Des Plaines Immigration Removal Defense Lawyer
Are you looking for an immigration removal defense lawyer in Des Plaines, IL?
At Dworsky Law Firm, we are trusted immigration removal defense lawyers with over 25 years of experience.
If you or a family member has been placed in removal proceedings, the next few weeks may decide whether you stay in the United States. Deadlines arrive fast, and missing one can end your case before a judge ever hears it.
Our founder has practiced immigration law for more than 25 years, and removal defense is work our firm approaches with urgency and care. A Des Plaines, IL immigration removal defense lawyer can review your Notice to Appear and begin preparing your defense today.
Immigration Removal Defense Lawyer Des Plaines, IL
Removal defense is the legal work of fighting deportation. When the government believes someone should be removed from the country, it files charges with the immigration court, and that person must answer them. A removal defense attorney identifies every form of relief available, gathers the evidence to support it, and presents the case to an immigration judge.
Nearly a third of Des Plaines residents were born outside the United States, according to Census figures. Federal agencies have also widened the circumstances that put people in front of a judge, a shift we examined after expanded NTA issuance began pushing more cases into court.
Types of Immigration Removal Defense Cases We Handle in Des Plaines
No two removal cases look alike. The right defense depends on how you entered the country, how long you have lived here, your family ties, and personal history. Our Des Plaines immigration removal defense attorneys handle each of the following:
- Deportation defense. We answer the government’s charges in immigration court and challenge them where the facts allow. That starts with a close reading of the Notice to Appear, because errors in that document can change the entire case.
- Asylum protection. Clients who fear persecution in their home country can raise asylum as a defense to removal. We build these cases around detailed personal declarations and country condition evidence.
- Cancellation of removal. Certain long-term residents with close family members who are citizens or permanent residents may qualify. These cases turn on documentation, and we help clients assemble years of records.
- Adjustment of status. Some clients can become lawful permanent residents while their court case is still pending, usually through a family relationship. Winning adjustment typically ends the removal case.
- Waivers of inadmissibility. Past immigration violations or other issues can block relief unless a waiver is granted. We prepare waiver applications alongside the underlying defense.
- Bond hearings. When a client is detained, we request a hearing and present evidence that they are neither a flight risk nor a danger, so they can fight their case from home.
- U visa. Victims of certain crimes who assisted law enforcement may qualify for protection. This path can run parallel to the court case.
- Green card. Permanent residents end up in proceedings too, often after a criminal charge or a long trip abroad. Losing a green card is not automatic, and we fight to keep it.
- Appeals and motions. A bad decision from an immigration judge is not always the end. We pursue appeals and motions to reopen when the record supports them.
Why Choose Dworsky Law Firm as my Immigration Removal Defense Lawyer in Des Plaines, IL?
More Than 25 Years of Immigration Practice
Ashley Dworsky has handled immigration matters for over 25 years. He earned his law degrees from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and is 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 each year from 2019 to 2026.
A Lawyer Who Has Lived the Process
AttorneyAshley is an immigrant himself. He came to this country through the immigration system and earned an Extraordinary Ability green card. He knows what the forms, the interviews, and the waiting feel like from the client’s side. Our immigration lawyer in Des Plaines, IL practices immigration law exclusively. We have helped individuals and families across Illinois resolve removal cases and move forward with their lives.
Understanding Immigration Removal Defense Cases
Forms of Relief and Eligibility Requirements in Removal Cases
An immigration judge cannot grant relief you never request. Identifying every available defense at the start is the most important task a removal defense lawyer in Des Plaines performs. Common forms of relief include:
- Asylum and withholding of removal for people who fear persecution, requested on Form I-589. Asylum generally must be sought within one year of arrival in the United States, though exceptions exist.
- Cancellation of removal for certain long-term residents with qualifying family connections.
- Adjustment of status for those eligible to become permanent residents through family or employment.
- Waivers of inadmissibility, including the provisional waiver filed on Form I-601A in some family-based cases.
- Protection under the Convention Against Torture for those who face a risk of torture if returned.
- Voluntary departure, which avoids a formal removal order when nothing else applies.
What Are Important Aspects of an Immigration Removal Defense Case?
Evidence wins these cases. Judges want documents, so we gather tax returns, medical records, school records, letters from family, and anything else that proves presence, hardship, or good character. Credibility matters just as much. Testimony that conflicts with the written record can sink an otherwise strong claim, which is why preparation before the hearing takes weeks, not days.
A denied application can now land an applicant in court, something we analyzed when USCIS resumed issuing NTAs after denials. Workers face similar exposure, and our discussion of employment visa denial cases in Illinois explains how a job-based refusal can turn into a deportation fight. And winning relief is not the end of the road. It can put a client back on the path to permanent residence and citizenship.
What Is The Immigration Removal Defense Case Timeline?
Removal cases move in stages, and in the Chicago court those stages can stretch across years because of the case backlog. A typical path looks like this:
- The government serves a Notice to Appear and files it with the court.
- A master calendar hearing sets the schedule and records your response to the charges.
- Applications for relief are filed, along with supporting evidence.
- An individual merits hearing gives the judge testimony and argument.
- The judge issues a decision, which either side may appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals, generally within 30 days.
What Should You Bring to Your Immigration Removal Defense Consultation?
The more we can review at the first meeting, the faster we can identify your defenses. Bring what you have of the following:
- The Notice to Appear and any court notices
- Passports, identification, and entry documents
- Copies of prior immigration filings or decisions
- Criminal records, if any charges exist
- Proof of time in the United States and family relationships
We will review through your history, explain the relief you may qualify for, and discuss your next steps before you leave.
Chicago Immigration Court and Local Resources
Removal cases for Des Plaines residents are heard at the Chicago Immigration Court at 55 East Monroe Street. Hearing dates and case status are available through the court system’s automated case information service using the number on your Notice to Appear. Check that information regularly, as hearing dates can change and appearing on the wrong day, or not at all, can result in a removal order issued in your absence.
Reach Out to Dworsky Law Firm to Schedule a Consultation
A Notice to Appear is serious, but it is not a final decision. Our Des Plaines, IL removal defense attorneys will review your case confidentially, explain your options, and answer your questions honestly. We respond promptly to new inquiries because timing determines what defenses remain available. Contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dworsky Law Firm.