Immigration lawyer describes daily grind of endless deportation hearings
Attorney Karla Navarrete spends long days handling virtual and in-person immigration hearings, noting that most of her clients have little chance of staying in the United States.
Karla Navarrete, a 42-year-old immigration attorney and mother of four, operates a full-floor office in South Gate that handles a high volume of virtual and face-to-face immigration hearings. She repeatedly tells clients that, under existing statutes and recent policies championed by Donald Trump, Stephen Miller and Congress, successful outcomes are rare. Her day includes three WebEx court sessions, free consultations, and preparation for upcoming in-person hearings that officials warn will increase chaos for immigrants and their counsel.
Navarrete’s practice grew after a series of nationwide raids that began with a mass operation at a Los Angeles car-wash business, prompting her to shift focus from U-visa victims to a broader immigrant clientele. Despite occasional wins, such as securing a parole-in-place hearing for a long-time resident, she emphasizes that the system now feels like a "deportation template" with limited rights for those detained.
Why it matters
The story shows how immigration policy and court backlogs are affecting lawyers and vulnerable migrants daily.
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