Many immigrants who are in the United States illegally are left feeling hopeless and helpless. After all, many of these immigrants are leaving a country where poverty and oppression are the only things they have to look forward to, and while they are technically breaking the laws of the United States, in most cases they are hurting no one. You can liken the issue to drivers who routinely break the speed limit—a full two-thirds of all drivers admit to breaking the speed limit fairly regularly. While technically breaking the law, most of these drivers feel they are justified in breaking the law and are harming no one by doing so. Migrants in Hidalgo, Texas—as well as most other border towns—are straining the U.S. border, hoping for asylum. These illegal immigrants are in desperate need of the services of an experienced Houston immigration lawyer who can help them sort out their individual issues, whether related to work, family, or simply escaping an untenable situation.
At the Hidalgo border, Border Patrol agents stood watching while smugglers pulled up in vans on the Mexico side, unloading women and children who then crossed the narrow river, pulled themselves up the bluffs—and turned themselves in to the olive-clad agents. While illegal crossings across the Southwest have declined over the past few years, they have increased sharply in South Texas. In fact, the Border Patrol made nearly 100,000 apprehensions in the Rio Grande Valley in the last six months alone. Migrants have, for the most part, been Mexican laborers throughout the years, however now they are just as likely to be Central American families with small children who are escaping poverty and gang violence in their native country.
While illegal immigrants from Mexico can simply be returned by the Border Patrol, migrants from countries which don’t border the U.S. must be formally deported and flown home—federal flights leave South Texas every day as they return these migrants. Under the U.S. asylum laws, border agents must ask migrants if they are afraid to return to their native country, then must determine if that fear is credible. If so, the migrant can petition for asylum in the U.S., and an immigration judge will decide the issue. In 2013, 85% of those claims of fear were found to be credible, according to available data.
The process for achieving legal status in the U.S. can be complex and full of unexpected twists and turns. Attempting to navigate the system without a knowledgeable Houston immigration lawyer by your side can be difficult. The Sullo & Sullo Houston immigration attorneys have the necessary background and knowledge of immigration laws and will use this knowledge to help you. Your Houston immigration lawyer will work hard to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Make an appointment today with a highly skilled Sullo & Sullo Houston immigration attorney.