Removal Representation in Santa Ana
Your deportation defense team in Santa Ana
Immigration attorneys who stand with you in court, protect your rights, and fight to keep your family together
Fontes Law Group, PC has successfully represented clients in complex deportation and removal cases before the Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Removal proceedings are the most serious matter in immigration law. A Notice to Appear puts your ability to stay in the United States, and often your family’s stability, in the hands of an immigration judge. Fontes Law Group has represented clients in these cases before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) since the firm was founded, and we also have experience before the Administrative Appeals Unit, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Removal defense led by Martin C. Fontes
Our removal representation practice is headed by Martin C. Fontes, who has practiced immigration law for more than two decades and has represented thousands of immigrants and their families. As a team, we have the experience, depth and flexibility to meet our clients’ needs before the Immigration Court by presenting a wide array of forms of relief, in English or Spanish, from our Santa Ana and Riverside offices.
Forms of relief we present in Immigration Court
Which defenses are available depends on your immigration history, your family ties, how long you have been in the United States and, in some cases, what you would face if you were returned to your home country. We evaluate every option, including:
- EOIR-42A cancellation of removal for lawful permanent residents
- EOIR-42B cancellation of removal for non-permanent residents with qualifying U.S. citizen or resident family members
- Adjustment of status before the immigration judge
- Asylum, withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT)
- Bond proceedings to secure release from detention
- Detained and in-custody cases
- Former section 212(c) relief for certain long-time residents with older convictions
- Stays of removal
- I-751 petitions to remove conditions on residence
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status applications
How removal proceedings work
A case begins when the Department of Homeland Security files a Notice to Appear with the Immigration Court. If you are detained, the first step is usually a bond hearing. The case then moves through one or more master calendar hearings, where the charges are addressed and the forms of relief are identified, to an individual hearing where evidence and testimony are presented and the judge decides the case.
A decision by the immigration judge is not necessarily the end. Adverse decisions can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, in appropriate cases, to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Motions to reopen or reconsider may also be available when circumstances change or new evidence surfaces.
Reasonable, flat fees with payment plans available
While processing these cases, Fontes Law Group, PC offers skilled immigration legal services to clients across the United States and around the world. We quote reasonable fees for our removal defense matters. They are accepted on a flat-fee basis, and payment plans are available. Our sophisticated, efficient, affordable, and client-centered services separate us from other firms as we help our clients achieve their immigration goals.
Helpful resources
- EOIR Automated Case Information (check your hearing date and case status)
- Executive Office for Immigration Review
- ICE Online Detainee Locator
Frequently asked questions
What is a Notice to Appear?
A Notice to Appear (NTA) is the charging document that starts removal proceedings. It lists the allegations against you and the reason the government says you are removable, and it tells you when and where to appear before the Immigration Court. Missing that hearing can result in a removal order issued in your absence, so contact an attorney as soon as you receive one.
Can I be released from immigration detention?
Often, yes. Many detained clients are eligible for a bond hearing, where the judge decides whether you are a flight risk or a danger to the community and sets a bond amount. Some people are subject to mandatory detention because of their criminal history; we review your record to determine which category applies and prepare the bond request.
What is cancellation of removal?
Cancellation of removal is a form of relief that lets an immigration judge stop a deportation and, for non-permanent residents, grant a green card. Lawful permanent residents apply on Form EOIR-42A; others apply on Form EOIR-42B and must generally show ten years of continuous presence, good moral character and exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. citizen or resident spouse, parent or child.
What happens if the immigration judge rules against me?
You generally have 30 days to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. Depending on the issues, a further petition for review may be filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In some cases a motion to reopen is the better path, for example when new evidence or a change in the law affects your eligibility for relief.
Let’s discuss your case
Confidential and in your language. Tell us a little about your situation and we will reach out within one business day.