Humanitarian Immigration Lawyer in Greensboro, NC
Call (336) 379-0539. Immigration attorney Sean Jeffcoat will listen to what happened, tell you which protection may fit, and explain what it takes to prove it.
Tell us what happened
Sending this form does not make us your lawyer yet.
U.S. immigration law protects some people because of what happened to them: crime victims, trafficking survivors, abused spouses and people who fear persecution. Each path has strict legal elements, and the government decides most of them on paper, so the evidence has to be right the first time.
- Which Humanitarian Path Fits
- U Visa for Crime Victims
- Crime Victims in Guilford County: The U Visa Certification
- T Visa for Trafficking Survivors
- VAWA Self-Petition for Abused Spouses
- Asylum and Withholding of Removal
- Temporary Protected Status
- Humanitarian Parole
- If You Are Already in Removal Proceedings
- Why Calling Now Matters
- What a Humanitarian Immigration Lawyer Costs
- How to Choose a Humanitarian Immigration Lawyer
- Your attorney
- What clients say
- Where we practice
- Questions people ask
Which Humanitarian Path Fits
| If This Describes You | The Path to Ask About | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| You were the victim of a serious crime in the U.S. and helped police or prosecutors | U visa | INA 101(a)(15)(U) |
| You were trafficked for labor or sex | T visa | INA 101(a)(15)(T) |
| Your U.S. citizen spouse abused you or treated you with extreme cruelty | VAWA self-petition | INA 204(a)(1)(A)(iii) |
| You fear persecution in your home country | Asylum or withholding of removal | INA 208; INA 241(b)(3) |
| Your country has been designated because of conflict or disaster | Temporary Protected Status | INA 244 |
| You are outside the U.S. and face an urgent humanitarian need | Humanitarian parole | INA 212(d)(5)(A) |
Many people fit more than one category. A lawyer looks at all of them before choosing which to file.
U Visa for Crime Victims
Under INA 101(a)(15)(U)(i), DHS must find that you:
- Suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of qualifying criminal activity
- Have information about that criminal activity
- Have been, are being, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement, a prosecutor, a judge or another authority investigating or prosecuting it
- Were the victim of a crime that occurred in the U.S. or violated U.S. law
Qualifying criminal activity listed in INA 101(a)(15)(U)(iii) includes domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, felonious assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, extortion, blackmail, witness tampering, trafficking, and attempts, conspiracies or solicitations to commit them, among others.
Read more on our U visa requirements page.
Crime Victims in Guilford County: The U Visa Certification
A U visa petition needs Form I-918, Supplement B, U Nonimmigrant Status Certification. Under 8 C.F.R. 214.14, it must be signed by a certifying official within the six months immediately before the petition is filed.
A certifying agency includes a federal, state or local law enforcement agency, prosecutor or judge with responsibility for investigating or prosecuting the crime. The certifying official is the agency head, a supervisor the head has designated, or a judge.
No agency is required to sign. A lawyer who knows how to make the request, and what to include with it, gives you a better chance of getting the certification in time.
If the crime happened in Greensboro or High Point, our office is in the same county as the case. If you were also charged with something during the same incident, our criminal defense team can handle that side.
T Visa for Trafficking Survivors
INA 101(a)(15)(T)(i) covers a person who is or has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, is physically present in the United States on account of that trafficking, and has complied with reasonable requests for assistance in the investigation or prosecution, subject to exceptions in the statute.
See our T visa attorneys page.
VAWA Self-Petition for Abused Spouses
INA 204(a)(1)(A)(iii) lets a spouse file for themselves, without the abuser’s help, if they show the marriage was entered in good faith and that they or their child were battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by the U.S. citizen spouse.
An approved VAWA self-petitioner may adjust status under INA 245(a) even without an inspected entry. Full details are on our VAWA self-petition page.
Asylum and Withholding of Removal
Asylum. INA 208(a)(1) allows anyone physically present in the U.S. to apply regardless of status. INA 208(a)(2)(B) requires filing within 1 year after arrival, proven by clear and convincing evidence, unless an exception applies.
Withholding of removal. INA 241(b)(3)(A) bars removal to a country where your life or freedom would be threatened because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.
See our defensive asylum checklist.
Temporary Protected Status
Under INA 244(a)(1), a national of a country designated for TPS who meets the statute’s requirements may be granted TPS, and may not be removed during the designation period.
Designations and deadlines change. Call us and we will check whether your country is currently designated and whether you can still register.
Humanitarian Parole
INA 212(d)(5)(A) allows DHS, in its discretion and only on a case-by-case basis, to parole a person into the U.S. temporarily for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
Parole is not an admission. It is temporary, and the request has to show why this person, now, meets that standard.
If You Are Already in Removal Proceedings
Humanitarian relief can be raised in immigration court as a defense. Missing a hearing can result in a removal order, so call before your next date.
See our removal defense lawyer page and adjustment of status in removal proceedings.
Why Calling Now Matters
The U visa certification has a six-month window. The asylum application has a one-year deadline. TPS registration periods close.
None of these deadlines wait for paperwork to come together, and evidence such as police reports and medical records is easier to get early.
What a Humanitarian Immigration Lawyer Costs
The fee depends on the type of petition, whether you are in removal proceedings and how much evidence must be gathered.
We explain the fee after a review of your situation and before you commit. Government filing fees, where they apply, are separate.
How to Choose a Humanitarian Immigration Lawyer
North Carolina’s rules do not allow a firm to call itself the top or the best. Ask any lawyer:
- Which humanitarian categories do I fit, and why?
- How will you request the U visa certification, and from whom?
- What evidence will I need, and how will you protect my safety while gathering it?
- If I am in removal proceedings, will you appear with me in court?
- Who will be my point of contact?
Your attorney
Sean Jeffcoat
Family Petitions · Employment Visas · Removal Defense · Humanitarian Relief
Sean handles the firm’s immigration work: family-based petitions, employment visas, removal defense and humanitarian relief including asylum and waivers. He earned his Juris Doctor at Elon University School of Law in 2021.
- Family-based petitions and adjustment of status
- Employment-based visas
- Removal and deportation defense
- Humanitarian relief, asylum and waivers
Chad D. GarrettFounder
Jason AycothPartner
Sean OlsonPartner
Brandon GoldsboroughCriminal Defense
Stephanie GoldsboroughCriminal Defense
Rebecca ElliottCriminal Defense
Patrick BidwellCriminal Defense
Samantha HeplerCriminal DefenseWhat clients say
4.9 out of 5 from 587 Google reviews. A few recent ones:
Where we practice
Our office is at 317 South Greene St in Greensboro, the Guilford County seat.
Guilford County: Greensboro · High Point · Jamestown · Gibsonville · Summerfield · Oak Ridge · Pleasant Garden · Stokesdale · Whitsett · McLeansville · Sedalia
Also serving: Randolph, Forsyth, Alamance, Rockingham and Davidson Counties
Questions people ask
What is humanitarian immigration relief?
It is a group of protections for people in danger or who have been harmed, including the U visa, T visa, VAWA self-petition, asylum, withholding of removal, TPS and humanitarian parole.
Who qualifies for a U visa?
Under INA 101(a)(15)(U)(i), a victim of qualifying criminal activity who suffered substantial physical or mental abuse, has information about the crime, and has been, is being or is likely to be helpful to the authorities.
Who signs the U visa certification?
Under 8 C.F.R. 214.14, a certifying official: the head of a certifying agency, a supervisor designated by the head, or a federal, state or local judge.
How recent does the certification have to be?
8 C.F.R. 214.14 requires Supplement B to be signed within the six months immediately before the U visa petition is filed.
Is domestic violence a qualifying crime for a U visa?
Yes. Domestic violence is listed in INA 101(a)(15)(U)(iii), along with sexual assault, stalking, felonious assault and other crimes.
Can I file VAWA without my spouse knowing?
A VAWA self-petition under INA 204(a)(1)(A)(iii) is filed by you, not your spouse, and does not require the abuser’s participation.
What is the deadline to apply for asylum?
INA 208(a)(2)(B) requires filing within 1 year after arrival, proven by clear and convincing evidence, unless an exception applies.
Does Temporary Protected Status lead to a green card?
TPS itself is temporary protection under INA 244. Whether any other path to permanent residence is open depends on your history and is something a lawyer should review.
Is humanitarian parole the same as a visa?
No. INA 212(d)(5)(A) says parole is not an admission. It is temporary and granted case by case.
Can I apply for humanitarian relief if I am in deportation proceedings?
Often yes, as a defense in immigration court. Do not miss your hearing; call a lawyer before your next date.
Talk to a lawyer today
Talk to Sean Jeffcoat about your situation. Call (336) 379-0539.
Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law
317 South Greene St, Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 379-0539 · answered live, 24 hours
Free consultation · Se habla español
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws cited: INA 101(a)(15)(T), (U) (8 U.S.C. 1101); INA 204 (8 U.S.C. 1154); INA 208 (8 U.S.C. 1158); INA 212(d)(5) (8 U.S.C. 1182); INA 241(b)(3) (8 U.S.C. 1231); INA 244 (8 U.S.C. 1254a); INA 245 (8 U.S.C. 1255); 8 C.F.R. 214.14.
