Attorneys Claudia Cubias and Katherine Hawkins Address Key Issues
Attorneys Claudia Cubias and Katherine Hawkins, both immigration attorneys at Bailey & Galyen, spoke recently at The Legal Café in Fort Worth. Cubias has worked in the immigration field since before her admission to the Texas Bar in 2019 and knows about immigration first-hand, as her grandparents fled El Salvador to seek asylum in the United States. Hawkins, who focuses her practice on family-based immigration, was admitted to practice in 2018. During their conversation, the two experienced immigration lawyers addressed a number of topics of interest in today’s political climate:
- Who should and shouldn’t travel during the current administration—Hawkins agreed with the prevailing wisdom that it’s currently best not to travel outside the United States if you are not a U.S. citizen. However, non-citizens who are lawful permanent residents shouldn’t experience difficulties unless they’ve been arrested or faced removal proceedings in the past. Hawkins suggested that, to be safe, individuals who leave the country should travel with a copy of their FBI report. Hawkins stressed, though, that if you have any concerns, you shouldn’t travel unless it’s necessary.
- Can you still use your passport when you travel domestically, or must you have a Real ID?—According to Hawkins, foreign and domestic passports comply with the Real ID laws. A work permit is also permissible.
- What is the risk of being arrested or detained in immigration court?—Individuals who have been in the country less than two years, and who entered the country unlawfully, have been subject to arrest, detention, and expedited removal when appearing in immigration court. With expedited removal, you do not have the right to a hearing but can be detained and removed almost immediately.
- What if you are subject to a removal order?—Cubias recommended that individuals who are currently subject to removal refrain from requesting a review and basically “lie low” for the time being.
- What’s happening with DACA?—Cubias said that there’s currently no news regarding initial DACA applications, but persons already here under DACA can renew their eligibility.
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