At times, our past mistakes may have a negative impact on our future, making it difficult to move forward and lead a happy and fulfilling life. This is especially true in the immigration context. However, at Reeves Immigration Law Group, we believe that people deserve a chance at redemption for their wrongdoings.
This is a story about the life and mistakes made by one of our clients, who we will refer to as “Joseph” to protect his privacy. And it is also a story about a dedicated attorney helping Joseph get a second chance in the United States.
Joseph was born and raised in the Philippines. He immigrated to the United States decades ago when he was only 19 years old. He was thrilled to receive his green card and be a lawful permanent resident of the U.S, but sadly he very nearly forfeited his opportunities in the U.S. because of a series of poor choices. Joseph fell into substance use, had numerous arrests, and was convicted of several different crimes. Joseph did not realize it at the time, but the compilation of these wrongdoings would later catch up to him and greatly jeopardize his residence in the United States.
Not too surprisingly, Joseph was ultimately placed in Removal proceedings by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. government had officially begun the process of deporting Joseph back to the Philippines. He now fully realized that the mistakes he made could destroy his life and cause him to lose his family and everything he had been working for in the U.S. since he came to the U.S. as a teenager.
But then Joseph made a really smart decision – he consulted with Reeves Immigration Law Group and asked for help. He met with Attorney Flomy Diza, a Senior Partner of the firm. Attorney Diza told Joseph about a form of relief in immigration court called Cancellation of Removal for Permanent Residents which is authorized under Section 240A(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Attorney Diza also thoroughly explained to Joseph what he should expect at an immigration court hearing.
Attorney Diza thereafter presented a very persuasive and compelling case to the court. He acknowledged that Jospeh had indeed made mistakes, but he also told the court that Joseph was no longer a wayward young man. He showed the court how Joseph had transformed his life. Joseph was now a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who enjoyed a very close relationship with his family. He now attends church, goes to meditation retreats, and serves his community. In short, Attorney Diza argued that Joseph is a family man who has completely transformed his life, and deporting Joseph to the Philippines would only punish his U.S. citizen relatives who had not done anything wrong.
We are happy to say that Joseph’s request to stay in the U.S. was granted! He can remain with his family and is now applying or U.S. citizenship!
