Removal Defense Help When an Asylum Referral Lands in Your Hands

A removal defense attorney represents you in immigration court after the government starts removal proceedings. If you received an asylum referral and are not in custody, you still have hearings to attend, and each one matters. This page explains what the service covers, how the process works, and what to ask before you hire a lawyer. AG Immigration Law P.A. focuses its practice on removal defense and related immigration matters.

What Removal Defense Means After a Non-Detained Asylum Referral

Removal defense is legal representation in immigration court when the government seeks to remove, or deport, you. An asylum referral is one way a case reaches that court.

Non-detained means you are not held in custody. You live in the community and must attend each hearing at the immigration court. Your Notice to Appear (NTA) is the charging paper. A notice to appear generally lists the charges against you, the statutory provisions the government says you violated, and the time and place of your hearing.

This service is for people in Florida, including Broward County, who received an asylum referral or an NTA and want a lawyer to handle the case.

What the Removal Defense Service Covers

The service covers your court work from the first filing through each hearing. It also covers the options that follow a decision.

• Review of your papers. We check the charges, the filing date, and the hearing location and time on your NTA or referral.
• Entering your appearance. 8 C.F.R. § 1003.17 says a practitioner files Form EOIR-28 to become the practitioner of record. That attorney appears in court, files documents, and accepts service of papers for you.
• Asylum application and evidence. We prepare the asylum application and supporting evidence. You review everything before it is filed.
• Hearings. We attend each scheduled hearing in immigration court.
• Green card review. A pending adjustment of status case (Form I-485) follows its own rules. 8 U.S.C. § 1255 says adjustment is discretionary. Under 8 C.F.R. § 1208.14, an asylum applicant who becomes a permanent resident may get notice that the asylum case is presumed abandoned. If you want the asylum application decided anyway, you must send a written request within 30 days of the notice; otherwise it may be presumed abandoned and dismissed without prejudice.
• Appeals and waivers. After an adverse decision, options may include a waiver and an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). 8 C.F.R. § 1003.38 says that in asylum cases where the immigration judge did not deny the application under 208(a)(2)(A), (B), or (C) of the Act, Form EOIR-26 must be filed directly with the Board within 30 calendar days of the immigration judge’s decision.

How the Process Works, Step by Step

The process starts with a paid consultation. It then moves to filing, preparation, and hearings.

1. Reach the office. Tell us about your referral or NTA by phone, WhatsApp, or the contact form. Share your next hearing date.
2. Paid consultation. We review your papers, your immigration history, and possible relief. Fees are discussed at this meeting.
3. Filing your appearance. After you engage us, we file Form EOIR-28. 8 C.F.R. § 1003.31 says attorneys must file electronically in cases eligible for electronic filing. If a filing misses the deadline the judge sets, the chance to file it is deemed waived.
4. Preparing the asylum application. Timing matters. 8 C.F.R. § 1208.4 counts the one-year asylum filing period from your last arrival in the United States or April 1, 1997, whichever is later. The rule has exceptions, so we review your dates early.
5. Hearings. Your first hearing cannot be set earlier than 10 days after the NTA is served. You can ask in writing for an earlier date. 8 U.S.C. § 1229 also requires you to keep your address and phone number current with the government.

Timelines depend on the court’s docket and the facts of your case. We set expectations after the first review. If a matter may be referred to another lawyer or firm, we will say so at the start.

Immigration Cases for Readers in Broward County

AG Immigration Law P.A. focuses its practice on removal defense and related immigration matters. The firm also handles the steps that often follow.

• Related practice areas. The firm handles adjustment of status, family petitions, naturalization, removal of conditions on green cards, waivers, and BIA appeals.
• A named responsible lawyer. Adriana Gomez is the responsible lawyer for this page. Support staff, including assistants and office staff, help with scheduling and paperwork.
• Plain updates. We explain each step, the documents you need, and your next court date in plain language.
• Who we serve. The firm works with immigrants across the US. This page is written for Florida readers, including those in Broward County, Miami, and Orlando.

Fees, Costs and What to Ask Before You Hire

Consultations with AG Immigration Law P.A. are paid, and fees are discussed at that meeting. Ask for a full list of what you may owe, including government filing fees, not only attorney fees.

These are questions you can bring to AG Immigration Law:

• Who handles my case day to day?
• How are my court dates tracked?
• How will we communicate, and how quickly?
• How are fees billed, and what do they cover?
• What happens if the judge orders removal and I want to appeal?

You may choose the attorney who represents you before an immigration judge. 8 C.F.R. § 1003.16 says so. Bring your NTA, your hearing notices, any asylum filing receipt, and prior immigration papers to the consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Asylum Referral Removal Defense

Talk to a Removal Defense Lawyer About Your Referral Now

If your asylum referral or Notice to Appear lists a hearing date ahead, you don’t have to face it alone. Gather your NTA, your hearing notice, and any asylum filing receipt. Then reach out through our contact form to book a paid consultation.