“… yo tenía una orden de deportación solo iba a las cortes pero no solucionaba nada … logró cerrar la orden de deportación y hoy estoy muy contenta con los resultados”
Sofia ReyesGoogle review · ES
Deportation defense · McAllen, Texas
McAllen Deportation Defense Lawyer
no estás solo
If you received a Notice to Appear, were detained by ICE or have an old deportation order, you may still have options. We review your papers, check your case with the immigration court and explain, in English or Spanish, which defenses may apply. Then we prepare you and stand with you in court.
- Attorney Alex Martinez handles your case
- Hablamos español, 24/7 hotline
- 4.8 stars from 610 Google reviews
In the media
en los medios
“Excellent customer service, the process was fairly easy. Linda took care of our case and gave us all information needed and her communication was great.”
Betsy SalinasGoogle review · EN
Removal proceedings
When to call a deportation defense attorney
Removal proceedings are cases in immigration court where a judge decides whether you can stay in the United States. The courts belong to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and an ICE attorney argues the government's side.
You may bring a lawyer of your choosing, but the court does not provide one. Call when a notice arrives: several defenses have short deadlines.
Why Alex Martinez Law
Someone in your corner in court
contigo en la corte
An attorney who goes to court with you.
Alex Martinez, licensed in Texas and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, reviews your file, prepares your testimony and appears with you before the judge.
English or Spanish, at every hearing.
Alex studied in Texas and in Spanish in Mexico, and our team explains every notice and every step in the language you choose.
Reachable when someone is detained.
Call the 24/7 line at (956) 540-2255 or message us on WhatsApp, day or night.
One team if your case changes.
If you become eligible for a green card or a work permit, the same team handles the next step.
Defenses we handle
Ways to fight a removal case
Which defense fits depends on how you entered, how long you have been here, your family and your record. These are the ones we bring before the immigration judge.
Cancellation of removal
For people here 10 years or more with good moral character, whose removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. citizen or resident spouse, parent or child.
Form EOIR-42B
Cancellation for residents
Green card holders with 5 years as residents and 7 years of continuous residence after admission, and no aggravated felony conviction.
Form EOIR-42A
Asylum and protection
For people who fear persecution or torture in their country: asylum, withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture.
Asylum in court
Green card in court
When a relative's petition makes you eligible, the immigration judge decides the green card application in your removal case.
Green cards
After a removal order90 days
Motion to reopen
Asks the court to look at your case again because of new facts, generally once and within 90 days of the final order. An order issued when you missed court can be reopened within 180 days for exceptional circumstances, or at any time if you never got proper notice.
After the judge decidesForm EOIR-26
Appeal to the BIA
Asks the Board of Immigration Appeals to review the judge's decision. In most cases the appeal must reach the Board within 10 calendar days of the decision, or within 30 days for certain asylum decisions.
Asylum and protection
Asylum in immigration court
Asylum protects people who fear persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. In court you ask the judge for it on Form I-589, the same form used with USCIS.
You must apply within one year of your last arrival, unless changed or extraordinary circumstances explain the delay. If that deadline has passed, withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture may still apply. Both require stronger proof: that harm is more likely than not.
Form I-589$100 asylum fee$105 yearly fee after year one
Bonds and detention
Immigration bonds
When bond is allowed, the law sets a $1,500 minimum and ICE or a judge sets the amount. People held at the Port Isabel Detention Center or the East Hidalgo Detention Facility go before the Port Isabel Immigration Court in Los Fresnos.
Who can get a bond hearing has changed. Since a 2025 Board of Immigration Appeals decision and a February 2026 Fifth Circuit ruling, many people in Texas who entered without inspection are held without bond, and the courts are still deciding the question. We check the rule that applies the day you call.
Find a detained relativeICE locator: A-Number or full name and country of birth
Rules that shape a removal case
General information, not legal advice. Your own case depends on its facts.
1 year
to apply for asylum after your last arrival, unless changed or extraordinary circumstances apply.
10 days
to appeal most immigration judge decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
90 days
to file a motion to reopen after a final order, in most cases. Only one is allowed.
5 days
to tell the court about a new address on Form EOIR-33, so you do not miss a notice.
Court fees: EOIR-42B $1,690, appeal $1,060. Fees change; we check them before filing.
Check your case
Court case status Detainee locator EOIR forms and feesHow we handle it
From the first call to the judge's decision
Alex Martinez reviews your court record first: the charges, your next hearing date, earlier orders and any arrests. That record decides which defenses are open.
- 01ConsultationWe read your notices and your history and explain which defenses may apply, in English or Spanish.
- 02We join your caseWe file Form EOIR-28 so the court sends notices to us, and we confirm your hearing date in EOIR's case system.
- 03First hearingAt the master calendar hearing you answer the charges, and the judge sets deadlines to file your applications.
- 04Applications and evidenceWe file Form I-589, EOIR-42A or EOIR-42B, or a green card application, with proof of your years here and your family ties.
- 05Final hearing and decisionYou testify, the ICE attorney asks questions and the judge decides. If the decision goes against you, the appeal clock starts that day.
Documents we gather
- Your court record and every past immigration filing
- Police and court records for any arrest, even if dismissed
- Proof of your years here: leases, taxes, school records
- Birth certificates and status papers of U.S. citizen family
- Medical and school records that show hardship
Fees and consultation
We go through our own fee and any payment plan in your first call, and you have it in writing before you sign.
Court and USCIS filing fees are separate and go to the government. We confirm the exact amounts before you file.
What to bring
- Notice to Appear and every hearing notice
- Any order from an immigration judge
- Passport, I-94 and USCIS notices
- Arrest or court records, even if dismissed
Your attorney
Alex Martinez
J.D., Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Licensed in Texas, admitted to the Southern District of Texas.
Reviewed by Alex Martinez, State Bar of Texas
Questions
Deportation questions
General information, not legal advice. Ask us and we will tell you where your own case stands.
What happens if I miss my immigration court hearing?
The judge can order you removed without you there. That order can be reopened within 180 days if exceptional circumstances kept you away, or at any time if you never received proper notice. If you move, tell the court on Form EOIR-33 within 5 days so notices reach you.
How much is an immigration bond?
The law sets the minimum at $1,500 when bond is allowed. ICE or the judge sets the amount after looking at things like your family ties, how long you have lived here and your record. Whether you can get a bond hearing at all depends on how you entered, and that rule is still being decided in the courts.
How long does a deportation case take?
There is no set timeline. It depends on the court's calendar, whether you are detained and which defense you file. You can check your next hearing date at any time in EOIR's online case system or by calling 800-898-7180.
Can I work while my deportation case is pending?
Only with a work permit. Some defenses let you ask for one: asylum applicants can file 150 days after a complete asylum application, and people with a pending cancellation of removal application can also apply. See work permits while your case is pending.
Can an old deportation order be fixed?
Sometimes. It depends on how and when the order was issued: a motion to reopen, or a defense that became available later, may still apply. We get your full court record first, then tell you whether any option remains.
Don’t face court alone.
tu familia primero