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<figure id="figure-bk7ll2mg3gmotej74v" class=""><img id="bk7ll2mg3gmotej74v" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/0zie1418ZEmxdfWGLZFw3WpnnFxSwntARmXC2x6qtqLCrPhWIhRghWBto9hsXT21.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/0zie1418ZEmxdfWGLZFw3WpnnFxSwntARmXC2x6qtqLCrPhWIhRghWBto9hsXT21.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><strong>The Vulnerability of Employer Sponsorship</strong> Relying solely on an employer for PERM and I-140 processing leaves H-1B professionals vulnerable to unexpected life changes and economic shifts. When layoffs occur—such as the massive tech industry reductions seen recently—a strict 60-day calendar window begins to either find a new sponsor or leave the country. Compounding this stress is the reality of the visa backlog. India-born professionals often face a 12- to 15-year wait, during which children may turn 21 and "age out" of their parent's petition, losing their path to permanent residency.</p><figure id="figure-6ksbk01x5emotek3l1"><img id="6ksbk01x5emotek3l1" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/10yTSjrJQzBYFgL8f4AjFFRBeZMpzRMnRKn0MBpSjB3phqKNyTpdGppCbtlqZ0j1.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/10yTSjrJQzBYFgL8f4AjFFRBeZMpzRMnRKn0MBpSjB3phqKNyTpdGppCbtlqZ0j1.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><strong>The Self-Petitioning Solution</strong> There are two primary pathways that bypass the need for an employer sponsor or a PERM labor certification: the EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) and the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver). A common misconception is that these categories are reserved only for famous academics or Nobel laureates. In reality, mid-career professionals, software engineers, and commercial leaders can also successfully qualify.<br></p><figure id="figure-7m6yto289motemigq"><img id="7m6yto289motemigq" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/5PXDF6Xm2krqLuPZDbY9hAFCX9LnbOpRzkz8kidnbyez1MNTk7XBVAveEQQPYnQz.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/5PXDF6Xm2krqLuPZDbY9hAFCX9LnbOpRzkz8kidnbyez1MNTk7XBVAveEQQPYnQz.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><strong>The Governing Principle</strong> The foundational principle of self-petitioning is that a person's occupation or job title is not the deciding factor. USCIS evaluates the individual's documented work, impact on the field, and external recognition. The key is framing the endeavor at the correct level of abstraction—focusing on the broader technical or societal problem being solved, rather than relying on a generic job description.<br></p><figure id="figure-x3gb3gyk9pmoten4j4"><img id="x3gb3gyk9pmoten4j4" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/34TJ9kOmxEGEQagjJ3gpmOwKdzTdi4dcYa53bD3pxMP344kiomlz7iFb7cEwLETg.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/34TJ9kOmxEGEQagjJ3gpmOwKdzTdi4dcYa53bD3pxMP344kiomlz7iFb7cEwLETg.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><strong>The Dual Filing Strategy</strong> India-born applicants can utilize a strategic "dual filing" approach. By filing an EB-2 NIW first, the applicant locks in an early priority date and secures their place in line. They can then file an EB-1A petition in parallel or shortly after. If the EB-1A is approved, the earlier NIW priority date transfers to the faster EB-1 line. If the EB-1A is denied, the NIW remains active, ensuring the applicant does not lose their priority date.<br></p><figure id="figure-zzgm4hzv56moteohh8"><img id="zzgm4hzv56moteohh8" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/7Daa5v4QSC9JI7ya1b0IIkLeq6BZ1IBcSpRvbOltgmOGEOCIMoZIpaGSUUxIczit.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/7Daa5v4QSC9JI7ya1b0IIkLeq6BZ1IBcSpRvbOltgmOGEOCIMoZIpaGSUUxIczit.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><strong>Next Steps</strong> Waiting for an employer to handle immigration can be incredibly costly, as layoffs and visa backlogs do not pause. Professionals should proactively compile a summary of their career achievements—including patents, publications, and objective impact data—and consult with an independent immigration lawyer to evaluate their specific self-petitioning options.</p><figure id="figure-xh3cb996hamotep77w"><img id="xh3cb996hamotep77w" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/8AvHO7iA60tXfcTbxz2f2ukkVYkiYalIcnVSAwPfgFov4oUX1pFIoKPbXZaLogef.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure><p><em>Attorney Advertising | created with AI NotebookLLM</em></p>

Bypassing the Green Card Backlog: A Guide for H-1B Professionals

<p><em>AI almost put a mistake</em> in front of an immigration judge in one of my client's filings. I caught it on a manual read.</p><p><em>The detail was small</em>. My client spoke a particular version of English. My mentor had passed along a different version. The AI tool I was using to help assemble the filing kept reproducing the wrong version in the brief — even after I corrected it. The case had roughly 1,000 pages of material and a tight timeline. The tool would not self-correct. The only way to catch it was to read every page.</p><p>So that is what I did.</p><figure id="figure-ac9rwzf4xwmopbdrxp" class=""><img id="ac9rwzf4xwmopbdrxp" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/32hA9KuwYyjrkC08r3Jkqx7W9M1SIi2mvDa4JGuoqOdPP5dWaU2HG8RxVjMHT02O.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/32hA9KuwYyjrkC08r3Jkqx7W9M1SIi2mvDa4JGuoqOdPP5dWaU2HG8RxVjMHT02O.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><em>The rule I have</em> now is simple. I read every page through. I verify every reference, even the ones that look right. I catch the hallucinations the tool cannot catch itself.</p><p><em>In immigration work</em> — and especially in asylum work — the AI's mistake becomes my mistake the moment it reaches the judge. The client does not get to explain that the tool got something wrong. The record is the record.</p><p><em>I use AI in my practice</em>. It saves real time. But the time it saves is not the time I would have spent reading the file. That time is the work.</p><p><em>Attention to detail</em> in this practice is not a professional virtue. It is what the client is paying for, and it is what the system requires. There is no version of this job where the read gets skipped.</p><p><em>Aakash Sharma is a Connecticut-licensed attorney and the founder of the Law Office of Aakash Sharma, LLC. His practice focuses on family-based immigration, asylum, naturalization, and K-1 fiancé visas.</em></p>

The read is the work

<h2>Birthright Citizenship Executive Order<br></h2><figure id="figure-v7ok1n4gjmoi0y9y9" class="selected"><img id="v7ok1n4gjmoi0y9y9" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2auOIyTXgBwvmjLjwBGx0u53Ei6ma4ZsNXJbzXESGCCVrl5gWX3DlnYuALP55S3q.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 0% 35%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="0%" data-positiony="35%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2auOIyTXgBwvmjLjwBGx0u53Ei6ma4ZsNXJbzXESGCCVrl5gWX3DlnYuALP55S3q.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 0% 35%;"></figure><h3>What You Need to Know<br></h3><p>On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order on birthright citizenship. The Order seeks to prevent children born in the United States from becoming U.S. citizens if their parents are undocumented or hold lawful temporary status. Birthright citizenship has been legally permitted for more than 100 years and is protected by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.<br>The Executive Order is currently not in effect while it is being challenged in several lawsuits. Birthright citizenship is therefore protected at this time, but the courts have not made a final decision on the Order’s legality.<br></p><h3>LATEST UPDATE</h3><p>On April 1, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara on the constitutionality of the Executive Order. A decision is expected by the end of June 2026. Until the Court rules, the Order remains blocked and birthright citizenship continues to apply to all children born in the United States.<br></p><h3>Who could be impacted?<br></h3><p>The Executive Order limits birthright citizenship to children of at least one U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). It would impact, among others:</p><ul><li>&nbsp;Children whose mother is “unlawfully present” in the U.S. and whose father is not a U.S. Citizen or LPR; and</li><li>Children whose mother is in a temporary legal status and whose father is not a U.S. Citizen or LPR. Temporary legal status includes nonimmigrants (visitor, student, temporary worker, etc.), parolees, TPS beneficiaries, Visa Waiver Program entrants, deferred action recipients, LIFE Act Family United beneficiaries, and people granted withholding or deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture, among others.</li></ul><h3>What happens if the Executive Order takes effect?<br></h3><p>If the Executive Order is upheld, the implementation timeline is unclear. Many logistical and administrative issues remain unresolved — including how to prove eligibility for U.S. citizenship and what the immigration status of impacted children would be after birth. Hospitals, local governments, vital statistics offices, and the Social Security Administration would all need to change how they issue documents to newborns.<br></p><h3>QUESTIONS? CONTACT US.</h3><p>If you would like additional information about this Executive Order or how it may affect your family, please contact our office to schedule a confidential consultation.</p><p>750 Main Street, Suite 100 &nbsp;• &nbsp;Hartford, CT 06103</p><p>(860) 560-8382 &nbsp;• &nbsp;contact@sharmalawct.com &nbsp;• &nbsp;https://immigration.sharmalawct.com<br>&nbsp;<br><em>Attorney Advertising</em>. This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice; reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Adapted with permission from materials provided by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) to its members. © 2026 American Immigration Lawyers Association. Original AILA flyer last updated February 2, 2026; the “Latest Update” and firm contact information were added by the Law Office of Aakash Sharma, LLC. Attorney Aakash Sharma is licensed in Connecticut; immigration is a federal practice area.</p>

CLIENT ALERT  •  IMMIGRATION

<p>By Aakash Sharma | April 26, 2026</p><p><strong>The first immigration case</strong> </p><figure id="figure-7ead3rrm3smogmyefm"><img id="7ead3rrm3smogmyefm" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/0dcduHafdHpW3L4S1RTjEkGuXNpxThexQcZUOooZ5pIKG8WmNnJgomyFeLVrnRBJ.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/0dcduHafdHpW3L4S1RTjEkGuXNpxThexQcZUOooZ5pIKG8WmNnJgomyFeLVrnRBJ.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p>I worked on came back from the Board of Immigration Appeals on remand to the immigration judge. The client had been navigating it pro se. He was the age of my kid.</p><p>I sat with the file and realized something that has shaped how I practice ever since: the system was not going to take care of this person. There were too many cases and not enough lawyers willing to go past the edge of a limited-scope engagement. Judges, in some courtrooms, did not seem to know the law and, to be honest, did not seem to care. The client in front of me was alone inside all of that.</p><p>So I made a quiet promise. One live case at a time. Take it on. Don't leave until it closes — and do everything I can to close it well.</p><p>That is the operating commitment behind everything that follows.</p><h3>He was the age of my kid.<br></h3><p>I was drawn to immigration law for two reasons, and I'll name both.</p><figure id="figure-oaiomn9smcmogmblwo"><img id="oaiomn9smcmogmblwo" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/12bkyQUl4SfMHQSmBQRFfMrHLI6VgBMIJr2LC2gBdTaWBiEWMoG4w4Lh8smgdQZb.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/12bkyQUl4SfMHQSmBQRFfMrHLI6VgBMIJr2LC2gBdTaWBiEWMoG4w4Lh8smgdQZb.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p>The first is practical. It is federal law. As a newly admitted attorney, federal practice meant I was not boxed into a single state. The portability mattered to me.</p><p>The second is the help angle, and it is also true. I have been given chances by this society. The license is one way I give some back.</p><p>Both motives are real. I am not going to pretend the first one wasn't there.</p><p>I also do not run this practice as my livelihood. I have a 20-plus-year career in enterprise technology, and that career is what pays the bills. I built the immigration practice deliberately as a focused, capacity-constrained solo practice on top of that. The day job is the reason this practice can be what it is. I can say no to cases I shouldn't take. I can spend the time a case actually needs. I do not need any single client to become my next paycheck. That is not a side note to how I practice. It is the structural fact that makes the rest of how I practice possible.</p><p>In the <a data-mce-href="https://sharmaimmigrationattorney.com/blog/access-to-justice--behind-the-walls-of-immigration-detention" href="https://sharmaimmigrationattorney.com/blog/access-to-justice--behind-the-walls-of-immigration-detention">asylum blog</a> I published earlier this year, I wrote a sentence I meant: in asylum work, attention to detail is not a professional virtue. It is a moral obligation. I want to show what that looks like on a real day.</p><p>In one matter, the file ran to roughly a thousand pages. A mentor on the case had told me, in passing, that the client knew a particular version of English. I was using AI tools to help me move through the volume, and I let that assumption settle into the workproduct headed toward the judge. When I finally sat with the client directly, he corrected me. He spoke a different version of English. The distinction mattered. The brief, as drafted, was wrong about him in a way that would carry into how the court understood him.</p><h3>The AI could not catch it.</h3><figure id="figure-mc7zxl6kjgmogmpw4w" class=""><img id="mc7zxl6kjgmogmpw4w" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/39HGOH7pdzo8MORB1bzAp8SGCmgUAJ4lmcmZ1HylhWPfoy0ZLTc1hj52QghFyOlL.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/39HGOH7pdzo8MORB1bzAp8SGCmgUAJ4lmcmZ1HylhWPfoy0ZLTc1hj52QghFyOlL.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p>I had told it the wrong thing. Once that assumption was in, every subsequent draft carried it forward.</p><p>I read all thousand pages. By hand. I caught the assumption everywhere it had propagated, and I corrected it. I also checked every legal reference the AI had produced, because by then I knew not to take any of them on trust.</p><p>That is the rule I now follow on every matter where AI helps me move faster. Read it through. Verify every reference. Catch the hallucinations yourself. AI is a tool I use seriously and skeptically. It does not replace the read.</p><p>Doing the actual work, not the appearance of it, is sometimes a thousand-page afternoon.</p><p>When someone reaches out, I run the matter in two phases. Phase 1 is preliminary work — background, document review, the structural questions about whether the legal elements of the case can actually be met. If something disqualifying surfaces in Phase 1, I stop. I tell the client why. I refund whatever is left of the retainer after Phase 1 costs. We do not move into Phase 2.</p><h3>This is built into how I take on work, and I tell clients about it in the first conversation, not after we've started.</h3><figure id="figure-kwkxsx9iramogmo3dp"><img id="kwkxsx9iramogmo3dp" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/14RjYXU6iiRiAr2OBNyhZG35c2SB6CUtimmN7WN6G6MUQe5DDDVNsFcaYqTRGM8I.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/14RjYXU6iiRiAr2OBNyhZG35c2SB6CUtimmN7WN6G6MUQe5DDDVNsFcaYqTRGM8I.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p>When I decline a case, I tell the prospective client the reason and I tell them to get a second opinion. Especially in asylum. Taking on a weak asylum case creates wrong hope, and wrong hope is expensive twice — once in money, and again in the worse outcome that comes when a case fails for reasons that were visible at the start. I will not put a client through that to keep the engagement.</p><h3>Wrong hope is expensive twice — once in money, and again in the worse outcome.</h3><figure id="figure-23e2aucv5dmogmmgx3"><img id="23e2aucv5dmogmmgx3" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/21EyR5JFepOb0ILEXVNm77J613MhUj6egy3BcxEZVykwXEE1wvwtno4Y93aqK8YO.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/21EyR5JFepOb0ILEXVNm77J613MhUj6egy3BcxEZVykwXEE1wvwtno4Y93aqK8YO.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p>This is where the parallel career earns its place again. A lawyer whose mortgage depends on the next retainer faces real pressure to take cases that should not be taken. I do not face that pressure. I can tell a prospective client the truth about their case, including when the truth is that I am not the right person, and I can do it without weighing it against my own bills. Most of the things I do differently in this practice trace back to that fact.</p><p>Most clients who reach out are not in a position to frame their situation as a legal problem. They know what happened to them. They do not know which form, which deadline, which category, which standard. Asking them to translate their life into legal vocabulary at the front door is the wrong place to start.</p><p>So my intake doesn't ask them to. It is built around plain-language branching questions — what are you trying to do, has this happened, is there a court date coming up — with an immediate-contact path for anything time-sensitive and a free space at the end for the client to tell me anything the form did not capture. By the time we get on a call together, I already have a working picture. The free consultation is not the place where I learn what the client needs. It is the place where I tell them what I see and whether I think I can help.</p><p>That changes what the first conversation is about. It is not strategy. It is clarity. Am I in the right place. Does this lawyer understand what is happening to me. Does he know enough to be useful. Is there a path here, and if not, what should I do instead.</p><h3>Clarity is what I owe a prospective client before anything else.&nbsp;</h3><figure id="figure-zarxxqbmiemogmtjha"><img id="zarxxqbmiemogmtjha" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/16bcFOSvAKtRKnbFkEpBd1IsOLB7uhMVyOwEmKCZMPbdTc6glhyvLR2fJLSmHA53.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 40% 50%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="40%" data-positiony="50%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/16bcFOSvAKtRKnbFkEpBd1IsOLB7uhMVyOwEmKCZMPbdTc6glhyvLR2fJLSmHA53.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 40% 50%;"></figure><p>The strategy comes later, and only if there is something to strategize about.</p><p>The promise I made over that remanded file has not changed.</p><p>Every person who appears before an immigration judge deserves a lawyer who will tell them the truth about their case — including when the truth costs the lawyer the engagement — and who will then do the actual work, not the appearance of it. The afternoon spent reading every page. The reference checked instead of trusted. The refund returned when Phase 1 makes the answer clear. The second opinion recommended when I am not the right person.</p><p>That is what I am trying to be, on the cases I take.</p><h3>That is why I do this work.</h3><figure id="figure-i52xqdcsusmogmsaca"><img id="i52xqdcsusmogmsaca" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/10KB4sQl4KwxPliIOT6ELREC0xjDIwRMtTZHh9cjOmj08IwV8JSczuEAJc0bV6ro.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 5% 50%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="5%" data-positiony="50%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/10KB4sQl4KwxPliIOT6ELREC0xjDIwRMtTZHh9cjOmj08IwV8JSczuEAJc0bV6ro.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 5% 50%;"></figure><p><strong>If your situation might fit this practice — family-based immigration, asylum, naturalization, or a K-1 fiancé visa — schedule a free consultation: <a data-mce-href="https://immigration.sharmalawct.com" href="https://immigration.sharmalawct.com">immigration.sharmalawct.com</a></strong></p><p><em>Aakash Sharma is a Connecticut-licensed attorney. His immigration practice handles family-based matters, asylum, naturalization, and K-1 fiancé visas.</em></p>

Why I Do This Work

the word justice written in black ink on a concrete surface

<h3>Why I Do This Work</h3><p>I became a lawyer because I believe that justice should not depend on the size of someone's bank account. That belief is easy to hold in the abstract. It becomes real when you sit across from a detained asylum seeker — someone who fled persecution, crossed borders, survived things most of us cannot imagine — and you realize that without competent legal representation, this person will almost certainly be deported back to the danger they escaped.</p><p>That is why I take asylum cases. Not because they are easy. They are among the hardest cases I handle. I take them because everyone who appears before an immigration judge deserves someone in their corner who is prepared, present, and genuinely invested in their outcome.</p><figure id="figure-vuo3q2oea4omntsalxh"><img id="vuo3q2oea4omntsalxh" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1572297880316-e7c2d45be117?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxhc3lsdW18ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc4Njc1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="underground road surrounded with lights" title="underground road surrounded with lights" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1572297880316-e7c2d45be117?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxhc3lsdW18ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc4Njc1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3><br>The Reality of Detained Asylum Cases</h3><p><br>Most people have no idea what immigration detention looks like from the inside. The clients I have represented were held in detention facilities in New Mexico — far from family, far from community, far from anything familiar. Many had traveled from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, fleeing persecution based on political opinion, religion, ethnicity, or membership in a particular social group.</p><p>Detention takes a toll that is difficult to overstate. Communication with the outside world is limited. Legal resources inside these facilities are scarce. Many detainees do not speak English fluently and depend on interpretation services that are inconsistent at best. The mental health impact of prolonged detention — the uncertainty, the isolation, the constant fear of what comes next — compounds the trauma these individuals already carry from their home countries.</p><p>Meeting a detained client today rarely means walking into a facility. Most communication happens through virtual calls — but even that is far from simple. Scheduling a video call with a detained client requires navigating layers of facility protocols, limited call windows, and technology that frequently fails. A client may wait days for a scheduled legal call only to have it cut short due to a facility lockdown or a system glitch. When the call does connect, you are speaking to someone through a screen who may be sitting in a noisy common area with no privacy, trying to share the most painful details of their life. That first conversation is not about legal strategy. It is about being human.</p><figure id="figure-7dre67wb6mntsdonp"><img id="7dre67wb6mntsdonp" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1712775066610-3b8a4d46f9d8?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxib3JkZXIlMjBjYXVnaHR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc4ODYzfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a close up of a barbed wire with a sky background" title="a close up of a barbed wire with a sky background" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl selected" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1712775066610-3b8a4d46f9d8?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxib3JkZXIlMjBjYXVnaHR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc4ODYzfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-mce-selected="1"></figure><h3><br>Building a Case That Matters</h3><p><br>Asylum cases demand precision. The legal standard requires demonstrating a well-founded fear of persecution on account of a protected ground — race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. That standard sounds straightforward on paper. In practice, it requires exhaustive preparation.</p><p>Every case begins with research. Country conditions reports, human rights documentation, news sources, and expert analysis all become part of the evidentiary foundation. I need to understand not just what happened to my client, but the broader context of persecution in their home country — patterns of government abuse, treatment of minority groups, and whether there is any realistic possibility of internal relocation.</p><p>Then comes the hardest part: working with the client to tell their story. Asylum seekers are often asked to recount the worst moments of their lives — torture, threats, the death of loved ones — in precise, chronological detail. Any inconsistency, even a minor one, can be used to undermine credibility. Preparing a client to testify is not about coaching a narrative. It is about building enough trust that they feel safe sharing the full truth, and then organizing that truth into a framework that the immigration court will recognize and credit.</p><p>There are no shortcuts. A missed detail in a country conditions report, an unprepared witness, a failure to identify the correct particular social group — any of these can be the difference between protection and deportation. In asylum work, attention to detail is not a professional virtue. It is a moral obligation.</p><figure id="figure-o5g5kbgeomntsg4xj"><img id="o5g5kbgeomntsg4xj" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1630822389683-888d753bdc1f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxwcmVjaXNpb24lMjB3aXRoJTIwdGltZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzU4Nzg5NDN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="white and black wooden letter blocks" title="white and black wooden letter blocks" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1630822389683-888d753bdc1f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxwcmVjaXNpb24lMjB3aXRoJTIwdGltZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzU4Nzg5NDN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3><br>A Legal Landscape That Keeps Shifting</h3><p><br>Immigration law does not stand still, and practitioners who fail to keep up put their clients at risk.</p><p>Consider what has happened with bond hearings. For nearly three decades, immigration judges had the authority to grant bond to detained individuals who could demonstrate they were not a flight risk or danger to the community. In September 2025, the Board of Immigration Appeals issued its decision in Matter of Yajure Hurtado, ruling that immigration judges lack authority to conduct bond hearings for individuals present in the United States without admission. That single decision effectively subjected millions of people to mandatory detention — many of whom had been living in the country for years, had families, held jobs, and posed no risk whatsoever.</p><p>The practical impact has been devastating. People who previously could seek release while their asylum cases were pending now face months or even years of detention. Federal district courts across the country have pushed back through habeas corpus petitions, but the outcomes vary dramatically depending on which federal circuit the detention facility falls under. An asylum seeker detained in New Mexico under the Tenth Circuit may have options that someone transferred to a facility in Texas under the Fifth Circuit does not.</p><p>This is what I mean when I say the law is constantly changing. Staying current on BIA decisions, circuit court rulings, policy memoranda, and regulatory changes is not optional. It is foundational to competent representation. A legal argument that worked six months ago may no longer be viable today, and a new avenue of relief may have opened that did not exist last year.</p><figure id="figure-74p9z7954pmntshll1"><img id="74p9z7954pmntshll1" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1774898988393-5c752e4d55e9?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8Y2hhbmdpbmclMjBsYXd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc5MDQyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Statue of justice, gavel, and open book on table." title="Statue of justice, gavel, and open book on table." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1774898988393-5c752e4d55e9?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8Y2hhbmdpbmclMjBsYXd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc5MDQyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3><br>Empathy as a Legal Skill</h3><p><br>Law school teaches you how to analyze statutes and construct arguments. It does not teach you how to sit with someone who is trembling while describing what happened to their family. It does not teach you how to explain a complex legal process to someone who has never been inside a courtroom, through an interpreter, in a setting where every word carries enormous weight.</p><p>Being an effective asylum attorney requires empathy — not as a soft skill, but as a core professional competency. A client who does not trust their attorney will not share the full scope of their experience. A client who feels rushed or dismissed will leave out details that may be critical to their case. A client who feels like a case number rather than a person will disengage from a process that already feels stacked against them.</p><p>I approach every client with a simple commitment: I will treat you with the dignity this system often does not. I will listen before I strategize. I will be honest about what I can and cannot do. And I will prepare your case as if the outcome matters — because it does. For these clients, the result is not a legal statistic. It is their life.</p><figure id="figure-jo22u2fqvamntsjuff" class=""><img id="jo22u2fqvamntsjuff" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1740645580543-c02585143b0b?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxsZWdhbCUyMGVtcGF0aHklMjBza2lsbHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc5MDk5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A wooden block spelling the word empathhy on a table" title="A wooden block spelling the word empathhy on a table" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1740645580543-c02585143b0b?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxsZWdhbCUyMGVtcGF0aHklMjBza2lsbHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1ODc5MDk5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3><br>Why This Work Matters</h3><p><br>Asylum representation has made me a better attorney. It has sharpened my research skills, deepened my understanding of federal immigration law, and reinforced something I believe every lawyer should carry with them: the privilege of holding a law license comes with a responsibility to use it for people who need it most.</p><p>I do not share this to seek recognition. I share it because the need for competent, compassionate asylum representation has never been greater. The legal landscape is more hostile than it has been in decades. Detention populations are growing. Access to counsel remains woefully inadequate.</p><p>If you believe in justice — not the abstract concept, but the lived reality of it — then these cases matter. Every person who appears before an immigration judge deserves to be heard, to be understood, and to have their case presented with skill and seriousness. That is what access to justice means. That is why I do this work.</p><figure id="figure-jms54ned28mntsl4im"><img id="jms54ned28mntsl4im" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/120TmNbPJFlbpjFy228L6Y2ZhOSU6ePadHkeyseSwiG0mzt6UaydwMrqko75Ka7b.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 45% 45%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="45%" data-positiony="45%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/120TmNbPJFlbpjFy228L6Y2ZhOSU6ePadHkeyseSwiG0mzt6UaydwMrqko75Ka7b.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 45% 45%;"></figure><p><br><em>Attorney Aakash Sharma is the founder of the Law Office of Aakash Sharma, LLC, a Connecticut-based practice focused on immigration law and estate planning. He is licensed in Connecticut and serves clients nationwide.</em></p><p><br></p>

Access to Justice: Behind the Walls of Immigration Detention

<p>Understanding the U.S. immigration process can be daunting, and many misconceptions persist, causing confusion and anxiety. In this blog post, we aim to bust some of the most common myths, providing clarity and accurate information to those navigating this complex system.</p>

<h2>Myth 1: Everyone Can Apply for a Visa</h2>

<p>A widespread misconception is that anyone can apply for a U.S. visa, but this isn't entirely true. Visa categories are specific, and eligibility depends on various factors such as nationality, purpose of travel, and existing connections in the U.S. For example, some visas are only available to individuals from specific countries or those with certain professional qualifications.</p>

<figure id="figure-zg8tel8ep6mm5gioyc"><img id="zg8tel8ep6mm5gioyc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/39ohUMEiOC7bYLwvgO9yEPO5pOjv1VYYvKnHjKwNNuKX3yCvyxNODWDcIyGvnJau.jpeg" alt="us visa application" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9"></figure>

<p>It’s essential to research and understand the specific requirements for each visa category to determine eligibility. Consulting with an immigration attorney can also provide personalized guidance.</p>

<h2>Myth 2: Immigration Processes Are the Same for Everyone</h2>

<p>Another misconception is that the immigration process is uniform for all applicants. In reality, the process can vary significantly depending on the individual's circumstances, such as the type of visa they are applying for and their country of origin. Some applicants might face additional scrutiny or have different processing times.</p>

<p>For instance, the process for family-sponsored visas differs from employment-based visas, both in terms of requirements and timeframes.</p>

<figure id="figure-uxjo7jrde1mm5gioyc"><img id="uxjo7jrde1mm5gioyc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/8l1WcjV36V7SmrnzUvqUePVy3xES4dsRwNMxwoAMhpPIOWDJN2X8t5DUV5i7V3hR.jpeg" alt="immigration process" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9"></figure>

<h2>Myth 3: Green Card Means Immediate Citizenship</h2>

<p>One of the most common myths is that obtaining a Green Card automatically grants U.S. citizenship. However, a Green Card only provides lawful permanent residency. Green Card holders can live and work in the U.S. indefinitely, but they must go through a separate process to become naturalized citizens.</p>

<p>The naturalization process includes requirements such as a certain period of residency, proficiency in English, and knowledge of U.S. history and government.</p>

<figure id="figure-nzfwtqa3mimm5gioyc"><img id="nzfwtqa3mimm5gioyc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/39WYQPTJ7vJOEgvQaXaor1nJquRscxrkBTexmwRvNfOLvYEbhnWXVwxu23AemDmA.jpeg" alt="green card" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9"></figure>

<h2>Myth 4: Immigration Is Only About Finding a Job</h2>

<p>While employment is a significant factor in many immigration cases, it's not the only reason people immigrate to the U.S. Many individuals come to reunite with family, seek asylum from persecution, or pursue educational opportunities. Each of these pathways has its own set of rules and regulations.</p>

<p>Understanding the diversity of immigration pathways is crucial for dispelling the notion that it's solely about employment.</p>

<h2>Myth 5: The U.S. Immigration System Is Completely Broken</h2>

<p>While the U.S. immigration system faces challenges and complexities, labeling it as "broken" overlooks the many successful cases of people who have navigated the process legally. Improvements can undoubtedly be made, but many of the perceived problems stem from a lack of understanding of the system's intricacies.</p>

<figure id="figure-ohxzqcf2z8mm5gioyc"><img id="ohxzqcf2z8mm5gioyc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/384Pke8raZkgo2F7R5Qzq3tgU0ciVwQoY9j1WSVJgOw1yGSDU5kwRjTxsqeRISZt.jpeg" alt="us immigration" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9"></figure>

<p>By educating ourselves and staying informed, we can better understand and navigate the U.S. immigration process, helping to reduce the spread of myths and misconceptions.</p>

Myth-Busting: Common Misconceptions About the U.S. Immigration Process

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CLIENT ALERT • IMMIGRATION

Why I Do This Work

Access to Justice: Behind the Walls of Immigration Detention

Myth-Busting: Common Misconceptions About the U.S. Immigr...