We’ve been known to tell a fictional story or two to get a point across. This one isn’t one of them. What we’re about to tell you is the true story of one undocumented alien’s experiences with the corruption within our legal system. We hope after hearing his story, you’ll know enough to be very careful when you are looking for the right immigration lawyer. While most immigration lawyers are upright people, there are some real crooks amongst their ranks, too.
Pedro (that’s not his real name; you didn’t really think we were crazy enough to put his real name out there, did you?) came to the United States like many Mexican citizens. He simply crossed the Rio Grande. Admittedly, he didn’t ask permission before he came. Frankly, the US government, while not really doing much to actually stop illegal immigration, makes it terribly difficult for people, especially Mexicans, to immigrate (or even visit) legally.
Pedro had no intention of staying in the United States permanently. In fact, his original intention was only to visit his relatives, who are legal immigrants in the Northern United States.
While in the United States, Pedro met a girl. Yeah, we know, it’s kind of cheesy, but it happened. Pedro and this young lady became quite an item, and she became pregnant with Pedro’s baby.
Pedro found a job as a cook in a Chinese restaurant and has worked hard his entire time in the United States. The owner of the restaurant, a Vietnamese immigrant himself, taught Pedro to speak English. If you’ve never heard a Mexican who learned to speak English from an Asian person, you really should find one and listen for a while, it’s one of the funniest things you’ll ever hear.
The restaurant owner recommended a couple of immigration lawyers to Pedro, and Pedro went about trying to become a legal US resident. He’s not an undue burden on our welfare system. He just wants to work and better himself like the rest of us do, and to be a husband to his wife and a father to his children.
Unfortunately, the lawyer took him for $5,000 (it had taken him a year to save the money) and has done nothing with his case. She knows that he can’t take any action against her for fear of being deported and separated from his family. His options are limited. He can either:
- Continue to live here illegally and forget the money he gave the lawyer.
- Save up to hire another lawyer, hoping he doesn’t get screwed again.
- Go back to Mexico and try to immigrate legally, which could take a long time and cost him his job.
We say all that to say this: be careful which immigration lawyers you use. We don’t want to see the same thing happen to you. Make sure any immigration lawyer you use comes well recommended by asking to speak with several clients he has helped.