Des Plaines Deportation Lawyer

Are you looking for a deportation lawyer in Des Plaines, IL?

At Dworsky Law Firm, we are trusted deportation lawyers with over 25 years of experience.

If you or a family member received a Notice to Appear or was detained by immigration authorities in Des Plaines, the decisions you make in the next few weeks matter. Removal proceedings move fast, and missing a single hearing can result in a deportation order issued in your absence.

At Dworsky Law Firm, we have defended immigrants for more than 25 years. We handle every stage of the removal process, from bond hearings through federal appeals. Our Des Plaines, IL deportation lawyer can review your case and explain your options. Reach out today to schedule a consultation.

Deportation Lawyer Des Plaines, IL

Deportation, formally called removal, is the legal process the federal government uses to expel a noncitizen from the United States. A removal case begins when the Department of Homeland Security serves a Notice to Appear, which lists the charges against you and requires you to answer before an immigration judge.

Removal cases for Des Plaines residents are heard at the Chicago Immigration Court, which had more than 200,000 pending cases as of 2026, according to EOIR court data. Nationwide, EOIR reported a pending caseload of roughly 3.75 million cases in 2025. Those numbers mean crowded dockets, compressed hearing schedules, and little patience for unprepared respondents. A Des Plaines deportation attorney levels that field.

Types of Deportation Cases We Handle in Des Plaines

Deportation defense is not a single strategy. The right approach depends on how you entered the country, your immigration history, family ties, and the specific charges in your case. These are the matters we handle most often for Des Plaines clients.

Removal defense. We represent clients at master calendar and individual merits hearings before the Chicago Immigration Court. We contest the government’s charges, file applications for relief, and present evidence supporting your right to remain.
Detention and bond hearings. When ICE detains someone, we move quickly to locate them, request a bond hearing, and argue for release. Getting out of custody makes preparing the rest of the case far easier.
Asylum. Many people in removal proceedings apply for asylum as a defense, based on persecution they suffered or fear in their home country. We prepare the Form I-589, supporting evidence, and testimony.
Cancellation of removal. Long-term residents with qualifying family members may be eligible to have their removal cancelled. These cases depend on documentation of physical presence, good moral character, and hardship.
Waivers of inadmissibility. We prepare Form I-601 and I-601A waiver applications for clients whose immigration history would otherwise block them from relief.
Adjustment of status. Some respondents qualify to apply for permanent residence during their removal case, often through marriage to a U.S. citizen. Winning adjustment ends the deportation case.
U visas. And humanitarian relief. Victims of certain crimes, abuse, or trafficking may qualify for protections that stop removal, including VAWA petitions and Temporary Protected Status.
Appeals and motions to reopen. If an immigration judge orders removal, the fight is not necessarily over. We file appeals with the Board of Immigration Appeals and pursue federal circuit court review where appropriate.

Why Choose Dworsky Law Firm as My Deportation Lawyer in Des Plaines, IL?

An Immigrant’s Perspective on Immigration Law

Ashley Dworsky is not just a lawyer. He is an immigrant himself, and he earned his own Extraordinary Ability green card. He knows what it feels like to have your future decided by this system, because he went through it.

He received his law degrees from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been admitted to the State Bars of Illinois and New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Seventh and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals, the South African Bar, and the United States Supreme Court. He has been selected to Super Lawyers every year from 2019 through 2026.

Experience Where Deportation Cases Are Actually Decided

Removal cases don’t end at the trial level. His admissions before the Seventh and Ninth Circuits matter because that is where deportation appeals from Illinois are ultimately heard. Over 25 years, our immigration lawyer in Des Plaines, IL has guided immigrants and families through removal proceedings, waivers, and humanitarian applications across the region.

Understanding Deportation Cases

Grounds for Removal, Relief, and Defense Strategies for Deportation Cases

The government must state a legal basis for removing you. Your defense starts with understanding that basis and identifying every form of relief available.

Entry without inspection: entering the country without being admitted at a port of entry
Visa overstays: remaining after authorized status expired
Status violations: working without authorization or otherwise breaching visa conditions
Criminal grounds: certain convictions that trigger removability, even for a green card holder
Denied applications: USCIS has resumed issuing NTAs after I-485 denials, which pushes more applicants into court
Common defenses: asylum and withholding of removal, cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, waivers, prosecutorial discretion, and voluntary departure

What Are Important Aspects of a Deportation Case?

Two things decide most removal cases: the strength of your evidence and whether you show up prepared. Every claim needs documentation. Judges want proof of how long you’ve lived here, your family relationships, employment, tax history, and your character. And the landscape keeps shifting. Expanded NTA issuance has pulled people into proceedings who never expected to see a courtroom, including workers whose cases began with a simple employment visa denial. Naturalized citizens are generally protected from removal, which is one reason we encourage eligible clients to pursue citizenship rather than remain permanent residents indefinitely.

Deadlines are unforgiving. Asylum generally must be filed within one year of arrival. Appeals have 30-day windows. Missing a hearing usually produces an in absentia removal order.

What Is the Deportation Case Timeline?

No two deportation case runs on the same clock, but most follow a recognizable sequence that we have listed below.

Notice to Appear served: DHS files charges and the court assumes jurisdiction
Master calendar hearing: a short procedural hearing where you respond to the charges and identify the relief you’ll seek
Filing period: applications, evidence, and witness lists are submitted on the judge’s schedule
Individual merits hearing: the full trial on your case, with testimony and cross-examination
Decision and appeal: the judge rules, and either side may appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals within 30 days

Detained cases can move within weeks. Non-detained cases at the Chicago Immigration Court can take years, though scheduling has accelerated since 2025.

What Should You Bring to Your Deportation Consultation?

Bring everything the government has sent you and everything that proves your life here. Specifically:

The Notice to Appear and any other court or ICE documents
Passports, visas, I-94 records, and prior immigration filings
Any criminal records, including dispositions for old cases
Proof of residence, employment, tax returns, and family relationships such as marriage and birth certificates

We can review the charges, assess which forms of relief fit your situation, and discuss a realistic strategy before you leave.

Chicago Immigration Court and Local Resources for Des Plaines Residents

Des Plaines removal cases are heard at the Chicago Immigration Court, located at 55 E. Monroe Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60603. The court serves respondents across Illinois, and security screening is required for every visit.

You can check your hearing date through the EOIR case system using your A-number. If a family member has been detained, the ICE detainee locator can identify where they are being held, and USAGov’s detention guide explains how to contact the appropriate field office.

Reach Out to Dworsky Law Firm to Schedule a Consultation

A removal case will not wait, and neither should you. Our firm has spent over 25 years defending immigrants in proceedings like yours, and we respond promptly to new inquiries because we know how much timing matters in these cases. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a deportation attorney in Des Plaines and start building your defense.