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Success Stories

11th Circuit Case Appeal Won for a Guatemalan Woman, a Victim of Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence

Attorney Shirley Zambrano secured a remand from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals for one of her Guatemalan clients who had been a victim of sexual abuse and domestic violence at the hands of her stepfather. Asylum for domestic violence cases represents a complex and ever-evolving area of immigration law in the United States. Traditionally, survivors of domestic violence who sought asylum faced significant challenges in obtaining protection, especially when their claims were based solely on their experiences of abuse within a private relationship.

Attorney Shirley Zambrano successfully obtained a remand by arguing that the Immigration Judge’s decision had been influenced by the now-outdated Attorney General Decisions, specifically, Matter of A-B-, 27 I&N Dec. at 316, and Matter of L-E-A-, 27 I&N Dec. at 581. As both Matter of A-B- and Matter of L-E-A- are no longer considered applicable law, Attorney Shirley Zambrano requested the court to revert to the previous existing law, which recognized that victims of domestic violence and/or nuclear family members can constitute a particular social group protected under the statute.

This compelling story underscores the profound impact of legal advocacy in immigration matters. If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please feel free to contact our office to schedule a consultation with Attorney Shirley Zambrano.

Our Client’s Citizenship Application was Approved, even though the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) initially issued a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), alleging marriage fraud.

Attorneys at Zambrano and Ruiz achieved a remarkable victory by overturning an ‘Intent to Deny’ our client’s naturalization application, which was based on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s erroneous allegations of marriage fraud. Marriage fraud, also known as marriage-based immigration fraud or immigration marriage fraud, occurs when individuals enter into a marriage primarily to evade immigration laws and gain immigration benefits, such as a green card (lawful permanent residence) in the United States. Marriage fraud is illegal and considered a serious immigration violation. In our client’s case, he had failed to disclose the existence of two children with another woman during his green card application process and his marriage to his U.S. citizen spouse. Attorney Shirley Zambrano successfully convinced immigration officials that, although our client had misrepresented a fact during his green card application, the evidence supported the notion that our client’s marriage to his U.S. citizen spouse was genuine and in good faith. As a result, our client has now become a United States Citizen. This compelling story highlights the profound impact of legal advocacy in immigration matters. If you have further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our office to schedule a consultation with attorney Shirley Zambrano.

Motion to Reopen Granted After 27 Years in Deportation Proceedings Despite Several Unsuccessful Attempts by Different Lawyers

Our legal team achieved a significant victory by convincing the immigration judge to reopen our client’s case. Remarkably, this success came after four previous unsuccessful attempts by various attorneys. A ‘Motion to Reopen’ is a formal request made by an individual to immigration authorities or a court, seeking to have a previously decided immigration case reconsidered. Such motions are typically used when new evidence emerges or when errors in the initial decision need correction. In our client’s case, he had resided in the United States for over 30 years, was married to a U.S. citizen, and had two children who were U.S. citizens. The immigration judge had previously declined to reopen the case, citing our client’s failure to leave the United States after being granted voluntary departure. Fortunately, our dedicated attorney, Shirley Zambrano, successfully argued that a sua sponte reopening was warranted based on our client’s compelling circumstances—something previous attorneys had overlooked. As a result, our client’s case was reopened and terminated, setting him on the path to obtaining lawful permanent residence. This success story underscores the profound impact of skilled legal advocacy in immigration matters. If you have further questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our office to arrange a consultation with Attorney Shirley Zambrano.

Cancellation of Removal Case Successfully Won for Client Convicted of DUI and Hit and Run

Our client faced removal proceedings after being involved in an accident while driving under the influence. During the incident, the other driver was injured, and out of fear of deportation, our client left the scene. Attorney Shirley Zambrano successfully convinced the immigration court that, despite our client’s mistake, there were positive factors in their record that outweighed the error. As a result, our client has achieved lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

This case highlights the importance of skilled legal representation in immigration matters and demonstrates that even in challenging situations, individuals can achieve positive outcomes. If you have further questions or require assistance, please feel free to contact our office to schedule a consultation with Attorney Shirley Zambrano.

We achieved a successful outcome in a BIA Appeal by overturning a credibility finding

Attorney Shirley Zambrano won an appeal at the Board of Immigration Appeal, effectively overturning the immigration judge’s initial finding of lack of credibility. In immigration cases, ‘lack of credibility’ pertains to a situation where an applicant’s statements, documents, or testimony are not considered trustworthy or believable by immigration authorities. Credibility plays a crucial role in immigration cases, as it is essential for applicants to establish the truthfulness of their claims, whether they are seeking asylum, a visa, a green card, or any other immigration benefit. In our client’s case, there were inconsistencies in his testimony, and he lacked physical evidence to support his identity and his claims of fear of persecution. Despite these challenges, Attorney Shirley Zambrano skillfully argued that, when considering the totality of the circumstances, our client’s claims were indeed credible. This case demonstrates the paramount importance of expert legal representation in immigration matters. If you have questions or require assistance, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Attorney Shirley Zambrano for further guidance and support.

Our client’s green card application was approved despite the initial Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which alleged that our client had made a false claim to U.S. citizenship.

In our client’s case, Attorney Shirley Zambrano successfully argued that our client’s alleged claim of being a United States citizen was not made for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit under federal or state law. Making a false claim to U.S. citizenship is a serious immigration violation and a federal crime in the United States. It refers to falsely representing oneself as a U.S. citizen for any purpose, whether it’s to obtain employment, receive government benefits, or for any other reason. A false claim to citizenship can render an individual inadmissible to the United States, impacting their ability to obtain visas or legal status in the future. In our client’s case, USCIS notified our client that they intended to deny her green card application, alleging that she had claimed to be a citizen of the United States during an arrest by law enforcement. Attorney Shirley Zambrano argued that her statements were not made with the ‘purpose or benefit’ under the INA or any other federal or state law. She also argued that our client was not seeking any public benefit from the police department, as there is no benefit created by law and administered by the police department. Furthermore, Attorney Shirley Zambrano argued that there was no evidence that the police department could confer a benefit to our client and that our client would have been arrested regardless of whether or not she was a citizen of the United States. This case highlights the importance of skilled legal representation in immigration matters and the ability of an attorney to advocate on behalf of their client to avoid adverse immigration consequences. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to call our office to set up a consultation with attorney Shirley Zambrano.

Application for Naturalization Approved after a Finding of Misrepresentation and Marriage Fraud

Zambrano and Ruiz represented a client whose naturalization application was denied by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) due to misrepresentation and marriage fraud. Our client failed to disclose the existence of a child fathered by someone else during the marriage to her United States citizen spouse. The attorneys at Zambrano and Ruiz submitted a lawsuit before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, and they argued that having a child outside the marriage did not prove that the marriage was not valid and that the misrepresentation was not material under the immigration laws. Our client is now a United States citizen thanks to the amazing advocacy of our attorneys.

Green Card Application Granted to Client After a Finding of Misrepresentation and Accusation of Being a Drug Trafficker

One of our clients applied for permanent residency with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). During the process, our client failed to disclose that she had been arrested (but not convicted) in the past for drug related crimes. USCIS claimed that she committed misrepresentation by omitting her arrest to immigration officials, and denied her application. The attorneys at Zambrano & Ruiz submitted a complaint against USCIS before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Our attorneys successfully argued that a failure to disclose an arrest was not a misrepresentation and that there was insufficient evidence indicating our client to be a drug trafficker. Now our client is now a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

Family Reunited in the United States After Their Case was Delayed in the U.S. Embassy in Jordan

Our client petitioned for her spouse’s permanent residency several years ago, but despite our client’s constant follow up and communications with the U.S. Embassy in Jordan over the last few years, they refused to approve it. Our client came to our office desperate to be reunited with her spouse after several attorneys declined to take her case. Our attorneys submitted a Complaint for Writ of Mandamus before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Embassy in Jordan. This complaint stated that they have willfully and unreasonably delayed our client’s husband’s permanent residency, causing extreme harm to our client. Our client’s spouse is now here in the United States and expecting their first baby.

Cancellation of Removal Application Approved After the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Accused our Client of Being a Suspected Drug Trafficker

Our client is married to a United States citizen who petitioned for him several years ago. But because our client did not have a legal entry, our client was required to go to the U.S. Embassy in his native country to obtain permanent residency. During his interview at the U.S. Embassy, the consular officer determined that our client was a suspected drug trafficker and denied his permanent residency. Because he wanted to be with his family, our client immediately reentered the US through the border and was apprehended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Our client applied for Cancellation of Removal. During our client’s hearing, our amazing attorneys were able to convince the immigration judge that our client was not a drug trafficker. Our client is now a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

U Visa Approved after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Alleged our Client was a Suspected Drug Trafficker

Our client was a victim of armed robbery, and therefore planned to submit a U visa application. Before submitting the petition, our client was arrested and convicted of several drug-related offenses. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Notice of Intent to Deny to refuse our client’s U visa petition, indicating that our client was a suspected drug trafficker. The attorneys at Zambrano & Ruiz successfully argued that there must be evidence that our client is or was a knowing and conscious drug trafficking participant. USCIS withdrew their Notice of Intent to Deny and approved our Client’s U visa petition.