Deportation defense
Deportation Defense Lawyer — a Former Immigration Judge on Your Side
If you or someone you love has received a Notice to Appear, has been detained by ICE, or already has a removal order, the next decisions matter. Carlos Maury, a former U.S. Immigration Judge who heard cases at the Van Nuys Immigration Court, and before that served as government immigration counsel and as a public defender, now defends people facing deportation, in English and Spanish, in immigration courts nationwide.
Carlos Maury is no longer on the bench and cannot influence any sitting judge or pending case.
Why a former immigration judge changes your defense
Removal proceedings are decided by an immigration judge, argued against a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attorney, and won or lost largely on preparation. Carlos Maury has worked in each of those roles: as a U.S. Immigration Judge at the Van Nuys Immigration Court, as government counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles (rising to deputy chief counsel) and with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in Miami, and as an assistant public defender in Florida.
What the bench teaches
A judge has to write a decision that holds up on appeal. That means findings on credibility, on whether the evidence corroborates the testimony, and on whether each legal element of the relief requested has been proven. As a judge, Carlos Maury decided roughly six hundred asylum cases on their merits in recent years (TRAC judge report (opens in new tab)). That experience informs what he builds into a case from the start: a clear legal theory, organized exhibits, and testimony that is consistent with the application and the documents.
What the government table teaches
DHS counsel decides whether to oppose relief, whether to agree to a dismissal or a continuance, and what to challenge on cross-examination. Having evaluated cases from that side, Carlos Maury looks for the weaknesses the government is likely to raise and addresses them before the hearing rather than during it.
What the defense table teaches
As a public defender, he represented people whose liberty was on the line and who often had little time and few documents. That work taught him to listen carefully, explain each step plainly and prepare people to testify truthfully and clearly.
None of this can promise a particular result; every case turns on its own facts and the law.
What we handle
We represent people at every stage of removal (deportation) proceedings before the immigration courts and on appeal. Each item below links to our detailed guide.
- Notice to Appear and master calendar hearings. The Notice to Appear starts the case, and the first hearings are where pleadings are entered and deadlines are set. Read about the Notice to Appear and how removal proceedings work. Not sure you have a case? See Am I in removal proceedings?
- Individual (merits) hearings. This is the trial: testimony, witnesses, documents and legal argument. See what happens at the individual hearing.
- Detention and bond. When someone is held by ICE, we look at whether they may ask a judge for release on bond and prepare that request. See bond hearings.
- Cancellation of removal. Relief for certain long-term residents, both lawful permanent residents and non-permanent residents, who meet strict requirements. See cancellation of removal.
- Asylum. Protection for people who fear persecution in their home country on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. See asylum, and our asylum lawyer page.
- Withholding of removal and Convention Against Torture (CAT) protection. Forms of protection that can apply when asylum is barred. See withholding of removal.
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS). When TPS is denied, withdrawn or ends, the judge may decide TPS anew or hear other relief. See our TPS lawyer page.
- Adjustment of status before the judge. In some cases a person in proceedings can become a permanent resident through a family or other petition. See adjustment of status.
- Waivers. Many grounds of inadmissibility can be forgiven with the right waiver and evidence. See inadmissibility and waivers.
- Prosecutorial discretion, dismissal and voluntary departure. Sometimes the right path is asking DHS to agree to close or dismiss a case, or seeking time to leave without a removal order. See relief from removal. Our deportation vs. voluntary departure comparison sets the two outcomes side by side.
- Motions to reopen and reconsider, including in absentia orders. A removal order is not always the end; strict deadlines apply. See motions to reopen.
- Appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and federal court. We review the record and brief the legal errors. See the Board of Immigration Appeals.
- Stays of removal. Asking to pause a removal while a motion or appeal is decided. See stays of removal.
- Cases involving criminal grounds. Convictions can trigger removal and limit relief, so the exact record matters. See deportability grounds under INA 237.
If a loved one was detained by ICE
An ICE arrest is frightening, and families often must act quickly.
The first 48 hours
- Find where they are held. Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator (opens in new tab). You will need the person's A-number (Alien Registration Number), or their full name and country of birth.
- Do not sign papers you do not understand. Some documents can give up the right to see a judge or agree to leave the country. Your family member can ask to speak with a lawyer first. See also your rights if ICE comes to your door.
- Gather documents. Identity documents, passport, any immigration papers, and proof of residence and ties: leases, tax returns, pay stubs, school records of children, letters from employers and community members.
- Do not lie to officers. False statements can create new problems. Staying silent is better than saying something untrue.
- Call a lawyer. Early advice can protect options that may later disappear.
Bond
Some people held by ICE may ask an immigration judge to set a bond, while others are subject to mandatory detention by law, depending on their history and how they entered (8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) (opens in new tab); 8 C.F.R. § 1003.19 (opens in new tab)). Where bond is possible, we prepare the request and present evidence that the person is not a danger and will appear for court, and we ask for a bond hearing as soon as the law allows. Read more about bond hearings and immigration detention.
Detention courts
Detained cases are heard in immigration courts located at or near detention centers, such as the Adelanto Immigration Court in Southern California. Detained dockets move faster, so preparation must start right away. For arrests in the Los Angeles area, see our ICE arrest guide.
How a case moves through immigration court
- The Notice to Appear is filed. DHS files the Notice to Appear with the immigration court, which starts removal proceedings and lists the charges.
- Master calendar hearing. At the first hearings, the person answers the charges, identifies the relief they will seek, and the judge sets deadlines.
- Applications and evidence are filed. Applications for relief, declarations, country-condition evidence, records and witness lists are filed by the court's deadlines.
- Individual hearing. The judge hears testimony, DHS cross-examines, and both sides present argument.
- Decision, then appeal or motions. The judge grants or denies relief. Either side may appeal, and in some cases a motion can be filed with the court.
Deadlines after a decision are strict. An appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the judge's decision (8 C.F.R. § 1003.38(b) (opens in new tab)). A motion to reopen generally must be filed within 90 days of the final order, and a motion to reconsider within 30 days (8 U.S.C. § 1229a(c)(6)–(7) (opens in new tab)). If an order was entered in absentia because the person missed a hearing, a motion to reopen may be filed within 180 days if the absence was due to exceptional circumstances, or at any time if the person did not receive proper notice (8 U.S.C. § 1229a(b)(5)(C) (opens in new tab)).
For the full step-by-step, see our deportation defense guide.
Mistakes that can hurt the immigration case
- Missing a hearing. If you do not appear, the judge can order you removed in your absence. See how to check your court date.
- Not updating your address. You must tell the court of a change of address within five days on Form EOIR-33 (8 C.F.R. § 1003.15(d)(2) (opens in new tab)). Hearing notices go to the last address on file.
- Missing the one-year asylum deadline. Asylum generally must be requested within one year of arrival in the United States, with limited exceptions (8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(2)(B) (opens in new tab)).
- Trusting a notario. In the United States, a "notario" or notary public is not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice or represent you in immigration court.
- Inconsistent statements. Differences between what you said at the border, in applications and in court can damage credibility.
- Traveling abroad. Leaving the United States while a case is pending can have serious consequences, including being treated as having left under an order.
- Leaving criminal-record questions unanswered. Arrests and convictions must be reviewed with the actual court records, because the exact offense and sentence can decide eligibility.
- Waiting until the last hearing. Evidence takes time to gather and translate. Starting early gives your case time to be fully prepared. Our printable deportation defense document checklist lists what the official rules and form instructions ask for.
Serving Los Angeles & Southern California
Our office is in Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley, and we regularly handle cases in the immigration courts of Los Angeles and Southern California:
- Los Angeles immigration court
- West LA immigration court
- Van Nuys immigration court
- Santa Ana immigration court
- Adelanto immigration court (detained cases)
- San Diego immigration court
- Otay Mesa immigration court (detained cases)
- Imperial immigration court
See all Los Angeles-area immigration courts.
Our page on the Southern California immigration courts covers all eight court locations, including the border courts in San Diego, Otay Mesa and Imperial.
Immigration law is federal, so we represent clients across the country. We appear in immigration courts in all 50 states, in person or by video where the court allows. Find your court among all 77 immigration courts. Meetings at the Van Nuys office are by appointment only.
Carlos Maury is licensed in Florida. Practice limited to federal immigration law; we represent clients in all 50 states.
About Carlos Maury
Carlos Maury served as a U.S. Immigration Judge at the Van Nuys Immigration Court, appointed by Attorney General Eric Holder, hearing cases from June 2015 (EOIR announcement (opens in new tab)). From 2002 to 2015 he worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles, rising to deputy chief counsel. Before that he was district counsel for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in Miami from 2000 to 2002, and an assistant public defender in Florida's Eleventh Judicial Circuit from 1993 to 2000.
He earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1992 and his B.A. from City College of the City University of New York in 1989. He is a member of The Florida Bar (No. 964239) and works with clients in English and Spanish. Read more about Carlos Maury.
Frequently asked questions
How does a former immigration judge help my deportation case?
Carlos Maury has seen removal cases from the bench, as government counsel and as a public defender. He uses that perspective to prepare your case the way judges evaluate them: a clear legal theory, strong corroborating evidence, consistent testimony, and a record that holds up on appeal. No one can promise an outcome, but it means careful, informed preparation.
Can Carlos Maury influence the judge in my case?
No. Carlos Maury is no longer on the bench and cannot influence any sitting judge or pending case. Every case is decided by the judge on the law and the evidence. The advantage he offers is preparation and experience, not access.
My family member was detained by ICE. Can they get out on bond, and how soon?
It depends on their immigration and criminal history. Some people may ask an immigration judge for a bond, while others are subject to mandatory detention by law. Start by finding them with the ICE Online Detainee Locator, gather proof of identity, residence and family ties, and call us. Where bond is possible, we request a bond hearing as soon as the law allows.
Do you handle deportation cases at the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts?
Yes. We regularly defend people in removal proceedings at the Los Angeles-area immigration courts, including Los Angeles, Van Nuys, West LA and Santa Ana, and at Adelanto for detained cases. Further south, we also take cases at the San Diego, Otay Mesa and Imperial immigration courts. Our office is in Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley, and meetings there are by appointment only. We also take cases at any immigration court nationwide.
Do you handle cases in immigration courts outside California?
Yes. Immigration law is federal, so we represent clients in immigration courts in all 50 states, appearing in person or by video where the court allows. Carlos Maury is licensed in Florida, and the practice is limited to federal immigration law.
I already have a removal order or I missed court. Is it too late?
Not always. Depending on the facts, it may be possible to file a motion to reopen or reconsider, or to appeal. Deadlines are strict: generally 30 days to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals, 90 days for a motion to reopen and 30 days for a motion to reconsider. For an order entered in absentia, a motion may be filed within 180 days for exceptional circumstances, or at any time if you did not receive proper notice. Call as soon as possible.
Can my deportation case be dismissed?
In some cases, yes. DHS can use prosecutorial discretion to agree to dismiss or close a case, and a case can also be terminated if the government cannot prove its charges. The decision on discretion belongs to DHS, and it is never assured, but a well-documented request can make a difference.
What should I bring to the first call or meeting?
Bring your Notice to Appear, any hearing notices, any orders from the immigration judge, your ID and passport, all immigration papers, criminal records and court dispositions if you have any, and proof of your time in the United States and of your family here, such as leases, tax returns, school records and birth certificates.
How long does a deportation case take?
It varies a great deal. Non-detained cases depend heavily on each court's backlog and can take a long time. Detained cases generally move much faster. We will explain what to expect in your court.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Carlos Maury speaks English and Spanish.
Can I change lawyers in the middle of my case?
Yes. You can hire a new lawyer at any point. The new lawyer files a notice of appearance with the court and reviews your file. Changing counsel does not by itself stop deadlines or hearings, so act early and bring your hearing notices and documents.
Talk with a former immigration judge about your case
Whether you received a Notice to Appear, a family member was detained, or you already have a removal order, call to discuss your options. Hablamos español.