A common search, in Dallas–Fort Worth and everywhere else, is some version of this: who is the finest immigration lawyer near me who speaks my language? It is an understandable question and an unanswerable one. No one publishes a ranking of lawyers that can be checked, and under the Texas rules that govern lawyer advertising, a statement about a lawyer's services is misleading when it would lead a reasonable person to a conclusion with no reasonable factual foundation, or when it is likely to create unjustified expectations about results. The State Bar of Texas applies those rules to a law firm's entire website, which is why you will not find a superlative on this one.
What you can check is narrower and far more useful. Is the lawyer licensed? Does the lawyer personally speak the language you need, or does only the front desk? Does the lawyer handle the kind of matter you actually have? This article explains why language is a structural issue in immigration cases rather than a marketing line, and then gives you a checklist for verifying any attorney, including this one.
Key takeaways
- Ignore rankings you cannot verify and confirm three things instead: the license, the specialty credential, and who personally speaks your language.
- Spanish and Mandarin Chinese are the two largest language groups in United States immigration court proceedings, according to the Justice Department's own data.
- Every foreign-language document filed with USCIS must come with a complete English translation and the translator's signed certification.
- Some older lawful permanent residents are exempt from the English requirement for citizenship but must still pass the civics test, and must bring their own interpreter.
- In the United States, only a licensed attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative may give immigration legal advice.
Spanish and Mandarin in the immigration courts
The Executive Office for Immigration Review, the Justice Department agency that runs the immigration courts, publishes a table of proceedings completed by language. It records the language the court logged for the case, not the person's nationality or citizenship. The numbers show scale rather than anything about any individual lawyer.
Spanish operates at an order of magnitude above every other language, and Mandarin Chinese is consistently among the largest of the rest. Both dropped sharply in fiscal year 2021 and rebounded afterward. EOIR itself notes in its Language Access Plan that because Spanish is the language most commonly spoken by limited-English-proficient people appearing before it, most of its interpreters speak Spanish. Separately, the Government Accountability Office found that in absentia removal rates varied by the language a respondent best spoke, and TRAC's analysis of the same agency data reports that representation rates differ among the ten most frequently spoken languages. None of that proves anything about one attorney. It does show that language is a live, measurable feature of how these cases move, which is worth knowing before you choose counsel for a case in immigration court.
What a court interpreter does, and what an interpreter cannot do
EOIR provides interpretation of immigration court proceedings for people with limited English. That service covers what is said on the record in the hearing room. It does not cover the rest of the case, which is where most of the work happens.
| Court interpretation | Attorney-client communication |
|---|---|
| Renders what is said during the hearing, on the record. | Covers intake, fact development, document review, preparing testimony, and explaining options. |
| Provided by the court for the proceeding itself. | Arranged by you and your lawyer, and protected by confidentiality. |
| Neutral. The interpreter does not advise, question or advocate. | Advice, strategy and judgment, which cannot be delegated to an interpreter. |
When a lawyer and client share a language, there is one less layer between the question and the answer. That is a practical point about communication, not a claim about results. Results depend on the facts of a case and on decisions made by agencies and judges.
Every foreign-language document needs a certified English translation
This rule catches more families off guard than any other. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any document containing a foreign language that you submit to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation, together with the translator's signed certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate.
In practice that reaches a Chinese household register (户口簿) and notarial certificates (公证书), Mexican and Central American civil registry records, police certificates, bank statements, and employment letters. Two problems recur: a translation that summarizes instead of translating everything on the page, including seals and stamps, and a translation that is accurate but missing the certification. A lawyer who can read the original can compare it against the translation before the package is filed, which matters in a document-heavy case such as an adjustment of status filing or a fiancé(e) visa petition.
Language and the citizenship test
Language is written into the naturalization statute. Under INA 312(b), an applicant who is age 50 or older and has lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years at the time of filing is exempt from the English requirement, and a parallel exception applies at age 55 with at least 15 years as a permanent resident. The exemption is from English only. The civics requirement still applies, and USCIS allows the civics test to be taken in a language of the applicant's choice with an interpreter. USCIS instructs that an applicant testing in a native language must bring an interpreter who is fluent in both English and that language.
Separately, an applicant who cannot meet the English and civics requirements because of a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment may request an exception using Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, completed by a qualifying medical professional. These are general eligibility rules. Whether any individual qualifies depends on dates, medical facts and history that only a consultation can establish, and the same is true of the other requirements for a naturalization application.
Who is allowed to give you immigration advice
In the United States, only a licensed attorney or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice and working for a recognized organization may give immigration legal advice or represent you before the agencies. A notary public here is a witness to signatures and nothing more. In many Latin American countries a notario público is a trained legal professional, and that mismatch is the reason the Federal Trade Commission warns about notario fraud. The same risk appears in Chinese-speaking communities under different labels, usually "immigration consultant" or an agency middleman who promises to handle paperwork. A lawyer licensed only in another country cannot give legal advice here either.
How to verify an immigration lawyer's credentials yourself
- Check the license. Look the attorney up in the State Bar licensee directory. You are confirming an active license and any public disciplinary history. Check to see if the Immigration Lawyer appears in any news articles or news interviews. Attorney Shillig was interviewed by Robert Hadlock of KXAN News out of Austin Texas as one of the American Heroes that conducted Medical Rescue and Medical Treatment Missions to save American Lives during Hurricane Harvey as an Army Officer in the Texas Army National Guard.
- Ask who speaks the language. Ask plainly which languages the attorney personally speaks and which the staff speak. Both arrangements can work. You should know which one you are getting.
- Ask who appears. Ask which attorney will attend the interview or hearing, and get the fee terms in a written agreement before any work begins.
Background on Shillig Law
Shillig Law is an immigration law firm serving the Dallas–Fort Worth market, with its office in North Richland Hills, Texas. The practice covers family, employment, investment and humanitarian immigration, naturalization, removal defense, waivers, and complex civil litigation protecting foreign nationals. Client communication is available in Mandarin and Spanish as well as English.
On public service: the Brigham Young University Daily Universe reported on September 22, 2017 that then-Capt. Jacob Shillig served as the medical operations officer over a task force supporting Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and that he and his family, who lived in Vidor, Texas, were among the first to evacuate ahead of the storm. That is background, not a prediction about any case.
What this firm does not promise
Immigration law changes often, and so do filing fees and processing times, which should be confirmed directly with USCIS or the Department of State before you rely on them. Nothing here is legal advice, no outcome is predictable, and every case turns on its own facts and its own documents. If you want to know how the rules above apply to your family or your business, the next step is a conversation.
Frequently asked questions
Does my immigration lawyer have to speak my language?
No. Many cases are handled well through an interpreter. What matters is that you understand every document you sign and every answer you give, and that you know in advance whether the attorney, a staff member or an outside interpreter will be the one communicating with you.
Can a family member translate my documents for USCIS?
The regulation requires a complete English translation plus a signed certification that the translation is accurate and that the translator is competent. It does not require a particular agency. The practical risk with an informal translation is omission, because seals, stamps and marginal notes have to be translated too.
I am over 55. Do I still have to take the civics test?
The age-and-residence exceptions under INA 312(b) excuse the English requirement for applicants who meet both the age and the years-as-a-permanent-resident thresholds. The civics requirement still applies, though the test may be taken in another language with an interpreter you bring. Whether you meet the thresholds depends on your dates.
How do I confirm an attorney is licensed in Texas?
Search the State Bar of Texas licensee directory by name, and check the Texas Board of Legal Specialization separately if you want to know whether the attorney is board certified in Immigration and Nationality Law. Both are public and free to search.
What will a case cost?
That depends on the matter. Shillig Law speaks with a prospective client first, and quotes a fee after that conversation, in writing.