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Deported Immigrant becomes an Immigration Professional
By Patrick J. Corr
I am currently engaged as an Immigration Legal Assistant in a large Law Firm in Pittsburgh. How I arrived in
this position is probably fairly typical of those from abroad who enter the United States innocently and later
become enmeshed in the snare of the Immigration policy.
I left Northern Ireland in 1981, after the death of my spouse to visit United States on vacation. After a
couple of months in the U.S, I was assured by well-intentioned friends and relatives that I could simply 'stay'
in America. I was also told that equally simply could I file for and obtain a Green Card, and everything
would be 'just wonderful'.
As you can imagine it was not quite that simple!
Had it not been for the intervention and representation by a Family Lawyer (also from Northern Ireland), I am
certain that I would have been arrested. His presence changed the tone of the INS toward me and probably forced
them to step back a little.
Having been finally given Voluntary Departure (also known as Self-Deportation) by the INS
in 1983, I married my U.S. Citizen girlfriend. We then filed for the I-130/485
petition/application so that I could adjust status etc. During the intervening two years, I ran afoul of the local
INS people to the extent that they informed my wife on the day of our interview that I was one of their least desirable
cases. Not a great start to any relationship!
We are still happily married and since then I have become a naturalized United States citizen. However, that confrontation with
the INS made me realize just how little aliens and US citizens actually understood the INS
and how abrasive the INS officials could be. So, I decided to enter the legal profession as a Legal Assistant and to
specialize in immigration matters.
It has been a delightful experience for the past 18 years and I am happy to say that the local INS officers and I
can look back and laugh about the 'good old' days. Even the one who was after my Irish hide back in 1983.
I enjoy the friendly bantering with the Service personnel and I certainly have a great understanding of the confusion
created by the immigration acts in those from abroad attempting to enter the U.S. legally to start a new life.
I can also understand why so many foreign nations enter the US legally and then work illegally. I can understand why these immigrants
unknowingly place
themselves in terrible jeopardy due to the well and not so well intentioned advise of many US corporate representatives,
who tend to see the foreign nationals as commodities rather than as people.
It is an interesting life in an interesting environment and I thoroughly enjoy the challenges presented by each
amendment to the Immigration Act.
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