Thousands of migrants die each year crossing the U.S. border – sometimes even before reaching it. The deserts, seas and criminal activity cause most of the deaths, leaving family and friends on each side of the border grieving their loved ones. [Read more here from the NY Times.]
Frequently Latinos pay “Coyotes,” rather than an Immigration Attorney, thousands of dollars for the dangerous trips, risking life and legal penalties for undocumented crossings. The Coyotes don’t guarantee the trips, so if they fail, the migrant must pay the Coyote thousands of dollars to try again.
But there may be better ways to cross the border. Safer and more cost-efficient ways, recognized by U.S. immigration laws. Goodin Abernathy LLP provides cost effective immigration services. Contact us for a free telephone or in person immigration consultation – in Spanish or English.
Goodin Abernathy regularly handles I-130 applications where U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents may sponsor relatives for family immigrant visas. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services I-130 petition process permits documented U.S. immigrants to request lawful immigration for their loved ones – avoiding the risks posed by Coyotes or undocumented crossing.
Goodin Abernathy also helps immigrants with the U-visa. Individuals who previously lived in the United States and were victims of certain crimes and helped in the investigation of those crimes may qualify for the U-visa although they no longer live in the United States. Applying for the U-visa while abroad allows the crime-victim to re-enter the United States with legal status which can lead to legal permanent residency and eventually citizenship.
Many undocumented immigrants face Human Trafficking problems where, as part of the assistance offered for illegal entry, they are then bound to ongoing work or criminal activity. The U.S. government recognizes severe forms of Human Trafficking as: 1- sex trafficking where commercial sex acts are induced by force, fraud or coercion, or where a people under that age of 18 are forced to perform sex acts; 2 – the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining a person for labor services through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjecting humans to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
Goodin Abernathy’s immigration attorneys carefully review opportunities of all sorts – working to identify the best, safest and most cost efficient plan for opening the doors to a future living in the U.S. Call and speak directly with attorney Jim Browne with your immigration questions!