The importance of having New Haven, Connecticut Immigration Lawyers

On the memorable bright day of May 13, 2016 I waited in a court room of the neoclassical

courthouse of New Haven, Connecticut for my naturalization ceremony with the judge. The

respectful whispers of the people and the formality of their attire added to the gravitas of the

large room.  After a fifteen minute wait we were announced to stand up in honor of the judge.  His

honor started his address to the audience with a stately manner that reaffirmed the dignity of the

event. “The reason one must arise in this room is often undesirable and against one’s wishes,”he

said. “However, today is the exception. Today, the reason is a joyful celebration of the long,

sometimes very difficult path you have undertaken in order to become a part of this great

country. Each of you made difficult choices. All of you had to leave your places of birth, and

went through many struggles just to achieve being called an American. Meanwhile, in order to

have this privilege of being American, all I needed to do was to breathe.” He went on to praise

the hard work of immigrants and their contributions to the society, and congratulated us with

becoming American citizens. In this room charged with silent excitement, his words were

moving and exhilarating, resonating against the current anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald

Trump.

Our oath of allegiance followed his talk, and the final stage of the ceremony – handing

out the Certificates of Naturalization started. My turn came and I shook his hand to accept my

certificate which seemed much more substantial than the flimsy decorated sheet of paper.  It was

an affirmation that I was at last a fully fledged citizen of this nation, and able to participate in its

democracy – a privilege and right I could not have imagined seven years ago.

Seven years ago, after having fallen into an immigration scam and losing all my savings

to a non-registered company who then disappeared, IhadoverstayedmyJ-1visa.Iworkedfora

minimum wage and feared that I would lose my job if they found out my status any day and that

I would be forced to leave the country. Pursuing my education in a graduate school was a very

distant dream. Without proper documents and unable to appeal to law enforcement agencies

regarding the scam, or to access to a better job or a car, I had come to understand the importance

of the role of an immigration lawyer to provide support and guidance in my case. Seven years

later, a graduate student in one of the most prestigious schools in the nation, I accepted the

document that declared me an American citizen, and owed tremendous gratitude to my lawyer

for this honorary day.

When I approached her in Orlando, Florida with my request, I had as limited chance of being

granted a legitimate stay in the United States. But with her knowledge and understanding of the

laws governing the matters of immigration and her personal approach to my case, she made the

onerous and complicated process of application easy and successful. She addressed all my

questions and concerns, ensured that my application did not lack any essential documents, and

made every effort to help me with building a strong case.  Her support extended beyond preparing

the paperwork – she provided continuous feedback on every aspect of my application, from

commenting on my essay to improving my interview skills. Most importantly, she gave me

confidence and comfort about my case throughout the application process. When I came to an

interview with the immigration officer in Miami in early April of 2010, I felt at ease for I knew

her support of my case. Two weeks later, I was granted an asylum status, and received my

permanent resident card in a year. Now I was able to get a job without any restrictions, and

continue my education at the graduate level. Had I known the importance of having an

immigration lawyer earlier, it would have saved me much financial and emotional stress.

As someone who went through the complicated process of obtaining a legal status of stay

in the United States and eventually becoming a citizen, and through my friends and

acquaintances who had similar experiences, I am well aware of diverse paths to stay in the

country through work, studying, investing, or being naturalized. Common to these paths is the

complicated and lengthy process of application. Having an immigration lawyer will help in this

process, including:

– To ensure a full and error-free application package;

– To ensure that all the critical deadlines are met;

– To accompany in the interviews and hearings;

– To give a peace of mind and comfort throughout the overwhelming process.

Especially in today’s anti-immigration rhetoric of the Trump administration, manifest in its

‘Muslim ban’ early this year and mass deportation efforts, it is hard to over state the significance

of the role of immigration lawyers to achieve a successful case. The effectiveness of these

lawyers to suspend the ban and prevent numerous immigrants from being deported throughout

the country further demonstrate their independence and necessity for such cases.