Raymond G. Lahoud, Esquire

Products And Services

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  Employer and Corporate Immigration Law

  Businesses across the globe and of all sizes and in all industries and sectors have come to rely on foreign nationals whose education, talents and skills can make them highly valuable or even essential to their employers. The Norris McLaughlin Immigration Practice Group represents corporations, employees (temporary and permanent), athletes, entertainers, intercompany transfers, new hires, foreign recruits and religious workers, small-businesses, non-profits, hospitals, universities, colleges, religious organizations, trusts, employers and individuals with respect to all aspects of business and commercial related immigration law. If an employer seeks permanent legal residence for a foreign employee, there are many options. If an employer wants to simply transfer a foreign employee or manager to an American subsidiary company or an American office, there are many options available. If an employer requires temporary employment, again, the options are numerous. Moreover, today’s federal immigration authorities have increasingly placed the cost–civil and criminal–of employing undocumented or incorrectly documented employees. Every day, small and large businesses are faced with I-9 compliance audits, substantial civil fines, and even criminal penalties for inaccurate employee immigration document review and verification and Form I-9 errors and/or omissions. Norris McLaughlin's Corporate Immigration Attorneys will work with employers and employees at all levels to ensure that all documents are properly filed and all qualifications are met for the migration of employees and with human resource and corporate legal departments when faced with Form I-9 compliance issues and audits. Whether the stay is short term or permanent, we can assist in all business immigration needs – from I-9 compliance, I-9 audits, human resource departments, to labor certifications, I-140s, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4, EB-5 documents to B1 (short term business travelers) or H-1b (temporary professional employees) and H-2 visas for nonprofessional employees. Contact us today for your Corporate Immigration Needs.

  Link: Employer and Corporate Immigration Law

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  Family and Employment Immigrant Visas

  Aliens seeking admission to the United States (U.S.) as immigrants follow one of two paths depending on their residence at the time of application. Aliens living abroad apply for an immigrant visa at a consular office of the Department of State. Once issued a visa, they may enter the U.S. and become legal immigrants when they pass through the port of entry. Aliens already living in the U.S., including certain undocumented immigrants, temporary workers, foreign students, and refugees, file an application for adjustment of status (to legal permanent residence) with the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the time they apply for adjustment of status, applicants may also apply for work permits. New legal immigrants are automatically authorized to work and should receive alien registration cards (“green cards”) after becoming legal permanent residents. Norris McLaughlin is the leading Immigration and Deportation Defense Firm in Pennsylvania, providing services for the full range of immigrant visas – family and employment based.

  Link: Family and Employment Immigrant Visas

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  Non-Immigrant Visas

  Every year, millions of individuals from across the globe enter and exit the United States, for a variety of reasons. Whether an individual is visiting family or simply wants to explore the United States, to corporations, employees, universities, colleges, secondary schools, athletes, entertainers, diplomats, employees, professionals, technicians: the United States provides individuals from around the world with the opportunity to seek a non-immigrant, temporary visa, which allows travel to the United States for the visa purpose. As a general rule, an individual who wants to travel to the United States as a non-immigrant needs a visa. For some non-immigrant visa categories, an alien can obtain the visa directly from the U.S. consulate without having to first apply to and receive approval from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (formerly called the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)). For other non-immigrant visa categories, an alien has to obtain approval from the USCIS prior to applying for a visa at the United States consulate. In those instances, one must be ready to produce evidence of USCIS approval to the United States consulate. Aside from evidence of approval from the USCIS, there are other forms and documents an alien must bring to the U.S. consulate when applying for a visa. Regardless of what visa category that an individual seeks, it is crucial that all documents are correctly completed, reviewed, and submitted. It is important that any visa applicant is ready for a consular interview, without concerns of missing documents, or other issues that may arise. It is important that when seeking a non-immigrant visa, all United States Consulates have full authority to deny any application, for whatever reason, absent any obligation to disclose the United States Consulate’s rational for its decision. When seeking a non-immigrant visa, your first chance is your only chance. Given this, any applicant should consult with an immigration attorney before making any application to or attending any interview at a United States Consulate. We have handled thousands of matters before United States Consulates across the globe–ensuring that our non-immigrant visa applications are quickly and successfully processed. Do not try it alone. Contact Norris McLaughlin Today for a Free Consultation. Call (484) 544-0022.

  Link: Non-Immigrant Visas

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  EB-5 Investor Visa

  Under the EB-5 investor program, entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they: (1) make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and (2) plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers. This program is known as EB-5 for the name of the employment-based fifth preference visa that participants receive. Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. In 1992, Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as the Regional Center Program. This sets aside EB-5 visas for participants who invest in commercial enterprises associated with regional centers approved by USCIS based on proposals for promoting economic growth. We are the leading EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa law firm.

  Link: EB-5 Investor Visa

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  Deportation Defense and Litigation

  Norris McLaughlin Attorneys are your Deportation Defenders, providing deportation, removal, exclusion or admissibility representation to clients across the United States. Norris McLaughlin is a firm that is dedicated to representing those who may have the smallest of deportation issues to the most complex of federal deportation matters. Key to NM’s growth to the forefront of deportation attorneys across the United States is that, while NM has global capabilities, no case is treated as “minor.” We believe in personalized representation, with experienced attorneys who use modern approaches to solve your deportation problem. If you are not now in removal proceeding and have never been, but are in the United States unlawfully, have been convicted of any type of crime or are facing a conviction, NM’s Deportation Attorneys have counseled many in the very same position. Many immigrants –those in the United States lawfully and those unlawfully—have found comfort in retaining us for any potential immigration issues that may arise in the future and may lead to the commencement of deportation or inadmissibility proceedings. If a case has already started, Norris McLaughlin steps in quickly, regardless of when the next hearing date is scheduled. From securing a client’s release on reasonable bond to defending the client throughout the entire deportation proceeding process, such as establishing, through an extensive and detailed trial, that a client is eligible for one of many forms of relief from deportation. Norris McLaughlin expertise is need from the start of a non-immigrant’s criminal case, to that immigrant’s bond hearing and final trial.

  Video: Deportation Defense and Litigation

  Link: Deportation Defense and Litigation

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  Form I-9 and Employer Immigration Compliance

  Today’s federal immigration authorities have increasingly placed the cost–civil and criminal–of employing undocumented or incorrectly documented employees. Every day, small and large businesses are faced with I-9 compliance audits, substantial civil fines, and even criminal penalties for inaccurate employee immigration document review and verification and Form I-9 errors and/or omissions. We are the preeminent Employer Immigration Compliance Attorneys and provide employers of all sizes, types, and in every industry, with the most comprehensive representation in all employer immigration compliance matters, including Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, internal audits, immigration anti-discrimination regulation complaint prevention, internal investigations, and litigation, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Labor (DOL) Wage & Hour Division random inspections, demands for production of documents, random audits, interviews, work-site raids, penalty negotiations, litigation, as well as employer immigration violation mitigation through proactive and preventive measures. ​Additionally, Norris McLaughlin has the leading immigration verification compliance program was designed to allow modifications to meet any employer’s specific needs and is an USCIS Authorized E-Verify Employee Agent.

  Link: Form I-9 and Employer Immigration Compliance

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  Criminal Immigration

  Criminal Immigration is the intersection between the criminal justice system and how a charge, plea or conviction could lead directly to one’s deportation from the United States. If you are not a citizen of the United States and you have been charged with a crime, it is important that you discuss your situation with an immigration attorney. Federal and State Post-Conviction Relief: Returning Justice to You Each year, thousands of immigrants are deported as a result of criminal convictions in states across the country. Often, these immigrants have been Lawful Permanent Residents for decades. At times, the Department of Homeland Security does not commence removal proceedings until years after a conviction – causing many issues for immigrant families. To claim that one does not make mistakes in life would be an incorrect. Often, many immigrants – both lawful and unlawful – enter pleas, not knowing the consequences of those pleas. Many times, their defense attorneys fail to advise the immigrant of the deportation consequences of a plea. Other times, the immigrant is provided incorrect advice about the deportation consequences of a guilty plea. There are even times when a defense attorney advise a client to proceed to trial and not take a deal that would have rendered the immigrant non-deportable, only having been found guilty at trial for a deportable offense. When these errors occur – justice is being denied. If you are an immigrant and have yet to enter a plea, it is important to contact Norris McLaughlin before you do so. NM’s Attorneys will work with you and your criminal defense counsel throughout plea negotiations, with the hope of working out a plea deal that would not render you deportable. Even if you have already pled guilty and have been sentenced, your prior mistakes are not the end of your life. There are ways that immigrants facing removal because of current or convictions from years ago can remain in the United States. In addition to defending against deportation before Immigration Court, Norris McLaughlin Attorneys are known to vigorously fight to vacate underlying convictions that lead to the commencement of removal proceedings against an immigrant. These motions to vacate convictions are permissible at the federal and state court levels. In federal courts, immigrants, through Norris McLaughlin Attorneys, have filed and succeeded on direct appeals, habeas petitions (challenging both an underlying conviction and, if an immigrant is detained in immigration custody for a prolonged period of time), motions to vacate guilty pleas, post-conviction relief motions (which are known in New York as 440 Motions and in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as Post-Conviction Relief Motions) and 2255 Motions (in Federal Courts). Both federal and state courts have commonly referred to these motions as Padilla motions, naming them after the Supreme Court’s Padilla v. Kentucky Decision, where America’s highest court reiterated the obligation of defense attorneys to advise their clients about the deportation consequences of a respective guilty plea. Federal and State appeals based on ineffective representation with respect to deportation consequences of a guilty plea are complicated and require the ordering and review of transcripts, evidence, prior attorney files that are provided, statements from the immigrant and those who were present when the immigrant either discussed the possible deportation consequences of a guilty plea or when the immigrant entered the guilty plea. When an immigrant has received ineffective representation with respect to intertwining of criminal and deportation proceedings, action must be swiftly taken by the immigrant and his family. Contact Norris McLaughlin, PA today.

  Link: Criminal Immigration

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  Naturalization - Citizenship

  The ultimate goal of many immigrants to the US is citizenship through naturalization, which is the acquisition of citizenship after birth. The most basic requirement for naturalization is that the applicant must be at least 18 years old. Children younger than 18 whose parents are naturalized automatically obtain US citizenship. If you have a criminal history, please contact Norris McLaughlin before you apply for naturalization, as issues may arise. Benefits of Becoming a Citizen: The Right to Vote: A Fundamental Right of a U.S. Citizen Being a citizen of the United States provides many privileges. Voting in elections is one such privilege. New citizens are expected to participate in elections and to adhere to the principles of tolerance and understanding towards differing points of view, which is the philosophical basis of the system of government of the United States. A Chance to Reunite Families Certain immigrants who because of their close relationship to U.S. Citizens are exempt from the numerical limitations imposed on immigration to the United States. Immediate relatives are: spouses of U.S. Citizens, children (under 21 years of age and unmarried) of U.S. Citizens, and parents of U.S. Citizens 21 years of age or older. A Way to Protect your Children’s Right to Remain in the U.S. Permanent resident children under the age of eighteen, who are in the lawful legal and physical custody of their naturalizing parent(s), automatically become U.S. Citizens when their parent(s) becomes naturalized. Protection in Cases Involving Illegal Activity In the event a Permanent Resident is ever accused of an illegal activity, they will remain within the authority of the USCIS and the Immigration Courts, and can be removed (or deported) for such activity. However, U.S. Citizens have the right to an attorney and a fair trial without the threat of being deported. International Travel Made Easier Permanent Residents can lose their status if they leave the country for 180 days or longer, and in the event of an extended absence, must obtain a re-entry permit. However, as a U.S. Citizen, you are not restricted on the amount of time you can spend outside of the U.S. and are not subject to obtaining a re-entry permit. Additionally, travel can be more convenient as many countries do not require Visas of U.S. Citizens. Start Studying for Your Naturalization Test Today Get Ready for the Naturalization Test Today. Contact Norris McLaughlin at (484) 544-0022 for a Free Consultation and for free copies of study materials.

  Link: Naturalization - Citizenship

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  Protective Visas

  To secure protection is no simple task; rather, successful applications necessitate substantial effort, documentation, evidence, and legal arguments establishing eligibility for the protection requested. For decades, Norris McLaughlin has handled countless applications and other legal requests for individuals seeking protection of the United States Government, because of domestic violence, cooperation, victims of crimes and human trafficking. Norris McLaughlin Attorneys work closely with the victim, family members, federal, state, and local law enforcement, immigration authorities, medical providers, and others, to ensure that any request for protection is detailed and comprehensive. We are the leading immigration law and deportation defense firm that are here to help you, as we have helped thousands of immigrants over the years in their times of need, reinforcing the notion that America is here to protect others, especially the most vulnerable. To learn more about the specific types of visas, contact Norris McLaughlin today for a free, confidential consultation.

  Link: Protective Visas

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  Immigration Appellate Litigation

  For decades, Norris McLaughlin has led in preserving the rights of individuals and corporations — at each level — from the start of a case, to a trial and, if necessary, throughout the appellate phases. Norris McLaughlin Appellate Litigation Practice area includes post-conviction relief (collateral attacks), petitions for review before Federal Circuit Courts, Administrative Appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals and he Administrative Appeals Office, Motions to Reopen, Motions to Reconsider, Appeals from USCIS Decisions, Deportation Appeals to Appeals before the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

  Link: Immigration Appellate Litigation

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  Habeas Petitions and Writs

  A habeas corpus petition is a civil claim brought in a federal court against the warden of the correctional facility that is detaining the individual and asks the federal court to enter an order either (1) releasing the detained person from custody; or (2) demanding that the correctional facility bring the detained person before the federal court for a bond hearing. In the context of the immigration system, many things that may bring a person before an immigration court subject that person to mandatory, indefinite detention by Immigration & Customs Enforcement until the immigration case is over or if an order of deportation has been entered and Immigration & Customs Enforcement is seeking enforcement of the removal order. Also, many who attempt to enter the United States and are found to have immigration related issues, will be subject to mandatory, indefinite detention. Yes, quite odd, that the United States of America actually subjects people to mandatory, indefinite detention, without bond. What a shame. Often, months and years go by and immigrants are sitting in jail for an immigration (non-criminal) related violation. For years, Norris McLaughlin has aggressively challenged the entire concept of mandatory, indefinite detention, in federal courts. Norris McLaughlin Attorneys have constantly questioned the very constitutional nature of mandatory, indefinite detention and, in doing so, has caused many held for months and years to secure release. For any immigration related matter — if your family member is detained in immigration custody–call Norris McLaughlin today at (484) 544-0022.

  Link: Habeas Petitions and Writs