Need an immigration lawyer in Fort Worth? These 10 firms know the Dallas Immigration Court and the USCIS Dallas Field Office.
North Texas immigration cases are heard at the Dallas Immigration Court (1100 Commerce Street) and adjudicated by the USCIS Dallas Field Office. Removal (deportation) cases against people detained at the Prairieland or Polk facilities are typically handled out of Dallas. A board-certified Texas immigration specialist knows the local immigration judges, the field office adjudicators, and the typical processing windows for each application type.
Fort Worth's immigration bar is small but deep — a few dozen attorneys who handle the bulk of family-based, employment-based, and deportation defense cases for Tarrant County. Most are bilingual Spanish-English. Several are Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization — a credential held by fewer than 100 Texas attorneys statewide.
Below are 10 of the most respected Fort Worth immigration firms — from solo board-certified specialists to multi-attorney practices with statewide deportation defense bench.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia), client review patterns, and state bar specialty certifications. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Family immigration, naturalization, deportation defense, employment-based green cards
Nicolas Chavez is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Track record of successful immigration litigation in various forums. Bilingual practice serving Tarrant and Dallas counties.
Practice focus: Family immigration, DACA, deportation defense, asylum
Edwardo Rene Meza is bilingual Spanish-English and the son of an immigrant from Mexico. Strong reviews from the Fort Worth Hispanic community. Direct attorney communication on every case.
Practice focus: Family-based immigration, deportation defense, naturalization, adjustment of status
Shelley Hennessee is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Practicing family immigration and deportation defense since 2006. Sole-practitioner attention.
Practice focus: Family immigration, green cards, naturalization, deportation defense
Multi-office Texas firm with a dedicated Fort Worth immigration team. Has helped thousands of Tarrant County families achieve legal status, defend against deportation, and complete naturalization. Bilingual intake.
Practice focus: Family immigration, deportation defense, employment visas
Andrew Thomas, founder, named one of the Immigration Law 10 Best Attorneys in Texas by the American Institute of Legal Counsel. Boutique practice with direct attorney access.
Practice focus: Immigration and nationality law, naturalization, green cards, deportation defense
24+ years of immigration and nationality law experience. Treasurer of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Texas Chapter. Strong AILA conference and CLE presence — current on USCIS policy changes.
Practice focus: Employment-based immigration, H-1B, L-1, EB-1/2/3, EB-5 investor visas, family immigration
One of Texas's largest dedicated immigration firms. Serves Fort Worth employers including healthcare, technology, and energy companies sponsoring foreign professionals. Multiple Board-Certified Specialists.
Practice focus: Family immigration, DACA renewals, deportation defense, U visas, VAWA
Bilingual Spanish-English Fort Worth immigration practice. Focused on family immigration, victims-of-crime U visas, and VAWA self-petitions. Strong reviews from the local Hispanic community.
Practice focus: Employment-based immigration, H-1B, PERM labor certification, EB-5
Houston-headquartered Texas immigration firm with Fort Worth client base. Strong on corporate employment-based immigration. H-1B, L-1, O-1, and PERM-based green cards for North Texas employers.
Practice focus: Family immigration, deportation defense, naturalization, asylum
Bilingual Tarrant County immigration boutique. Handles the full range of family-based and humanitarian cases. Strong reviews for accessibility and clear fee structures.
Tell us about your situation and we will match you with vetted immigration attorneys in Fort Worth. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Immigration timelines depend on the application type and current USCIS backlogs. Naturalization (N-400) typically runs 12 to 18 months from filing to oath ceremony at the Fort Worth USCIS field office. Marriage-based green card adjustment of status (I-485) runs 12 to 24 months. Family preference green cards (siblings, adult children) can run 7-22 years depending on country of origin. Asylum interviews at the Dallas Asylum Office have multi-year backlogs. Removal (deportation) cases in Dallas Immigration Court are typically scheduled 1 to 4 years out from the first hearing.
Fort Worth immigration fees in 2026 break down by matter type. Naturalization: $1,500–$3,500 flat, plus the $760 USCIS N-400 fee. Marriage-based green card (full I-130 + I-485 package): $3,500–$7,500 plus $3,005 in USCIS filing fees. Removal defense: $5,000–$15,000+ depending on the relief sought (cancellation of removal, asylum, adjustment). Employment-based green cards: $5,000–$15,000 to the firm, plus the employer typically pays USCIS and DOL fees. Asylum: $4,000–$8,000. Most firms accept payment plans.
Fort Worth has hundreds of attorneys advertising for immigration cases. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or court outcome, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer agreement in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Fort Worth lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most Fort Worth firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Fort Worth is its own market. The procedure, the local statutes, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Dallas Immigration Court is in Dallas, not Fort Worth. Removal cases for Tarrant County residents are typically heard at 1100 Commerce Street in downtown Dallas. A Fort Worth attorney with a steady Dallas docket knows the immigration judges and the chief counsel's office practice.
USCIS Dallas Field Office handles Fort Worth applications. Naturalization interviews, green card interviews, and most affirmative applications are scheduled at the Dallas USCIS office. Wait times have come down post-COVID but remain longer than the 2010s baseline.
Board-certified immigration specialists are rare and valuable. Fewer than 100 Texas attorneys are Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law. The credential signals depth of practice and current knowledge of constantly-changing federal regulations.
Removal cases have hard deadlines. Filing notices, briefs, applications for relief, and appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals all have strict deadlines. Often 30 days. A missed deadline can mean a deportation order. Choose a firm that lives in the immigration calendar.
Typical timeline is 12 to 18 months from N-400 filing to oath ceremony. Biometrics appointment is usually within 2 months of filing. The interview at the Dallas USCIS field office is typically 8 to 14 months later. Oath ceremony follows within 1 to 3 months of a successful interview.
Adjustment of status from inside the U.S. Typically runs 12 to 24 months for the I-485, with an EAD work permit issued 4 to 8 months in. Consular processing from outside the U.S. Runs 12 to 18 months from I-130 approval to visa issuance, depending on the embassy.
Yes. There is no constitutional right to appointed counsel in immigration court. But the system is complex, evidentiary rules are real, and the consequences (deportation, family separation) are severe. The success rate for represented respondents is meaningfully higher than for pro se respondents in almost every case category.
A form of relief from deportation under INA section 240A. Non-LPR cancellation requires 10 years of continuous physical presence in the U.S., good moral character, no disqualifying convictions, and exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. Citizen or LPR spouse, parent, or child. Available to only 4,000 cases per year nationally.
Available to victims of certain crimes (domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, others) who suffer substantial physical or mental abuse and cooperate with law enforcement. Provides 4-year nonimmigrant status and a path to a green card. Multi-year waitlist due to the 10,000/year statutory cap.
Most offer a 30-minute initial consultation that is either free or low-cost ($75-$150), credited toward fees if you hire them. Board-certified specialists typically charge for the initial meeting because the analysis is substantive.