Prospective Applicants: Prior to communicating with any United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), or any other U.S. government official, you are strongly advised to consult with a highly competent and diligent immigration attorney specializing in the specific area of immigration law of concern to you. U.S. government officials are paid advocates for the U.S. government agencies who employ them, NOT non-U.S. citizens petitioning for immigration benefits. U.S. Government officials will NOT advise you of the full range of your rights or the means by which to petitioner for, invoke, or benefit from them. U.S. Government officials will NOT refer you to reliable sources for legal assistance. U.S. Government officials will WITHHOLD authoritatively accurate information from you. These same U.S. Government officials are more likely than not to take advantage of you based upon what you do not know about the law and your rights . The ethical and professional standards of U.S. Government officials are similar to those government officials in the country from which you came and may now be repatriated. By communicating directly with a U.S. Government officials, without the benefit and protection of a highly competent and diligent immigration attorney who specializes in that aspect of immigration law of concern to you, you may unknowingly do your case irreparable harm. If you do not know your rights, you essentially have none. Without knowledge of your rights under the law, you have no idea which to invoke to protect you from abuse by unethical U.S . Government officials. If you lack experience invoking your rights, you are likely to be unsuccessful in invoking them effectively. U.S. Government officials are highly skilled and experienced in taking advantage of non-U.S . citizens who are otherwise eligible for immigration benefits under the law, but lack the knowledge of that same law, and the assistance of a highly competent and diligent immigration attorney. Prior to communicating with a U.S. Government official, particularly a USCIS or EOIR employee, you should first consult with a highly competent and diligent immigration attorney specializing in the specific aspect of immigration law of concern to you. Not every attorney is competent and diligent. Not every attorney is capable of effectively representing you or defending your interests. Not every immigration attorney is competent in asylum, withholding of removal, Convention Against Torture (CAT), or cancellation of removal type claims. The fact that an attorney advertises services to those presenting with these types of claims does not mean that they are both competent or diligent and that they will be effective in assisting you to secure the benefits and protections you may be eligible for under the law. PARDS will assist you to identify and secure the assistance of a highly competent and diligent immigration attorney specializing in asylum, withholding of removal, Convention Against Torture, or cancellation of removal and provide you with guidance on how to identify and avoid those who are not.