When you’ve already started a life in the United States, the risk of deportation threatens to pull the rug out from under you.

Even if you’re residing in the country by legal means like a green card or a visa, it’s still very possible for you to be deported. It’s essential that you fully understand the factors that place you at risk for removal, the defenses you have against deportation, and how an immigration lawyer can help give you the best chance of staying where you are.

That’s why in this blog post, we’re going to cover all of that, as well as the key steps you need to take to find the right deportation lawyer when you need one.

What places you at risk of deportation?

There are a few relatively common reasons a legal immigrant could be deported. Some are fairly obvious, like one or more serious criminal charges, while others are less obvious as grounds for deportation.

Specifically, certain reasons you could be removed from the United States include:

• Failure to follow the conditions of your visa
• Changing your address without informing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• Conviction of crimes listed under the Immigration and Nationality Act
• Dependency on need-based government assistance within 5 years of entry into the U.S.

While all of these could lead to your deportation, none of these factors guarantee that you’ll be removed from the country. The best way to defend your place in the U.S. starts with retaining the services of a Tampa immigration lawyer.

How can a Tampa immigration law firm help?

An immigration lawyer is your best chance at building an effective case for yourself if you’re at risk of forced removal.

A lawyer, no matter their specific area of practice, strongly understands what’s required to actually remove you and which factors of your case will make the biggest difference in your favor.

Even once you’ve already received your Notice to Appear in immigration court and begun your legal proceedings, getting a lawyer on your side can turn the tide in your favor. Specifically, they can help you get a cancellation of removal by a few different means.

Generally speaking, a clean criminal record or strong family ties to the U.S. through an immediate family member can help convince the court to allow you to stay despite whatever circumstance has caused your consideration for removal.

An experienced attorney knows how to use these elements of your case to create a persuasive narrative that gives you a much better chance of keeping your place in the U.S. First, though, you need to find the right immigration lawyer for you.

Finding a lawyer

Not all immigration attorneys are necessarily suited to your type of case. They should ideally have a few different kinds of expertise relevant to your circumstances:

• Federal immigration law
• Any relevant local laws
• The reasoning used to justify your removal

Many people find an attorney through referral from friends and family, but online research is also worth your time. If you contact an attorney online, you should inform them briefly of your situation and make sure they do actually handle your type of case. You should also be sure to specify the lawyer’s name in your message to confirm that they were the intended recipient.

Schedule a call with Tampa Immigration Law Center now

Working with an experienced lawyer like the ones at Tampa Immigration Law Center gives you the best chance at a favorable outcome. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy to make things work in a new country. Don’t let it get taken away without defending yourself. Schedule a call with us now and find out how we can help you.