you are late for your immigration hearing, you could be given an order of removal or deportation. READ MORE

Mar 23 2010

Boston Immigration Lawyer – What to do if your I-751 is denied because you filed it late

conditional permanent residency, Green card, I-751, Immigration Court Boston

Lately, our Boston immigration law office has been inundated by a flood of people who have had their I-751, petition to remove conditions on permanent residency, denied by USCIS because they were not filed on time. As the I-751 denial letter points out, when the I-751 is denied, all the rights and privileges of permanent residency are terminated. In some cases, the I-751 denial letter is accompanied by a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court, which means that deportation or removal proceedings have been initiated. If you filed your I-751 late and then got one of these denial letters from USCIS, what should you do? First, take a deep breath. Relax. Don't panic. And, by all means, don't pack your bags and leave the U.S. READ MORE

Jun 27 2009

Boston Immigration Court AILA Liaison

Deportation, Immigration Court Boston

I'm proud to announce that I've been re-appointed as a liaison to Boston's Immigration Court for the American Immigration Lawyers Association ("AILA") - New England Chapter. As a member of the Liaison Committee to the Executive Office of Immigration Review, I look forward to assisting my esteemed colleagues. In Boston, immigration lawyers and the Immigration Court have a tradition of warm relationship, for which we can thank the leadership of Court's Administrator Robert Halpin. As a liaison, I'm happy to be able make a small contribution to this on-going comity. READ MORE

Jun 26 2009

Boston Immirgation Court will be closed the first week of August

Immigration Bond, Immigration Court Boston, Immigration News Boston

The Immigration Court in Boston, Massachusetts will be closed August 3 - 7, 2009 while the Immigration Judges attend a conference. While the Court is closed, no hearings will be conducted, except emergency bonds, which will be heard telephonically by Immigration Judges who are not Boston Immigration Judges. The Immigration Court is in the process of rescheduling all hearings scheduled for that week. Although the Immigration Court will be closed, I'll be hard at work. If you need the help of an immigration lawyer, call me at (617) 722-0005 and come see me in my Boston immigration law office. READ MORE

Jun 25 2009

How to win or lose in Immigration Court

Deportation, Green card, Immigration Court Boston, Immigration Tips

If you are facing deportation or removal from the United States and have a hearing in Immigration Court in Boston or elsewhere, your fate is in the hands of an Immigration Judge who will weigh the evidence and reach a decision. Immigration lawyers refer to this process as the Court's or the Judge's discretion. People often underestimate the power of an Immigration Judge's discretion. So I'd like to give you three specific examples of how Immigration Judges have the discretion to decide deportation cases: READ MORE

Apr 17 2009

Stopping deportation in Massachusetts just got more expensive

Deportation, Immigration Bond, Immigration Court Boston

Boston area residents with final orders of deportation may request a stay of removal with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) by filing Form I-246 at its Burlington, Massachusetts immigration office. In the past, there had been no filing fee for this immigration application. But, apparently, the free ride is over. Effective immediately, a filing fee of $155 must be paid with Form I-246 in cash, money order or cashier's check (no personal checks). READ MORE

Apr 2 2009

Obama’s Aunt in Boston Immigration Court

asylum, Deportation, Immigration Court Boston, Immigration News Boston, Removal

As a lawyer specializing in deportation defense who frequently appears in Boston Immigration Court, I find it fascinating that a close family member of the President appeared yesterday in our court before our own Immigration Judge Shapiro. Zeituni Onyango, the Kenyan aunt of President Obama, is in deportation proceedings in Boston as everyone on the populated Earth knows by now. Of course, asylum applications are confidential. I certainly have no direct knowledge about this case. But my experience as a deportation lawyer in Boston tells me that Ms. Onyango's immigration case has been widely reported in a way that is quite misleading. The headline of the Boston Globe, for instance, claims that the Immigration Judge allowed Ms. Onyango to stay in the U.S. until February 2010. What is misleading about this headline is that it falsely suggests that the Immigration Judge made a discretionary decision in favor of Ms. Onyango. This is not at all what happened at the hearing yesterday. READ MORE

Mar 31 2009

USCIS Lawrence, MA Immigration Office will open on June 1, 2009

Immigration Court Boston, Immigration News Boston

Immigration lawyers in Boston, get ready: the new US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Massachusetts immigration office will officially open its doors on June 1, 2009. USCIS Lawrence immigration office plans to take on up to 30% of immigration cases for Massachusetts residents currently handled in Boston in the JFK Federal Building. I'll be posting more information about the new USCIS Lawrence, Massachusetts immigration office as soon as it becomes available. READ MORE

Mar 30 2009

Boston Immigration Court Schedule

Deportation, Immigration Court Boston, Immigration Tips, Removal

As an immigration lawyer In Boston focusing on deportation defense, I know that each our Immigration Judges has a particular reputation and perspective. The Immigration Judge to which your deportation case is assigned will have a great bearing on how your case is handled as well as the ultimate outcome. Immigration Court in Boston currently has the following six Immigration Judges: Matthew J. D'Angelo Leonard I. Shapiro Paul M. Gagnon Robin E. Feder Eliza C. Klein Francis L. Cramer Boston Immigration Court - Schedule of Non-Detained Master Calendar Hearings: To figure out which Boston Immigration Judge will be handling your deportation case, (assuming you a not detained) use the following schedule for master calendar hearings (FYI: your first appearance is called a master calendar hearings): READ MORE

Mar 26 2009

Boston Immigration Court News: our new Immigration Judge–Brenda O’Malley

Deportation, Immigration Court Boston, Immigration News Boston

This evening I attended a meeting of the New England Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Robert Halpin, the Court's Administrator, announced that Boston's new Immigration Judge, Brenda O'Malley, will be taking the bench and hearing deportation cases starting May 18, 2009 after training in Immigration Court in Boston, MA and Hartford, CT. Judge O'Malley has built a distinguished career having served previously with, among other places, the Office of Immigration Litigation, the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) Office of Chief Immigration Judge. Apparently, she even worked at one point as a law clerk with Boston's Immigration Court! Boston immigration lawyers with backlogged deportation cases are thrilled that we will soon have a new, 7th Immigration Judge to relieve the Immigration Court's busy docket. READ MORE

10 Tips for Boston Immigration Court