06/02/2026
The year was 2017. My client's only viable path forward was a U nonimmigrant visa, a form of protection available to certain victims of crime who assist law enforcement. He had previously been removed from the United States and later re-entered, leaving him with very few immigration options.
At the time, I had only recently opened my immigration law practice. We were just entering the first Trump administration. Anxiety was everywhere, and if I'm being honest, I had no idea what the future held for my firm or for many of my clients.
I was working out of a tiny 250-square-foot office where I somehow managed to squeeze in two desks -- one for me and one for my part-time administrative assistant.
The client was hesitant. The wait times for U visas were already LONG, and like most people facing immigration challenges, he wanted a quicker solution.
I remember telling him something that I still tell clients today: "The time is going to pass regardless. The question is whether you'll be in the process when it does."
And here we are, nearly nine years later.
The time did, in fact, pass.
Today, his U visa case (and his wife's case) have been approved!
What makes this one especially meaningful is that I prepared the cases myself. It was only my third U visa filing. Back then, there was no large team, no paralegals, no sophisticated systems, and no years of experience to lean on - just determination, hard work, and a client willing to trust me.
I am incredibly grateful to the clients who place their faith in me and my team during some of the most uncertain periods of their lives. I can't wait to hand him this approval notice!
To my fellow immigration lawyers: amid all the uncertainty, frustration, and constant change, never forget that what we do changes lives. ❤️
Today, we celebrate this victory.
Tomorrow, we prepare for the next battle.
