23 Jan Profile: Enrique Chavira Cantú, Family-Based Immigration Paralegal
An ALG team member’s personal experience as a DACA recipient drives his passion for immigration law
At ALG, our clients inspire us and our team members keep us going. For our inaugural blog post, we want to showcase the heart and soul of our business: our team. Enrique Chavira Cantu is a Family-Based Immigration paralegal who has been at our firm since August 2018. He sat down to talk with Jasmine Castellanos, our Operations Coordinator, about his passion for immigration law and his personal immigrant story.
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Jasmine: How long have you been working in the field of immigration law?
Enrique: “Since 2012.”
Jasmine: What drew you to this line of work?
Enrique: “I’m undocumented. I remember growing up, when my parents went to a bunch of attorneys – some in Dallas, some in San Antonio, and everyone told them “there’s no solution to your case; there’s no way you can get a Green Card,” and I thought, “it can’t be that hard.” I set my mind on doing it.
When I learned about the DREAM Act, I knew this was how I could get residency. This immigration lawyer from Waco reached out to me and put my legal status in terms that made sense.
I wanted to influence the law, but I knew I had to develop a good understanding of it. In late high school and early college I interned for that immigration attorney in Waco.
Deferred Action Childhood Arrival, DACA, came out in 2012. I was eligible. With DACA, for increments of two years, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says “you’re not a priority for deportation.”
Throughout my life I was always thinking, “how am I going to help my family stay here. What am I going to do?” I went to school, graduated early, and dove into the immigration law field.
I started working at the Bernardo Kohler Center in 2014. At the Bernardo Kohler Center I gained a great amount of my knowledge regarding immigration law. The firm dealt with extremely difficult cases with clients who could barely afford services. I had a huge case load. That experience led me to stay in the field. Since then I’ve been searching for a firm where I can grow.”
Jasmine: What do you like most about working at ALG?
Enrique: “I like the people. We’re all very different. It’s interesting the way we all come together to keep the firm running. We all have the same task in mind – to give our clients the best service we can. I like how much learning is encouraged, and how much asking questions is encouraged. Everyone’s so welcoming and open to explaining things to you. We’re all just sharpening each other’s edges.”
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At ALG, we are immigrants serving immigrants. Most of our staff has personal experience with the U.S. immigration system. We channel this experience into our work to provide the best possible service to our clients. Our passion for the field drives us to stay on the cutting edge of U.S. immigration law.
Get in touch with our experts for your immigration needs. Call our office directly at (512)732-0555, or email us at [email protected].