Legal Ethics in Immigration Matters

 

Immigration is an extremely complicated area of the law. There are many push and pull factors that influence the decision of these people to establish themselves somewhere else. The usual pull factors that entice people to move to a certain place are employment, family ties and the benefits they may be able to receive while taking up residence in that new area. These pull forces are supplemented by push forces such as conflicts, disasters and poverty.

 

Aside from select situations, immigration is generally viewed as voluntary. There are three main theories given to make sense of this voluntary migration. First is the individual approach, which states that people make their own choices regarding the matter. The next type is the structural approach. The structural approach recognizes the power of economic, political, and social factors in influencing the decision to migrate. Finally, there is the systems theory that takes all the other elements and combines them with cultural and political factors.

 

This is not to say that these theories go unchallenged. The characteristics of migration keep changing and evolving that it is very difficult to stick to established concepts. For example, many are claiming that gender also plays a big role in the migration behavior of individuals, something that has not been recognized lately. These new reasons have spawned an entirely different set of migration habits and behaviors.

 

Immigration lawyers are well-versed in the complex nuances of immigration law. They can provide assistance to immigrants to help them become legal citizens of the country that they have immigrated to. For migrants, immigration lawyers are very important because they can help make sense of the complicated laws that are usually enforced. Before migrants can become legal inhabitants of a particular area, they have to follow certain steps that are in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth by the government. An immigration lawyer has complete knowledge of all these steps and rules, which makes them integral to the process.

 

The problem with immigration matters is that there are very important ethical concerns. People who usually require the services of immigration lawyers are those who are in danger of being removed from the country they are staying in. The immigration lawyer is usually tasked to defend aliens against deportation.  Because these aliens are in a desperate situation, it is extremely easy for the someone to take advantage of them.  Attorneys are bounded by ethical standards and are obliged to diligently represent their clients.