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Local law firms heard stories all summer from clients who are in the country illegally about fears of going to work or picking up their children from school. Their concerns ranged from how to prove their children’s citizenship status to who would care for their children if they get detained.
These anxieties have become a reality for several Tulsa immigrants living in the country illegally or connected to someone who is. According to the 2024 American Community Survey, 75% of Tulsa County’s Hispanic population is estimated to be foreign-born, non-U.S. citizens, though there is not an estimate for how much of that population is here illegally.
“It’s important for people to understand to go talk to an attorney because you are living in this fear, not knowing if there’s something that can be done to protect you,” said Mariana Pacheco, an associate immigration attorney at Erwin Law Office, a Tulsa-based law firm.
Here’s what local law firms and organizations had to say.
Be proactive
Maria Mattern, an associate immigration lawyer at the Tulsa-based Erwin Law Office, has heard of people being stopped for what seem like small incidents to a U.S. citizen, including:
- Driving when a tag expires.
- Driving if a tail light is out.
- Not signaling when changing lanes.
“That seems very silly, but then they’re caught up into the system and they’re like, ‘How did I get there?’ and it’s very difficult trying to help people get out of it,” Mattern said.
Immigration attorney Elissa Stiles, who works at Tulsa law firm Rivas & Associates, says it’s important to do the following:
- Carry a passport, work permit or permanent resident card.
- Have a plan in place in case an agent stops you.
- Know your rights to remain silent.
“It’s so important to not just speak freely without an attorney and don’t give them information that they need to arrest or charge you,” Stiles said.
ICE doesn’t have the right to enter a building with an administrative warrant and require a judicial warrant to do so, she said. Her advice: Be sure any warrant has the proper name and address on it before allowing them to enter.
She also advises creating a worse-case scenario folder, including the following information:
- A list of who you can call for help
- Who should take of your children
- Contact information for a reputable immigration attorney
Immigrants should also consider filing for a power of attorney for children under 18 years old. This grants someone of your choosing to make decisions about your child for a certain period of time.
How to vet lawyers
Robin Sherman, director of legal services at YWCA, an organization offering services to immigrants and refugees, recommends: checking if a lawyer is registered with the Oklahoma Bar Association, an arm of the Oklahoma Supreme Court that oversees attorneys in the state.
You can search online to find licensed lawyers in the state, depending on the topic and region.
“We’ve seen a lot of people being taken advantage of in that way and that causes problems in their immigration case,” Sherman said.
You can identify a reputable lawyer if they work with a law firm, as a licensed attorney or an accredited representative.
Avoid tax offices, solo paralegals and notarios. They are typically unqualified or licensed to practice law, Sherman said.
The Department of Justice offers accreditation to certain people and organizations who can assist on immigration applications. YWCA, American Dream Center and Catholic Charities Diocese of Tulsa are a few Tulsa-based organizations with accreditation from the DOJ.
Pacheco with the Erwin Law Office said potential clients should always feel free to ask a lawyer directly where they’re licensed. They should search them online and look up their reviews.
Be sure to ask to speak to an attorney even for your consultation, Pacheco said. Do multiple consultations, and know you don’t have to go with the first law office you find, she added.
“It should not be an awkward conversation. It should be something you would ask when considering a doctor,” she said. “You want to make sure that they’re licensed, you want to make sure you’re comfortable with them, their bedside manner, that sort of thing.”
This article was produced as part of a partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and La Semana, a Tulsa-based bilingual Spanish-English newspaper serving Latino communities in Oklahoma.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
