Los Angeles (California).- In the United States, immigration laws are established and regulated by the federal government.

There is no such thing as a state or municipal immigration system, and any interaction that you have with the immigration system in Los Angeles will be administered by a federal agency, not a state or municipal agency. If yo

u are a foreign citizen who has recently arrived in the United States and the Los Angeles area, there are a few basic things that you need to know about the immigration system – especially if you want to live in the United States long term.

As an immigrant in Los Angeles who may have questions about his or her potential for deportation – or the potential for deportation of a loved one – you should be aware that you are at risk of becoming a target for illegal attorneys offering illegal and often incorrect legal advice.

These criminals masquerade as legitimate attorneys in order to take the money of immigrants who simply don’t know any better.

Before giving your money to an immigration attorney in Los Angeles, ask the attorney for his or her Bar registration number. Even though immigration law is a federal matter, the federal government in the United States does not license attorneys.

This means that, in order for an attorney to practice immigration law in federal court, he or she must first be licensed by one of the fifty states. Once licensed by a state, that attorney can practice immigration law in any federal courthouse, no matter what state that federal courthouse is located.

The entity in each state that licenses attorneys is known as the Bar, and each state has one. To make sure an immigration attorney is legitimate, contact the Bar in the state where the attorney is licensed to verify that the attorney is allowed to practice law and that his or her license is in good standing.

The official website for the State Bar of California is www.CalBar.ca.gov, where you can verify a California attorney registration number, or learn how to contact the Bar directly with questions.

While the Bar will tell you if an attorney is licensed in good standing, it will not dispense legal advice, explain legal terms, or answer questions about deportation.

You should know that the State Bar of California will not ask for details about your case or your status as an immigrant, and that a legitimate attorney will never discuss the details of your immigration case or your deportation questions with anyone – even law enforcement – without your permission.

When you find a legitimate immigration attorney in Los Angeles, you can consider his or her office a safe place to be honest and direct with the questions that the attorney will ask. Only by being honest with your attorney will he or she have the best chance of being able to help.

Technically, you don’t need to hire an attorney to pursue a long term visa or citizenship or even to fight a potential deportation – but working with a legitimate and experienced immigration attorney in Los Angeles is the only way to give yourself the greatest chance of completing the process correctly. Even the slightest error in the process could delay your application by weeks to months.

Spanish version – https://www.hispanospress.com/news/immigracion-los-angeles/