The Code To Winning - INSIDE U.S. IMMIGRATION & DEPORTATION- LAWYER BREAKS IT ALL DOWN|| GEIDRE STASIUNAITE || EPISODE 039

Episode Date: June 27, 2025

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, we sit down with one of Miami’s top immigration attorneys, Geidre Stasiunaite, to uncover the raw realities of the U.S. immigration system. With years of firsthand legal experience, Geidre takes us behind the curtain of what really happens to individuals caught in the complex and often heart-wrenching web of immigration enforcement. From navigating bureaucratic hurdles to witnessing the painful separation of families, her insights reveal a side of the immigration process most never see—but desperately need to understand.   Geidre's journey to becoming a fierce advocate for immigrant rights is as inspiring as it is unique. Originally from Lithuania, she came to the U.S. just before turning 18, carrying with her the weight of ambition and the dream of building a better life. Her career began in international business law, earning her an LLM and working in corporate transactions. But a deeper calling pulled her toward immigration law—driven by her passion for human rights and a desire to serve those whose voices are often silenced.   Her work is not without emotional cost. Geidre opens up about the harsh conditions many immigrants face in detention facilities—conditions that are frequently overlooked and seldom discussed. From stories of children being separated from their parents to individuals enduring mental and emotional trauma behind locked doors, she shares a haunting glimpse into the everyday injustices that unfold behind the headlines. These aren’t just stories—these are human lives in crisis.   Yet amidst the chaos and tragedy, Geidre’s mission is rooted in empowerment. She provides legal solutions for not just undocumented immigrants but also those who are here legally yet unaware of the rights and visa options available to them. Her knowledge of lesser-known immigration pathways, legal strategies, and proactive planning offers hope—and a roadmap—for those willing to prepare and pursue their future the right way.   This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking truth, understanding, and clarity about the immigration landscape in America today. It’s educational, emotional, and, most of all, transformative. Geidre reminds us that behind every visa, every court date, and every family story is a human being fighting for dignity, stability, and a chance at something better.

I am immigration attorney. Originally, I'm from Lithuania. I started my attorney journey as a business attorney. I have LLM in international business transactions, but I also was always interested in human rights. So I focused on human rights and international law, University of Law in Denver and Corbell International Affairs School. And I ended up in immigration because coming to United States, when you are almost 18 years old, and you think that you have the world figure it out, and all of the sudden, everything, just turns around. It made me to want to fight for immigrants and it made me to become aware of the system and hopefully contribute to the improvement of the system itself. Those people have babies born in the United States. Those people have husbands and wives. Parents who came from their

countries and have pending applications. And some of those cases, those people are the sole financial providers, supporters. And now all of the sudden, after five years of nothing happening, they go to check in, they're being packed and detained right away on the spot. How intense has the last few days been for you and immigration as a whole? You know what? I have visited most of those detention facilities. I did represent clients when they were filing for asylums, prior COVID, during COVID. It was crazy. Those places, the immigration detention facilities usually are worse than federal prisons. Yes, because you don't have any rights there.

There is no accountability. The ICE officer or the guard is the god. for lack of better word they make decisions and nobody can complain about anybody like it's close to a scary movie and i'm very very worried about what is going to happen to those people i could tell you so many stories seeing clients from the detention facilities that would come they were released after spending three months six months there they sit with me in the office and they say well i cannot sleep in bed i have to go to sleep in a bathroom or in a closet like there is trauma there And would you say even some of them are law-abiding citizens, paying taxes and like contributing to society, the economy, they're boring, buying houses? How many situations would you say are common for the, that are getting deported in situations like that?

Oh, right now. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of the Code 2 winning insights you need today to seize the world tomorrow. We still in the beautiful state of Florida, the sunshine state in the heart of it, Miami itself. We have a wonderful guest. She is actually an immigration attorney. What a coincidence in these dire circumstances and tough times. Without further adieu, we can introduce you to a wonderful guest that we have in the studio today. She's very, very knowledgeable. She is very experienced in this field, considering with everything that's been happening regarding ICE, immigration, it's going to be a very educational, enlightening, and a very wonderful interview. Without further adieu, our wonderful guest, Gidre Stesuneita. Wonderful. You nailed it. Okay, we're done here. Now we can go. Awesome stuff. I want to thank you so much for such a short notice coming and joining us in the interview today.

I have a lot of questions. I know I gave Kevin about like 30 or so. So we're going to be here until probably midnight. So I hope you brought like your sleeping bag or anything. Sounds wonderful. Sounds like a best time for me to spend after a hard work day. So let's do it. Also stuff. Can you give us a... I love that. Can you give us a quick brief introduction of who you are and how did you start in the specific field? That's a wonderful question. I ask that myself every single day, I will be honest. Well, I am immigration attorney. Originally, I'm from Lithuania. I started my attorney journey as a business attorney. I have LLM in international business transactions, but I also was always interested in human rights. So I focused on human rights and international law.

University of Law in Denver and Corbell International Affairs School. And I ended up in immigration because coming to United States, when you are almost 18 years old, and you think that you have the world figure it out, and all of the sudden everything just turns around, it made me to want to fight for immigrants, and it made me to become aware of the system and hopefully contribute to the improvement of the system. itself. Awesome stuff. And you started, because I don't know much about Lithuania. I just know you guys have one of the best airlines ever because when I used to fly back to South Africa, we'd either do from, Lithuania, you're right next to Germany, right? Are you close to Germany?

Close by, we're closer to Poland. South Florida, Lithuania airline. That's all that's one of... Lufthansa, maybe. German airline, my friend. Oh, that's... I was like, yeah, we're flying in Stuttgart or Berlin. So I was like, we're not flying in Okay, so I got that wrong. Sorry, you caught me there. All right. Such a tiny country. We're 2.8 million people if so, but we know for our basketball.

We really do. So our basketball, our bear and lasers, we are good in that. Awesome. And when did you come to America? Almost 20 years ago. Okay, so you've done this for a while, right? Like living in the United States. Yeah, living in the US. Yes, and I'm still figuring it out. Interesting. And when you came here, you went straight. Were you in Denver?

Yes. Okay, and when you, when did you move to Miami? Because I got an offer that I couldn't deny, couldn't refuse. It was an offer to work with business immigration using Russian and Spanish languages. And that's why, that's when I packed my bags and moved from Washington, D.C. to Miami. And I'm enjoying the beaches, although I'm going to be honest, it's been a while since I've been on a beach. probably six months or so. I think when you get here and you get in the rhythm, especially immigration rhythm, at least I know that I'm closed by the beach, but that's my reality now.

And I know when you just entered right now, thank you for mentioning that. When you just entered right now, you often, you just recently stressed of how intense your day was. I want to just talk a bit about the climate that's surrounding the current circumstance. of immigration. Like how intense has the last few days been for you and immigration as a whole? Have you noticed the tension in immigration field in general being in United States? Precisely. It's become a little more intense with the deportations that have been happening. People, I think there's been cases I've heard of people that are actually like, have American American born here, but parents were not born outside the country.

There's just been very hostile environments that you see on the news. Others being reported, others not been. But I've been seeing people getting deported in large numbers. I know it started off with gang leaders, MS-13 of what it was, you know, said, but now I think it's not like a day-to-day immigrant that's been deported. So that's why I want to just like, how crazy have things been? Yeah, that's the best word to put it down. It really has been crazy. It has been hostile. It's chaotic. It seems like every day we are not only functioning as legal assistance, but also as psychologists, as friends. Even today, I got two phone calls from our clients, their family saying that our clients have been detained during regular visits with ICE officers. And yes, some of them have lost their cases, but they were released on supervision and have been living in United States.

States for five, ten years having to go to ICE office to check in once a year. Right now it's off the table. And you mentioned correctly, most of those people, let's say they came 2019 or earlier, they were detained in detention, they lost their asylum case, but then there was COVID or they were sick or the country did not agree to accept them after they lost their asylum. So what ICE did, they released them under the order of supervision. So then we move forward. and we have five, six years later, those people have houses. Those people have babies born in the United States. Those people have husbands and wives.

Parents who came from their countries and have pending applications. And some of those cases, those people are the sole financial provider supporters. And now, all of the sudden, after five years of nothing happening, they go to check in, they're being packed and detained right away on the spot. And, you know, right now when I'm talking to you, have chills running my body because it's very personal because I know what happens to them when they're being detained. When they're being detained, let's say here in Florida, we have two main detention facilities. They will spend there maybe 30 days while they're going to be processed.

Then they're going to be shipped to, let's say, Louisiana for another 30 days. Then they're going to be shipped to South Texas. Then probably back to Louisiana. So what's going to happen and the pattern that we have seen is that ICE officers have no intention to releasing anybody right now from detention facilities. And what they have been doing, they have been making it so difficult for the family members of those people to have contact with them, for us attorneys to communicate with them, and also for them to make any relationship with ICE officers, deportation officers, because they keep moving them. So what's going to happen to those people, right now, at this day it looks at they receiving a sentence to literally rot in detention facility.

And you know what? I have visited most of those detention facilities. I did represent clients when they were, you know, filing for asylums, prior COVID, during COVID, it was crazy. Those places, the immigration detention facilities usually are worse than federal prisons. Yes, because they don't have any rights there. There is no accountability. The ICE officer or the guard is the, God, for lack of better word, they make decisions and nobody can complain about anybody. It's like it's close to a scary movie and I'm very very worried about what is going to happen to those people. I could tell you so many stories seeing clients from the detention facilities that would come they were released after spending three months, six months there. They sit with me in the

office and they say well I cannot sleep in bed. I have to go to sleep in a bathroom or in a like there is trauma there and those people like look they came here illegally but they there is a moral I think dilemma or debate did they break a law yes they did break certain regulations and they did break a law when they entered country illegally asking for political asylum for better future for you know for certain reasons but then we give them a chance to build the life they went through the process they started living according to to the rules and now we are reaping them out of this fabric of our community and think about the

effect on let's say you don't care about immigrants okay let's leave it aside but what kind of effect is going to be on their children who are you as citizens or their spouses or the parents like they are our people we have responsibility for our people if you don't want to talk about immigrants and would you say even some of them are are law-abiding citizens paying taxes and like contributing to society in the economy they're boring buying houses How many situations would you say are common for the that are getting deported in situations like that? Oh, right now, majority of them. Really?

Like, really, because, like, you presented a case for asylum. You presented the case for certain immigration relief. And then you lost it, but then you were provided an opportunity to build your life here. And I'm going to be honest. Of course, let's say release on supervision. It's not something mandatory. It's not something forever. It's temporary.

Country, United States, always has this right if you commit a crime or if conditions in your country change or if, you know, they find it reasonable in any kind of way, they can always deport you back to your country. But, guys, what kind of countries are we deporting people back? We deporting people to Venezuela where Maduro is worse than ever. We're deporting to El Salvador, known country for human rights violations.

We're deporting to Camero, Nicaragua, Haiti. Like, what are we doing? Like, this is, there are no excuses for Afghanistan. Like, there are no excuses to really backing those people in sending to the deaths or to the countries that are completely contrary to our democracy. And this is, I think, this is the ultimate test to our democracy. And I'm sorry, I really don't want to give those monologues.

But I think I could talk about it nonstop. It's really, really making me question everything that I believed that United States stood for me in the very beginning. And I still believe that United States is the great power, is the greatest country in the world. And I say that I am proud to be part of the United States, and I will work hard to continue keeping this country well. But I don't think that this is time to be silent. You know, when you mention that, like I said, I've seen a lot of videos that have been shared throughout social media. You see, like, heartbreaking stories of parents being separated from their kids. I've never really seen how those camps have been, because I haven't seen footage.

I haven't seen footage of that as well. What are solutions, though? Like, what are ways that you come into play? can like the system or like lawyers, immigration lawyers, help and assist in those situations? First of all, we should not be silent. I think that we should not be also thinking them and us. I think that each case is individual. And I do agree with the basic narrative upon which Trump based such a conduct and the one that gets so much attention and support from the government, that yes, immigrants who commit crimes, criminals,

should be the focus of our community, our society, to be deported back to the country. But not the people who came here based on their, let's say, fear of persecution, well-founded fear of something bad really happening to them. In a lot of cases, we were part of it, one way or another, ignoring or doing something. something and then grabbing them so abruptly and sending back to the deaths. So I think that there is a solution.

I think that immigration, unfortunately the chaos in immigration, the panic is a very well-structured machine that makes money. There are a lot of players that make a lot of money from detention facilities that are being owned by private companies. And we know like two major ones, the whole city surrounded those detention facilities live. based on those detention facilities. We also know that this narrative, this fear inducing articulation by this administration actually takes away attention from real issues that United States has by exposing those numbers,

creating those situations, and exaggerating it significantly. And I think that the governing body does not have an appetite for really saluting it. like making a change even talking about you you told me that you know from south africa you're creating this big idea about um empowering each other about growing talent about this inspiration bettering the world we need people like you united states has advantage in immigrants immigrants who want to make a difference because the climate the environment for that is really fertile so by being so against the immigrants, we are becoming in other country where a lot of people want to come and remain and build something. But there is a solution, but we need to start talking about it first.

And then, now I'm glad you mentioned that. What would you say then is apart from a pathway to a green card, are there certain other criteria that people can try and go for, to try and like stop the process for them, like remaining in the United States? in what ICE and the administration would say is legal. Oh yeah, there are a lot of possibilities to be legal in United States. Of course, as you mentioned, the family adjustment, the marriage-based adjustment are usually most straightforward. So if you have a United States citizen spouse, you have a United States citizen child who is 21 years over,

you have a straightforward road that you could adjust your status. Now, Maybe you have an exceptional expertise. You have exceptional ability. You don't have to be the best out of the best, but you have to be someone who has a productive experience. There is such a thing as O visa. O visa is completely underused in my opinion. You can be exceptional at being personal trainer.

You can be exceptional at being hair mask, hairdresser. You don't have to be, I think that there is misunderstanding that if you want to apply for some kind of status United States based on your talent that you have to be the best out of the best no that's that's not true so that's one option another option is TN visa sorry to stop you mentioned personal training headresser because I was under the perception when you apply for these H-1B or whatever the visas are yet to be in tech or STEM or these other different stuff so I'm interested in like can you

elaborate a bit more on what you just said like you said the OV visa O-1 okay can you tell up what can you talk so I would I call O visa is like a baby visa for EB-1 green card. Both of them are based on exceptional ability and for that you could have any kind of profession that meets certain requirements. So let's say there are approximately 10 requirements at which the United States officer, the USCIS immigration officer, will look when deciding whether you are one of the top of professionals in your area. Let's say, so what would be those requirements. There are articles written about you in certain publications, it could be digital, it could be press, about what you do. You received certain awards or honorary mentions in relation

to your profession. You have been a member of certain organizations, organizations such as, it could be national, international level. We have a lot of organizations. You have been a judge in any of the events it could be again you can see how it could be applied for personal trainer you can see how it could be applied for hairstiles it could also apply for mathematician or but what other requirements uh high salary you received a high salary in the country that you work based on your expertise um you can use different also you have been you have had distinguished role or leading role in distinguished organization You know how I like it?

It's like a clay. You can build the story of the person. You explain the story. You look at it. I think a lot of us don't know the talent, the exceptional ability that we have in ourselves. And it's really, there are so many interested and talented people. And it's really how you're going to look at it.

You need to be brave enough to be, okay, maybe I have that. And again, if you have time, because in immigration, nothing. Immigration hates last-minute decisions, that's for sure. Deadlines is a big deal. But if you have six months a year,

you can get those things done. You can become a judge in certain competition or you can join an organization that is rather distinguished. It can be international, it could be national. Why not? You can be published. It depends.

So let's be creative. Let's think about. it so that would be one of the options H1B you know I don't like H1B the visa that you mentioned in my opinion it's a lottery it it really is it's a lottery process you submit your application and then you hope for the best it depends of your appetite if you want to put everything you have on this on this visa I think it's a good visa to have but it's definitely not one visa to have I like a visa because it's a good starting form

for EB-1. EB-1 is an exceptional ability, but it's a green card. It's a little bit more. It's basically the same requirements, but EB1 is those requirements on steroids. So pathway to green card is better for OV than it is for an H-1B? It depends. H-1B, you would want to have your employer to be a sponsor, to sponsor you, and then it depends where you kind of, where you work, as you mentioned, it's like elite, elitius, elitist visa.

it could be you could also later transition into national interest waiver eb2 and if there is some kind of national benefit in what you do you could have a pattern or you are coming up with this cool app that would be if that could affect the health of the people that use it or you focus on something with disability like it it doesn't matter like sky is the limit but you tell your story you decide on what you could be eligible for and you go for it There are other visas, like for example, e-visa, if you have money and you, one of the countries that United States has bilateral treaty agreements, you can invest money anywhere from $50,000, $70,000, $100,000, create your little LLC, your little business, and you will get unlimited extension renewals for e-visa. Your spouse can work, your children can study, and you are running this great business in the United States. You know, when you just mention all these things, it's fascinating to me because I feel like sometimes the focus primarily comes on just two visas, like the H-1B and like obviously through green card.

When you mention all these like O visas, all the variety of different visas, there's multiple different options. There isn't just like one specific one, which kind of segues to the next question which I want to go to. how many cases would you say that and people get rejected, can they get accepted again? Because, I mean, facts won't change what you have. Like, you're not going to get the skill set overnight, but like, what are the cases that you've seen people not get a visa get approved and then like something else happens and they get approved? Is that often or is often? Often. Okay.

It's very often. Really. Then what are the contributing circumstances to make them gain that? Strategy. Officer usually, let's say... So it's a chess game pretty much. It's just always immigration is a chess game, but chess game that constantly keeps changing its rules. But you've got to get the right player to play on your side.

Yes, for sure. So we need a gidra, for sure. Well, or someone who likes what they do and could be creative and not afraid to take certain steps. So when it comes to Visa to answer your question, you can file applications for certain status as many times as you But here you would need to think about your intent because certain applications have non-immigrant intent and the other ones have immigrant intent. Meaning that you, when you apply for e-visa investment visa or relocation L visa, you had, you worked for a company in your own country and now you want to work here in United States.

You're telling them that, hey, I'm going to be here for temporary period of time. When my business is closed, when I'm done what I wanted to do, I'm going back. but when you apply, let's say, for EB-1, remember the OVs on steroids, the one that leads to the green card, you're saying, no, no, I have an intent to stay here. So now your strategy should be, okay, I'm filing for EB-1 already when I'm exhausted my possibilities of filing for an immigrant and I'm ready for that. Meaning that, and then let's say your EB-1 is denied once. You had an officer who didn't like how you look, or your strategy was, you know, you didn't mention the first things or most important things in the beginning, you can always redo it. Why I'm talking about strategy?

Yes, like let's say EB1 usually could be anywhere from 500 pages to let's say 1000 something pages long, like everything explains. It's a big package. We're killing a tree there. But guess in your opinion, how long does the officer have to spend on that visa to make a decision, to make to spend on that application to make a decision whether to approve it denied or request for more evidence in your opinion just wild guess i don't know a month 30 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes 3 0 my friend so if you walk up on the wrong side of bed and the wife slapped him over and like you listen get out of the house i don't want you no more and he's very pissed off you can make a decision and say you're not going to get the visa welcome to united states of america

Baba cloth. Yeah. Human factory is always there, but that's why you have to have strategy. That's where you have to know what you're putting first. That's why you have to know how you're making a table of content. Of course, the officer is not going to read every single page, but that's where you make a strategy that none of the pages can be a bluff. You can't, like, because you don't know what page the officer will open and decide to verify it.

And if that's something lumpy, you can lose the whole credibility. And are they looking for ways to deny it? Or is it like a fair kind of thing? In your opinion, okay. So it has to be pinpoint perfect pretty much. It depends what kind of officer you are. Okay. I will tell you a little story.

Let's say EV visas. We apply EV visas. I could talk and talk about immigration, but let's say... I'm loving this thing. I've got my notes. I want to just talk, talk, talk and talk. Continue. So let's get some food.

for there but let's say recently the United States Consulate in London hired an officer who is responsible in considering e-visas investment visas and we started receiving a lot of denials on super super good well-prepared visas with no explanations because officer can do it so here now as attorneys we're trying to avoid London like I would not want to send my client to apply there for that visa and you know why? Because there is an officer who has the authority to use his or her discretion to make its finding. And that officer has already a pattern of denying very well-prepared statements, very well-prepared packages. We are making a lot of claims and concerns and we are working on it with national immigration organizations, but meanwhile, let's low, like lay low. Usually officers,

in my opinion, and I'm optimistic, I want to give a benefit of doubt. Usually officers will be driven by the rules and regulations. And I think that they do want brilliant, intelligent, driven people to be in United States. Why not? But you know what application officer gets? An officer has to think that this application is complete lie and then they have to look at the evidence to kind of convince himself that it's not. And we spoke about it. What kind of application for what kind of benefit, by what kind of people is considered to be, let's say, lie. Like the officer has to accept that application

and consider that everything that they said right now is not true. And now I'm going to look at the evidence, at the pictures, at the bills, at like supporting affidavits. And I will decide that no, that's true. Is it only like one officer though? Or is there like somebody that can be a backup, to try and verify the stuff you're saying? So usually it's one officer who handles your case.

And the same officer will send you a request forever. But are they very partial or are they more like ice where they really want to like don't want you? Yeah. Like it depends again, you said. Like it depends. I think in my experience I have a lot of a lot of good officers. I was able to communicate, you know, but then there are those stories of a few officers that you have to avoid. And if go back to the question that I asked you, I don't know if you understood. Application for marriage, application for adjustment of status based on marriage. based on marriage so it's not visa yeah it's a disdement of status the officer when he gets or she

gets the documents has to think that this marriage is a sham that it's not you know true marriage that's the standard where they have to start that's the thinking that they have to start when they get the documents and then they have to build it up to believe that that's a real marriage and then they can approve the application okay right very fascinating now i'm liking this i'm liking this a lot I think it's important for people to understand that there are more than one option there. But another thing is, personally for me, I don't want to really get political in this topic, but I strongly feel... I'm sorry, but how can you be not political in immigration,

where immigration is the talking point of politics, or even pre-election? Precisely. It is one of the four most important topics. But my point that I was trying to get it is the fact that this country was built off immigrants, right? This country has got the richest man in the world from my country who's an immigrant. This country has provided opportunities. You look in the tertiary sector, you look in the manual labor, there's a lot of like phosphora, like Central Americans coming in that field. You look at Google Tech. You look at Wall Street. You get East

Indians coming in the country adding value. You look at just, you know, international students, end up graduating and finding jobs in the Golden Sacks as well. This country has built a strong foundation on immigrants. My point is the reason I say that I don't want to become controversial, but it's a topic where like immigrants really add so much value in the United States. And it's almost like it's more sad to see the stuff that's been happening where people can't even like travel to come visit us because they think they're going to get deported, even though everything is fine.

I'm like, you did nothing wrong. you actually have your paperwork. Why can you come and travel? I don't know. There's a fear factor that's been happening right now. And so when I said, I want to get political, it's just, you know, it's just sad, you know, to say the least. And that's why I want to try and figure out on your situation. Like, what's one of the saddest stories that you've come across personally for you?

Saddest story. Related to this administration, we don't need even to talk far. back today today i spoke with the family of i spoke with two parents they have their child was detained yesterday how old was the child well the son he's 24 years old he was the the sole provider for the family we have mother father sister brother the the person the family is from cuba We have a Castro's regime in Cuba and he doesn't have even one family member in Cuba. There is no place to stay. They don't own property there.

And now he's in detention facility. He lost his asylum in 2018. He was released during COVID. And now he's facing deportation. And I'm talking to a mother who came back from ER because when he was detained, to take her to the hospital and I cannot see anything good to her and she's she's asking me how we can live and how he's going to live and he's deported back to Cuba he says to me she said to me he's going to be dog there like nobody that's it like he's going to be in the streets and um

his whole family is here and then don't get me started on the travel ban countries we're still waiting for that list I'm curious what countries are going to be included there and based on the information that we have, the picture is not going to be pretty. And here in Miami, we have a huge community of Cubans, and a lot of Cubans voted for the current administration. But I think now this community is starting to bleed significantly. And it's sad. It's very, very sad.

And I don't know what to do. So I'm going to keep talking to the family. I'm going to be monitoring the situation. I don't know how to tell to the mother, you know, what could happen that I really don't see a solution at this point. I don't know how to get him out. Wow. I want to know. Me too.

I want to know so many things. I want to know who has been thinking about it. I want to know why we're not asking the questions of the bill, bill of such massive deportations. Also, that disadvantage, competitive disadvantage of America losing its charm as really the immigrant country. I want to know how far back it's going to take us. No, and you know, when you speak about that, and I'm glad you kind of gave alternatives, and you gave so many different examples of what people can do to try and get there.

what's the first step somebody can ensure a pathway not to citizenship, that's the last resort, but to like just permanent residency. Besides like marriage by green card is the easiest way, I would assume. And like obviously like getting a sponsor through H1B with the pathway to a green card. Is there any other alternative?

Like can an asylum guarantee a green card? if you're long enough, if you're working, paying taxes, or what are the other ways? Asylum? Yeah. Yeah, so asylum is like a golden ticket. If we win asylum, you should be eligible to apply for residency one year after winning the asylum. If you don't have any criminal record that would disqualify you, you're good to go. But this administration, you know, right now stopped the processing, the applications pending to receive green cards for people who have won asylums.

I'm sure it's going to stop. like they're going to block such stop but and it's going to get back to that but yes asylum is a direct path to residency and then to citizenship it's time-consuming and it's very difficult to an asylum right now you know that our immigration course right now handle approximately four million cases and two days ago judges and received the authority to pretermit asylum cases that in their opinion are not complete or do not have a possibility to win. So that means that we are stripping immigrants due process right to present the case before the court if they did not mark a box in the form or you know the judge sole judge can just decide in his or her opinion it's not sufficient

and we know that our judges are primarily Trump appointees at this point. You know that BII, a board of immigration appeals recently fired I don't want to be mistaken but more than 10 judges so they fired judges that most of them were appointed but by Biden when Trump won during Trump 101 the first term he hired I think more than 10 new judges so saying that how we need more judges to handling the immigration cases that being appealed in the board of immigration appeals and now he comes back And he fires like 13, I think, of them and keeps their appointees. So like, what does it say to you?

But at the same time, Trump won the massive vote with the Hispanic people. Matter of fact, Cubans went out for Trump in large numbers and throughout the United States. So many people voted knowing what they were voting for. And so I feel like even when the swing states, swing states like Arizona and Nevada, it's like a large population of Hispanic people obviously more than other swing states like the Carolinas and Michigan and all and like you know Wisconsin and stuff

so would you say then people like were not expecting that I'm playing devil's advocate over here you know what I'm saying because people can't Cuban, Florida and Cubans voted for Trump in large numbers. No way. Yeah? No, I'm joking, I know. That's a big popular.

that I'm working with. I love Cubans. I love Cuban food. I love Cuban music. I love Cuban culture. I think it's very similar to Europe. There is a similarity to European very old school very traditional very family. Family oriented. Family oriented. Like I've seen people that are Cuban that can be like a 40 year old guy living still with these parents and has kids. It's like they just stick with family because they believe that they're stronger together. It's like a very connected kind of like you know culture you know they love you. They love you. other genuinely to protect each other so it's a beautiful kind of culture and they are strong here Cuban voice in in our local government is pretty pretty well heard they are very powerful

in Miami they are heard they in radio stations in television and government and you know your question is worth I think of a million dollar or more to understand why they voted the way they voted you would say not knowing like your ignorance is a bliss but I don't think that they anticipated that the Trump administration will deliver exactly what they said. I don't think that they expected that Cuba might be included in the travel ban countries. And Cuba basically is alive because of immigrants here, of Cubans and United States who send money to Cuba, who send food and products and travel. I don't know, like to be continued, but there is a lot of to see. and I think there is a lot of soul source sort of searching for those people you know I think you know

it's almost like a horse that you put those like things and you just see there it's almost a selective hearing or selective like vision of like I'm going to believe this I'm going to hear this I don't know why they voted the way they voted and then now going to that what's would you say then all the the the the applications or JVs a H-1B, a green card, is everything now a little bit harder

to gain, or is it just like certain stuff like asylum and all that? No, you know, it always was hard. Asylum was always hard. Trump cannot change the law.

The law is law, the burden of proof, the way it is and it was, Trump can appoint certain judges who are more conservative, who will need more convincing and who could be not fair. It is a little bit harder,

but I don't want, I don't want you or people who are listening to you to think that when Trump came, everything just became so much harder. It never was easy to win asylum in United States. You have to demonstrate, you have to prove a persecution. You have to prove that more likely than not you would be persecuted. You have to demonstrate certain evidence and tell your story. You have to be credible. You're also presenting your case against the government attorney who will try to find all the holes possible. Right now, I think what it's harder, right now is harder that people are scared.

Right now it's harder because there is, I think, a witch hunt against the immigration attorneys. I think it's harder because people don't want to deal what they are afraid of. And I'm afraid that those people might just not pursue certain visas or certain different roles that they could in order to adjust. You're talking about your audience, your students. I think my advice, if I could give an advice in this particular climate and in this particular situation would be engaging. Keep moving forward.

The situation shall pass too. Right now it's a little bit harder, a little bit more harder, but I think it should pass. And this is the law and I'm a firm believer in justice. And despite everything that... is happening despite the rhetoric of our administration against the Supreme Court's authority that is completely destroying my you know sense of I don't know as an attorney in the United States but I'm still I'm still positive I'm still optimistic and I'm still hopeful that it's it's all going to be better right now waiting for the first hundred days to pass and hopefully we will

be able to inhale but if not we will continue to find And we'll continue to apply for all different visas and different application and adjustment of statuses. United States will need all kinds of people. And hopefully we can be heard and be part of bringing those incredible amazing people or protecting those people who really need it. That's insightful. Thank you for sharing them. Now I told you about my audience and obviously I have a lot of people that are in college about a graduate. about a graduate, others, especially, you know, Utah, Idaho,

they get married young, they get married young there. Now, speaking about that, some of the situations for an international student in a situation whereby you, obviously, you're not married yet to a United States citizen, you just recently graduated, but now you have that OPP for one year. What would you say is a quicker pathway

legally to try and help somebody gain long-term status to pursue their American dream. Let's go back to O visa, exceptional ability. That could be a good way. Let's think about national interest waiver, depending on what you study. This administration is very keen on AI, on IT, on different science projects. Let's think about e-visa. If you are from one of the countries that have those bilateral investment bilateral agreement why not to open your small business invest the money and create your future here and then maybe later transition to to green card eb1 the green card exceptional ability is also worth of visiting there are options there are options but each case is very fact specific we would need to know your origin we would

need to know your experience we would need to know your goals it's very important. You want to pursue something and get the visa that is applicable to what you specifically want to do. So there is also I visa. That's an interesting visa for different bloggers, for podcasters. It's something that also is a little bit new. It's not only media, not only print media. You can be your own petitioner, your company, what publication or podcast or what you're doing. Look around. Think about it. Talk. If you are from Mexico or Canada, think about TNVisa. That's an easy one. Wow. Wow. Now, this is for a friend of mine, a personal question for them. Let's say they're from Australia and the only skill they have is

chasing kangaroos. Like, oh my gosh. What's the Vista? For a guy, Australia. I'm curious. Is there asylum on here? So is there asylum? They're just chasing kangaroos? They're just chasing Kangaroo. What's the old visa for that? You know, like running? I'm joking. It depends. How fast is that kangaroo, you know?

Have you watched Kangaroo, Jack? Uh-huh. Those bosses are quick. Totally. Oh, guaranteed. Now back to serious things. I had to just put that. They're like embarrassing my brother right there.

Anyway, so if somebody gets a notice now to try and appear in court for like, you know, out of immigration. status what's the first thing that they should do find an attorney don't wait because deadlines in immigration can be deadly deadlines can be deadly but but no really don't be afraid we usually when we afraid of dealing with something subconsciously we deal to kind of distance ourselves don't wait till the last day if you have 30 days to appeal if you have 30 days to try to reconsider talk to attorney ASAP. Even now we are working on a few motions to reopen because people did not get the notice for the hearing in court and they did not appear and boom on the spot they received order of removal and here we're talking about families who have been here two, three years waiting for

the time to be in court but the system is so chaotic, is so confusing that things happen. But we can talk to the officers, we can talk to the judges. Please don't put your life on YouTube tutorial. Don't do that. And don't listen to your neighbor or your friend who knows how to do it or who has someone who actually did it that way. Immigration law is one of the most complicated laws. Prior it was tax law. Right now we have immigration. I would put them equally, if not higher. We have changes daily, really, not even memorandums, but precedent and legal precedent. So if it was unattainable or doable year ago, five years ago, doesn't mean that your cases cannot be resolved. Okay, okay. Two last questions. I want to respect your time and I'm grateful for that. I know I said I'll keep you until midnight, but you gave all the questions, like the answers to like five questions for you, you know, so I'm grateful for that. Let's start over there. But if there's some, you know, immigrant out there that's feeling stuck, discouraged, disappointed, very, very distressed, depressed, and if there are no what to do, what words of encouragement would you perhaps give that person that's perhaps listening to this interview right now?

Probably not to panic. You are immigrant. If you are an immigrant, that already says to me a lot. You're probably one of the most interesting person in the room. I love immigrants. And not because I am an immigrant, but that means that you already took the risk. You already packed your bag. You came to the United States to pursue something bigger than you or something bigger than your environment that you were born in. So keep going forward. Don't let this moment, this administration or this professor, this news to stop you. Don't do that. Don't do a disservice to yourself. And I think especially now than never, we really need to show the brilliance, the bitterness, the excitement of the immigrant and what does it mean to be immigrant and that it's really needed, that it's in United States DNA.

Like so don't panic, breathe, meditation is also a key. I think that's one thing that really helps me to be able to handle the immigration on a daily basis. It's meditation. invitation, watch any, you know, tutorial, like go there, forget it, disconnect from it, be in silence, don't listen. Another thing, please don't go to those chats, to those forums where people know what to do and each story is scarier than another one. Don't do that. Come down, you know, keep it calm, keep it cool, go forward.

If you need a help, get a help, get a professional. I am an immigration attorney. a family matter or any matter that I'm not focusing right now I would get an immigration attorney I will eat salad for the next month but I would not bet on my life on some gossip or you know because everyone right now knows everything but that's also the danger of the moment we are in because everyone knows everything and everyone is like pushing their opinion on you don't listen keep keep calm go forward that's that's amazing I'm really grateful you kind of stressed on that very, very powerful. Thank you for sharing that. I know I said I had one more question for them,

but I have to ask this one before then. The problem as well, I feel like sometimes with immigrants is the fact that you are year pursuing the American dream, but then they want to try and improve the situation, but maybe they are lacking in funding and they can't get like the right immigration attorney. Are they those lawyers that work with pro boners and can assist or help in situations like that? What's your situation? Because I mean, money does talk at the end of the day. but sometimes in most cases maybe the immigrants are not in that position of even putting food on the bloody table oh I know I was an immigrant myself I really know what you mean in those cases probably reaching out to professionals I I'm

becoming a big fan of LinkedIn I think you can find professionals that you can really contact with substantial question but don't Don't try to get answers to questions. Don't try to bother or take other people's time asking questions that are very self-explanatory. There are certain information that you can find or read or know from USCIS website. Because USCIS, it's a United States Immigration Service website that talks about every single visa, every single application, every single form. So you can review and we are all people who know how to read, who know how to think hopefully. So check it first.

If something is not clear, bother us, bother all the professionals. We will answer. We want to help. We really, all of us needed help at a certain point. And I do need help on a daily basis. I love bothering other professionals. So yeah, don't be timid. Do that.

Love that. I always ask us this question to all the gifts. guests are towards the end of the episode because it's the code to winning. And I feel like winning as a definition for every single guest, legal profession, leader, business, entrepreneur. In your definition, what does the term winning mean, ironically as a lawyer? Oh, winning. You know, to be at peace with yourself, to really be content where you are and see a reason why you are where you are and usually it incorporates other people moving forward helping learning you know being kind enjoying life and being yourself so i do have a lot of hearings i do

appear in a lot of trials and i the best feeling is always i don't know first 15 seconds you know that moment when you know that the judge or the officer is going to rule in your favor and you kind of grab your client if you can if the key but that's that's an incredible moment but then it passes and then you have all those other multiple issues and problems and headaches but the real winning is not stopping is going forward and I think that's my probably my my advice or my you know my they say I'm like thinking right now in Spanish but just keep moving keep moving we cannot be step We have to keep moving. It doesn't matter where, how, when, but just keep moving.

And then maybe that winning will manifest itself in that kind of constant movement. I could not have said it any better. Before you let up our guests know by looking to that camera, how they could reach to you. The only thing I wanted to ask, one last thing is, do you work outside Florida? So you do all 50 states? All 50 states on Australia or just all only if in Australia cases they did for sure okay if you can let our viewers know

where they can get a hold of you if they want to try you know get in contact with you regarding a legal matter could you let our viewers know as well and your social and so forth absolutely so my name is Gidra I'm an immigration attorney and probably the best way to get in touch with me would be my

email which is G.S. at G.S.lauamaymi.com and I'm also on social media. Diaz Giaz law Miami the co-winning insights you need today to seize the world tomorrow great honor Gidre thank you so much the honor was mine awesome stuff