Santa Ana Family Immigration Lawyer

Immigration can come with excitement for a new start, but also anxiety about what your future may be. Everyone deserves to be able to have a smooth transition while immigrating to the United States. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Having a reliable Santa Ana family immigration lawyer who you can trust to fight for you is vital.

Why Choose Us?

At U.S. Law Center, founding attorney Sanjay Sobti understands the struggles that can accompany immigration cases. Our team members have dedicated their professional lives to helping clients with a wide variety of immigration cases.

Attorney Sobti has a membership in the American Immigration Lawyers Association and is fluent in several languages. We’re ready to take on your unique case.

California Green Card Laws

To get permanent resident status, commonly called a green card, in the United States, you must qualify under a specific eligibility category. You may qualify through an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen. This can include a:

• Spouse
• Unmarried child under 21 years old
• Unmarried adult children
• Married children
• Siblings of a U.S. citizen age 21 or older.
• Lawful permanent resident
• Fiancé of a U.S. citizen
• Widow or widower of a U.S. citizen

Other family members may apply under the family preference system. This includes:

• Unmarried people who are over 21 years old and children of U.S. citizens
• Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old of lawful permanent residents
• Unmarried people who are over 21 years old and children of lawful permanent residents
• Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. The U.S. citizen must be at least 21 years old.

Adjustment of Status

Adjustment of Status is the process for applying for a green card without leaving the United States. If you are already in the country, you can apply through this process instead of returning to your home country for processing.

Most people need two forms: an immigrant petition and the green card application, Form I-485. After filing, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will schedule an appointment at an Application Support Center.

At this appointment, you’ll provide fingerprints, a photo, and a signature. This is used to confirm your identity and run background checks. Some applicants must also attend an interview with USCIS.

USCIS then sends you a decision notice. If approved, you’ll get an approval notice followed by your green card. If denied, the notice will explain why and whether you can file a motion to reconsider.

It’s important to hire a family immigration lawyer to help guide you through this process in order to get the most favorable outcome. These cases are typically overseen at the Santa Ana Immigration Court, located at 1241 East Dyer Road.

Family Separation

In 2018, the “zero tolerance” directive was issued in the United States. The policy used the minor federal charge of “improper entry” to separate children from their parents. Before 2018, parents arriving with children were usually not prosecuted for this offense to avoid family separation.

Under the new directive, parents were held in U.S. Marshals custody while their children were transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Investigations found that over 4,600 children were separated from their families between 2017 and 2021.

In 2023, the government agreed to limit when children could be separated from their parents at the border until 2031. Despite this, separations still happen when parents have past criminal records or when children travel with other relatives. As of 2024, around 1,360 children remain separated from their parents.

Now, in 2025, ICE raids are more prevalent than ever. In the first 50 days of the Trump Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made 32,809 enforcement arrests. This is more than the total number of similar arrests in the previous year.

Hire a Family Immigration Lawyer

Those who have or want to immigrate to the United States often face harsh legal and social challenges. Despite our country being built by immigrants and the fact that 51.9 million immigrants live in the United States as of 2025, people can’t seem to get past their own biases and prejudices.

At U.S. Law Center, we want to help. Our team in Santa Ana is ready to take on your legal case and resolve it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

FAQs About Santa Ana, CA Family Immigration Laws

What Is the Process of Deportation?

Deportation is the process that happens when the U.S. removes someone who is not a citizen because they broke immigration laws. When a noncitizen is facing deportation, they usually appear before a judge. If the judge rules that deportation should proceed, ICE carries out the order. Some deportation rulings can be appealed. After deportation, a noncitizen may be able to apply for readmission.

What Is Asylum?

Asylum happens when people come to the United States asking for protection because they have faced persecution. You need to apply within one year of arriving in the U.S. Once your asylum is granted, you can work immediately. You may also apply for a green card one year after being granted asylum.

What Is DACA?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program that allows certain people who arrived in the United States as children to request protection from deportation for two years at a time. DACA does not give lawful immigration status, but it delays removal from the U.S. Eligibility for DACA requires that you were under 31 years old on June 15, 2012, arrived in the U.S. before turning 16, and have resided in the U.S. continuously since June 15, 2007.

What Is the One Big Beautiful Bill, and How Does It Affect Immigration Laws?

Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law in July of 2025. The law gives the Department of Homeland Security forty-five billion dollars to detain immigrant families through 2029. This more than quadruples the previous budget and allows indefinite detention of families, violating existing court protections. The law also creates higher fees for immigration applications and humanitarian protections.

Choose a Trusted Family Immigration Law Firm

When you work with U.S. Law Center, you aren’t just another case number. You’ll be shown empathy and transparency from your first appointment. We work with individuals and families in Santa Ana and the surrounding areas. Contact our office today to learn how we can help you.