Removal Proceedings Attorney Serving Raleigh and Wake County
Facing removal proceedings puts your future, your family and your right to remain in the United States on the line. Guirguis Law fights these cases in immigration court across North Carolina and beyond.
What a Removal Proceedings Attorney Handles for Wake County Clients
A removal proceedings attorney represents noncitizens who have been placed in immigration court after being detained, denied entry, or flagged for a prior violation of immigration law. These cases move fast, often on a schedule set by the government, and the stakes include family separation and permanent bars on returning to the United States.
Guirguis Law serves as both a deportation defense lawyer and an immigration attorney for clients throughout Wake, Durham and Johnston counties, and we accept immigration matters nationwide. Whether your case started with a traffic stop that led to an ICE hold, a denied asylum claim, or a notice to appear mailed to your home in Cary or Garner, our team builds a defense strategy tailored to your specific circumstances.
Many clients come to us worried they have no options left. In most cases, there are still forms of relief available, from asylum and cancellation of removal to waivers based on family hardship, and our job is to identify which ones apply to you.
Rights and Relief Options in Removal Proceedings
Every person in removal proceedings retains certain rights under federal law, and understanding them shapes how a case is defended from the first hearing forward. Our firm reviews each client's record, immigration history and family circumstances to identify every available path to relief, including options a crimmigration lawyer would flag when a criminal charge intersects with immigration status.
- The right to be represented by an attorney of your choosing at every hearing
- The right to review and respond to the government's evidence before the judge
- Eligibility screening for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture
- Review of cancellation of removal options based on years of residence and family hardship
- Evaluation of Temporary Protected Status or other humanitarian relief where applicable
- Bond hearing representation to seek release from detention while the case proceeds
- Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
- NC Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Defense, 2012
- Serving Wake, Durham and Johnston counties since 2008
Our Process for Handling Removal Proceedings Cases
We move quickly once you contact us, because removal cases have strict deadlines attached to every filing and hearing date. Here is what working with our team looks like from the first call to your final hearing.
Case Intake and Detention Check
We start by confirming where you or your loved one is being held, reviewing the notice to appear, and identifying the immigration court with jurisdiction over the case.
Rights and Relief Assessment
Our attorneys examine your immigration history, family ties, criminal record if any, and country conditions to map out every form of relief you may qualify for, including asylum.
Filing and Bond Advocacy
We prepare and file the applications, gather supporting evidence and country condition reports, and request a bond hearing where detention is a factor.
Court Representation and Appeals
We represent you at master calendar and individual hearings before the immigration judge, and if necessary, we pursue an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Attorneys Who Handle Removal Proceedings
Our immigration team has spent years appearing before immigration judges on behalf of clients across North Carolina. Meet two of the attorneys who guide removal defense cases at Guirguis Law.
Nardine Mary Guirguis
Nardine leads the firm's immigration practice and has represented clients in asylum claims, cancellation of removal cases and detained hearings throughout North Carolina.
Biez Almeida Neto
Biez works closely with detained and non-detained clients facing removal, focusing on relief applications and coordinating with families during difficult stages of a case.
Why Wake, Durham and Johnston County Families Trust Guirguis Law
Our office sits on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh, close enough to the Wake County Courthouse that families can meet with us before or after related court dates without losing a full day. We have guided clients through hearings connected to the immigration court that serves North Carolina, and we understand the paperwork delays and scheduling quirks that come with cases filed here.
Many of the families we represent speak Spanish or Arabic at home, and our multilingual team makes sure nothing gets lost between an anxious phone call and a filed motion. As a faith based law firm, we also bring patience and genuine care to conversations that are often the hardest a family will have.
Removal proceedings rarely happen in isolation. A client facing deportation may also need a criminal defense attorney if a pending charge triggered the case, or later need a divorce lawyer, a personal injury lawyer, or an estate planning lawyer to protect a spouse or children back home. Guirguis Law handles all of it under one roof, so you are never starting over with a new firm mid-crisis.
Removal Proceedings FAQ
These are questions we hear often from clients and families navigating immigration court in Raleigh and across North Carolina.
How long does a typical removal proceedings case take?
Timelines vary widely depending on the immigration court's docket and whether the person is detained. Detained cases often move within weeks, while non-detained cases in backlogged courts can take one to several years to reach a final hearing.
Can an asylum lawyer help even after removal proceedings have started?
Yes. An asylum lawyer can file a defensive asylum application at any point before the immigration judge issues a final order, provided the one-year filing deadline and any exceptions to it are addressed early in the case.
What happens if I miss my immigration court hearing?
Missing a hearing without a valid excuse usually results in an in absentia removal order issued by the judge. Reopening the case afterward is possible in limited situations, but it requires prompt action from an immigration attorney.
Do I need a crimmigration lawyer if I have a prior criminal charge?
If a criminal conviction or pending charge is part of what triggered your removal case, a crimmigration lawyer can evaluate how that record affects your eligibility for bond, asylum, or other relief. Certain offenses carry immigration consequences that differ from their criminal penalties, so this review matters early in the case.
Talk to a Removal Proceedings Attorney Before Your Next Hearing
Every day matters once a case enters immigration court, and waiting to seek help can close off options that were otherwise available. Call Guirguis Law to review your notice to appear, your detention status, and the relief you may still qualify for.
