09/12/2026
Over more than two decades of practicing immigration law, I have learned that the strongest immigrant communities are built by people who remember where they came from and who help others move forward.
If you are fortunate enough to have become a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, use that privilege wisely. Petition for eligible family members when you can. Encourage lawful immigration pathways while understanding that even the undocumented can still access them, and did not relinquish their human dignity at the border. Support those who are still trying to achieve the stability and security you now enjoy. Advocate for better laws and policies that treat immigrants the way you would want your loved ones to be treated.
What weakens immigrant communities is not only indifference, but actions that actively harm others: refusing to help close relatives when you have the ability to do so; engaging in domestic violence or other forms of family abuse that bring fear, trauma, and police involvement into immigrant households; weaponizing the immigration system against others by making retaliatory reports to ICE; or advocating to deny opportunities to immigrants who are simply seeking the same chance you once sought for yourself.
If someone lacks legal status, ask yourself whether your first instinct should be to report them, or to help them. Instead of calling ICE, consider pointing them toward a qualified immigration attorney who can evaluate whether they qualify for a family petition, humanitarian protection, employment-based sponsorship, or another lawful path to status. Communities become stronger when we solve problems, not when we create them.
The same message applies to employers. If you value a worker and want to see them succeed, consider whether a lawful employment-based visa or green card sponsorship may be available. Employing unauthorized workers is unlawful and creates risks for everyone involved: the worker, the employer, and the broader community. Whenever possible, lawful immigration pathways promote stability, compliance, dignity, workforce retention, and reduce the disruption that enforcement actions can bring to families and businesses.
Immigrant communities talk. People learn very quickly who stepped up to help others, and who used their status, influence, or resources to make life harder for vulnerable family members, neighbors, and fellow immigrants. Character has a way of becoming known.
Especially during times of uncertainty, let us choose compassion over criticism, mentorship over gatekeeping, and solidarity over division. The goal is not simply to succeed ourselves. The goal is to create opportunities for others.
The best immigrants are not those who close the door behind them. They are the ones who hold it open for others.
Be kind. Be helpful. Sponsor when you can. Mentor when you can. Refer people to competent legal help. Be the person you once needed when you first arrived.
