Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. represents individuals, families, and employers across Waukegan and Lake County in family-based petitions, employment-based cases, removal defense, and citizenship matters. As an experienced immigration lawyer serving Waukegan, we can handle filings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), appearances before the Chicago Immigration Court, and matters involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Our firm serves clients throughout Illinois and nationwide, with consultations available remotely.
Why Choose Scott D. Pollock & Associates for Your Waukegan Immigration Case?
Founding partner Scott D. Pollock has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2007 and named to Leading Lawyers since 2004. He holds an Avvo rating of 10.0 as a Top Attorney in Immigration and is Peer Rated for Ethical Standards by Martindale-Hubbell.
Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. has practiced immigration and nationality law for over three decades. This experience includes filings before USCIS, hearings before the Chicago Immigration Court, appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals, matters involving ICE and CBP, and litigation in federal district and appellate courts.
Our firm also represents clients across the major areas of immigration law, including family-based petitions, employment-based visas and green cards, naturalization and citizenship, deportation and removal defense, and immigration appeals and federal litigation. We provide legal guidance in Spanish, French, and Russian.
Immigration Services for Waukegan and Lake County
Waukegan is the largest city and the county seat of Lake County, with roughly 88,000 residents. About 31% of Waukegan residents were born outside the United States, more than half of residents age five and older speak a language other than English at home, and roughly 58% identify as Hispanic or Latino. Immigration touches daily life for many Waukegan families and employers, from mixed-status households to companies hiring across the county’s manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and health care sectors.
Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. handles a full range of immigration matters for clients in Waukegan and the surrounding area.
Family petitions make up a large share of immigration filings from Lake County. Our firm represents petitioners and beneficiaries throughout each stage of their petitions.
Common family-based immigration matters include:
- Immediate relative petitions for spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21
- Family preference petitions (F1 through F4) subject to annual limits and Visa Bulletin waiting times
- Fiancé(e) visas and the adjustment that follows marriage
- Conditional resident status and the petition to remove conditions on residence
- Violence Against Women Act self-petitions
- Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions
- Humanitarian reinstatement and international adoption matters
Lake County employers in the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and health care industries sponsor foreign nationals across most employment categories. The firm advises both employers and employees.
Common employment-based immigration matters include:
- H-1B petitions for specialty occupation professionals
- PERM labor certification and EB-2 and EB-3 immigrant petitions
- EB-1 petitions for individuals of extraordinary ability and multinational managers
- National interest waivers
- L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 petitions, and TN status
- Investor and entrepreneur cases, including E-2 and EB-5
- I-9 compliance, internal audits, and responses to ICE worksite enforcement
Removal proceedings move on the court’s schedule rather than the respondent’s, and the relief available depends on immigration history, criminal record, and family circumstances.
Common removal defense matters include:
- Cancellation of removal for permanent residents and for certain non-permanent residents
- Asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture
- Waivers of inadmissibility
- Bond hearings and custody redetermination
- Appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and petitions for review in the federal courts of appeals
- Motions to reopen and motions to reconsider
- Defense against expedited removal and reinstatement of a prior order
Our firm handles adjustment of status, consular processing, naturalization, and other citizenship questions that arise in mixed-status families.
Common residency and citizenship matters include:
- Adjustment of status to permanent residence
- Consular processing through a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad
- Naturalization applications, including accommodation requests for the English and civics requirements
- Certificates of citizenship for children who acquired status through a parent
- Denaturalization defense
- Green card renewal and replacement
Common appeals and litigation matters include:
- Mandamus actions on unreasonably delayed adjudications
- Administrative Procedure Act challenges to agency action
- Habeas corpus petitions in detention cases
- Petitions for review of Board of Immigration Appeals decisions
Frequently Asked Questions About Immigration Cases in Waukegan
Neither Waukegan nor Lake County has its own immigration court. Removal proceedings for Waukegan and Lake County residents are typically heard at the Chicago Immigration Court, which handles cases arising in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
Lake County residents are generally assigned to a center in the greater Chicago area. Missing a scheduled appointment without rescheduling through a USCIS online account or the Contact Center can result in denial of the underlying application.
Yes, in most employment-based categories, though the requirements differ by category. Timelines vary considerably depending on the category and the worker’s country of chargeability.
A Notice to Appear initiates removal proceedings and sets a first hearing date before an immigration judge. Failure to appear can result in an order of removal entered in absentia, which is difficult to reopen. Because the forms of relief available depend on facts specific to each case, discuss your circumstances with an immigration attorney for specific advice.
Yes. Our firm represents clients in Spanish. We also provide legal services in French and Russian.
Contact an Immigration Lawyer Serving Waukegan
Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. represents clients throughout Waukegan, Lake County, and the greater Chicago area in family, employment, removal, and citizenship matters, with representation available in Spanish, French, and Russian. We offer consultations remotely for clients across Illinois. Call 312.444.1940 or fill out our online contact form to discuss your case.