The Most Important Thing in Proving Good Moral Character
If you have no legal immigration status and are facing deportation proceedings, you may think that there is nothing more you can do. That may not be true: often you can file a cancellation of removal.
A cancellation of removal is your request to an immigration court to stop your deportation. There are several requirements you must meet in order for the cancellation to be approved.
Cancellation of removal cases are not often granted. For this reason you must collect and present extensive documentation to have a chance at getting your removal cancelled.
The most important thing is that you provide the court with documentation of every requirement you must prove. The documentation should be well-organized and clear.
In order for your cancellation of removal to be granted, you must prove the four requirements:
- You have been present in the United States for ten years
- You are a person of good moral character
- You have not been convicted of certain criminal offenses
- Your removal from the U.S. would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to your parent, spouse or child who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
Many clients have questions on how to prove and document good moral character. One thing a court will look at is whether you have a criminal record. Also, if there is something questionable in your past and it happened years ago, you can prove that you have been rehabilitated or otherwise reformed with documentation.
As for specific documents, examples are:
- Education and employment records. If you have always held down a job or attended classes regularly, this can help prove that you are of good moral character. You can prepare a resume as well as gather pay stubs and transcripts to show this.
- Documentation of involvement in your community. Church or volunteer work qualify as community involvement.
- Letters of support. These letters are meant to give the court a glimpse into who you are. Teachers, employers, family members, neighbors and church leaders can all write these letters. Letters should be as specific as possible with examples of when you acted with good moral character.
CALL 201-703-9400 TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you are facing deportation and do not have immigration status, or are an attorney representing a client facing deportation, it may be possible to have a removal cancelled. This application process requires extensive documentation, and having an immigration attorney representing you will ensure that you have made the best case for yourself. Contact Ronald P. Mondello, Esq. Attorney at Law for help today. We have helped clients in New York and New Jersey.
