The immigration process is a life-changing experience for many people. Whether you’re a foreign national looking to gain a green card or an American citizen seeking citizenship, there are many obstacles to overcome.
The right immigration attorney can help you navigate the complex process, ensuring you’re aware of your rights and legal options. The Houston immigration attorneys below will ensure you have the support you need during this important journey.
Denise Vega
Denise Vega is a Houston immigration attorney who works on family-based and employment-based visas. She helps clients get visas to come to the United States and work in their fields.
She has been practicing for more than 10 years and has a strong track record of success in her practice. She has helped many clients with their visas, waivers, N-400 citizenship, DACAs and other related issues.
She has represented a variety of clients, including small businesses and multinational corporations in industries like healthcare, resale, petroleum, construction, research, religion, technology and education. She also has experience in corporate compliance and litigation matters.
Lance Curtright
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit to kill the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allowed undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children to work and live in the country legally. Immigration attorneys are lashing out at Paxton and the Trump administration after his filing.
Lance Curtright is an immigration lawyer who has been practicing law since 2001. He is board-certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in immigration and nationality law.
He is a member of the Houston Bar Association and American Immigration Lawyers Association, among other professional organizations.
His focus is on business immigration matters. He has helped companies in the energy, manufacturing, and service industries. He helps them assemble international teams and manage strategic immigration planning and related transactional matters. He advises on employment and family-based immigration, global workforce mobility, I-9 compliance, PERM process, naturalization and derivative citizenship.
Wilka Toppins
Founded in 2003 by an attorney who had experienced the immigration system firsthand, Toppins Law Firm provides comprehensive immigration services to clients around the world. The firm’s team of bicultural and bilingual legal professionals assist clients with everything from family-based immigration to employment-based visas and investor visas.
The firm is led by Wilka Toppins, a cum laude graduate of Tulane University Law School and former litigator for Exxon Company and Macy’s. She is an award-winning lawyer, winning Rolling Out Magazine’s 2010 “Top 25 Women of Houston” and the League of Latin American Citizens’ 2009 “Corporate Excellence” awards. She was also named to Texas Executive Women’s 2011 “Women on the Move” list.
Carolina Ortuzar-Diaz
Carolina Ortuzar-Diaz is an immigration attorney with Monty & Ramirez LLP. She represents clients in immigration court removal proceedings and appeals.
She has a lot of experience in family-based immigration matters, including representation in removal defense in immigration court (asylum, CAT, withholding of removal, cancellation of removal, voluntary departure), consular processing, visas for victims of domestic violence and abuse, petitions for citizenship, naturalization, waivers of inadmissibility, violence against women petitions, asylum and the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.
Before selecting an immigration attorney, it is important to consider several factors such as his or her membership in the American Immigration Lawyers Association, years of practice, community reputation and fees. It is also a good idea to read the law firm’s website and client testimonials.
Ruth Lozano McChesney
A first-generation Mexican American, Ruth Lozano McChesney immigrated to the United States as a child when her father took a position as a medical doctor with a Texas hospital. She was raised in a Spanish-speaking home and has resided in San Antonio since 1994.
She practices immigration and nationality law, primarily focusing in business immigration matters. She represents, advises and provides legal strategy to companies ranging from Fortune 100/Global 500 to small local businesses in various industries such as healthcare, restaurant, petroleum, construction, research, religion, technology and education.
She is a member of the Houston Bar Association, the Mexican Chamber of Commerce, the Texas-Mexico Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She has served on the Immigration Legislation Sub-Committee of the Texas Chapter of AILA, and is a former Liaison to the Texas Workforce Commission for the Texas Chapter of AILA.
