Asylum, Refugee, and Humanitarian Immigration

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At the California Law Offices of Nikhil M. Shah, we are proud to represent individuals in their quest to obtain asylum, refugee status or any type of humanitarian immigration. Asylum may be granted to someone who can qualify as a refugee under the definition established by the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA). All cases are decided individually based on the facts of the particular case. Other types of remedies we pursue include:

• Asylum/Withholding of removal – According to the INA, section 241(b)(3), you can apply for asylum if you can prove that you fear for your life or your freedom due to your “race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

• Convention against torture – If for some reason you cannot qualify for asylum, you can apply for protection under the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT). You need to prove it is “more likely than not” that if sent back, you will be tortured either by, or with the approval of, the government of your country.

• NACARA (Nicaragua and Central American Relief Act) – If you are from one of the countries included in this Act, you may apply for relief from deportation and for permanent residency status.

• Temporary Protected Status – The Department of Homeland Security may designate certain countries as unable to provide protection to its citizens if they are sent back from the United States. An immigration attorney will know if your country is on the list.

• Victims of Crimes, Trafficking, or Battered Spouses – If you do not qualify for immigration on any other grounds, you may qualify to stay in the U.S. on one of these grounds. Visas are granted to those who have been victims of abuse such as human trafficking (T-visas) or other crimes such as felonious assault, domestic violence, sexual crimes, etc. (U-visas) or who have suffered extreme cruelty or physical violence by their U.S. or Legal Permanent Resident Spouses  (Violence Against Women Act -VAWA).

• Humanitarian parole – This may be an option for someone to enter the country temporarily due to some type of compelling emergency.

If you or someone in your family is in the United States and needs help with an application for asylum or other humanitarian relief to prevent deportation, contact the Law Office of Nikhil M. Shah at (310) 496-5734 or (213) 943-1322. We will review the facts of your case and determine the best way to proceed.