“My husband waited eleven years in Michoacán. Evangelina explained every step in Spanish, and when the interview letter came she had already prepared us for it. He's home now, fixing up our yard.”
Mirta L.Spousal petition, Delano
Immigration lawyers in Bakersfield
Put down roots. We'll tend the paperwork.
Arraigo Law Group is three immigration lawyers on Truxtun Avenue. We help Kern County families stay together, get status and, in time, become citizens, in English, Spanish or Punjabi.
- English, Spanish, PunjabiAsk for your language when you call
- Saturday morningsBy appointment, 9 to 1
- Fees in writingBefore we file anything
- Lawyers, not notariosAn attorney handles your case
Practice areas
Four ways a family takes root
Most families come to us for one of these. Many cases grow into the next: a green card today, citizenship in a few years.
Family visas and green cards
Petitions for spouses, parents, children and siblings, and the green card that follows, here or through a consulate abroad.
Read about family visas
Citizenship
Naturalization from the first form to the oath, and certificates for children who are already citizens through a parent.
Read about citizenship
DACA and work permits
Renewals filed on time, work permits, and a look at whether family or work could open a longer path.
Read about DACA
Immigration court
Bond hearings, defenses against removal and appeals, with a lawyer beside you at every hearing.
Read about immigration court
How we work
Cases grow slowly. We tend them every month.
A petition can sit with the government for a year or more. Waiting is not the same as forgetting.
On the first Monday of every month, each of us reads through every open file: what's due, what's arrived, what's changed in the law. If something moved, you hear from us, in your language, before you have to ask.
What you can count on
A shared calendar of every deadline
A copy of everything we file, in a folder that's yours
Calls returned within two business days
How a case grows
From seed to citizenship
Every case is different, but most move through the same four seasons.
Prepare the ground
A first consultation, in person or by video. We hear the whole story, read your papers and tell you plainly what is possible and what isn't.
Plant the case
We gather the evidence, prepare the forms and file with USCIS, the consulate or the court. You review and sign everything before it goes.
Tend and wait
Receipts, fingerprints, requests for more evidence. We answer each one and tell you what it means, even when the news is only that we're still waiting.
Take root
We prepare you for the interview or hearing and go with you. After an approval, we tell you when the next step opens, like citizenship.
Clients
Roots, a few years on
“Harpreet went over the civics questions with me in Punjabi until I stopped being nervous. I took the oath with my daughter in the audience.”
Jaskaran S.Citizenship, Bakersfield
“I came in with a hearing notice and nothing else. Celestino listened to the whole story before he said a word. My case is still open, but I'm not afraid of the mail anymore.”
Inocencia R.Immigration court, Arvin
Sample stories for this template. Every case is different, and a past result doesn't predict the outcome of yours.
Questions
What families ask at the first visit
What does a first consultation cost?
We tell you the consultation fee when you book, and if you hire us, we credit it toward your case. Every fee after that is written into your agreement before we file anything.
Are you notarios?
No. We are licensed attorneys. In many countries a notario is a lawyer, but in the United States a notary public can only witness signatures and can't give immigration advice or file your case. If someone who isn't a lawyer or an accredited representative offers to file for you, please talk to us first.
Can I come in if I don't have papers?
Yes. What you tell us stays between you and your lawyer. We don't share it with immigration authorities, and our office isn't a government office.
Do I have to speak English?
No. Evangelina and Celestino speak Spanish, and Harpreet speaks Punjabi and Hindi. For other languages we arrange an interpreter before your visit.
How long will my case take?
It depends on the kind of case and on government processing times, which change. At the first consultation we give you an honest range and tell you what could speed it up or slow it down.
Every case takes root in one conversation
Bring your papers, or bring only the story. An hour with a lawyer is enough to understand where you stand.