U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is cracking down in Mississippi and across the country, and immigrants and their families need to be aware of their options for defending against deportation.
Even if you have stayed up to date on your annual work permits, you could still face serious consequences if you have not secured permanent residency documents. This is especially true in the current political climate.
Reasons for Deportation
Removal proceedings — also called deportation — can be started for several reasons:
- Violating visa restrictions by working without permission
- Overstaying a visa
- Being arrested on criminal charges
The recent story about a man in Mississippi is a powerful reminder of why it is so important for immigrants to have strong legal support when facing possible removal. In this case, the man has lived in Mississippi for 20 years — since he was 16 — and now he is facing deportation.
Legal Ways to Avoid Deportation
Every immigration case is different. An experienced immigration attorney can investigate your case to determine your options for avoiding deportation. Depending on the circumstances, those options may include:
- Adjustment to permanent resident status
- Applying for a visa
- Applying for asylum
- Obtaining a waiver of removability
- Obtaining an unlawful presence waiver
- Cancellation of removal
Whatever your situation may be, it is important to take action quickly. Speak with a Mississippi immigration attorney to learn more about your options.
To learn more about deportation/removal defense, please see our deportation defense overview.
To learn more about family-based immigration, please see our overview of family-based visas.
