Hafey & Karim

Focus and practice areas

Since 2016, Hafey & Karim has worked with immigrant communities and individual clients. The firm is based in Concord, California, and concentrates its legal services on United States immigration matters. Its website identifies family immigration, citizenship, asylum, deportation defense, green cards and VAWA self-petitions as core areas of work.

The service list covers applications handled by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, visa matters involving United States consulates and cases heard in immigration court. That mix calls for work with forms, supporting records, legal briefs and hearing preparation. Each route has its own deadlines and proof requirements.

A defined immigration caseload

The firm names K-1 visas, immediate relative visas and family preference visas within its family-based practice. It also handles adjustment of status and consular processing for green card applicants. These details give prospective clients a useful picture of the case types the attorneys accept.

Asylum work includes affirmative, defensive and political asylum matters. The firm also represents people facing deportation and assists qualifying applicants with VAWA self-petitions. In my opinion, the named services show a clear focus on family unity, lawful status and protection against removal.

Family petitions and visa pathways

Family-based work includes several routes for relatives and engaged couples. A K-1 visa concerns a foreign national who plans to marry a United States citizen after entering the country. Immediate relative and family preference cases depend on the relationship between the petitioner and the person seeking immigration status.

In a typical family case, the petitioner submits forms and documents that establish the qualifying relationship. Records may include birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce records and proof of citizenship or permanent residence. USCIS reviews the filing and may request more evidence before issuing a decision.

K-1 and family preference cases

A K-1 matter usually requires a petition, consular processing and an interview. The couple must also document a genuine intention to marry. After admission in K-1 status, federal rules require the marriage to occur within the allowed period before the foreign national seeks permanent residence.

Family preference visas operate under annual limits and category rules. A person's place in the process may depend on the petition date, family relationship and country chargeability. Immediate relatives of United States citizens follow a different visa availability structure, though they still must establish eligibility and admissibility.

Adjustment and consular processing

Hafey & Karim lists both adjustment of status and consular processing for green card matters. Adjustment generally concerns an eligible applicant who seeks permanent residence while present in the United States. Consular processing generally involves a visa application and interview at a United States consulate abroad.

Those routes require different forms and procedural steps. Travel history, prior immigration filings, family records and possible grounds of inadmissibility can shape the filing. Legal review can help identify which route applies and which records belong in the application.

Asylum and removal proceedings

The firm lists affirmative asylum, defensive asylum and political asylum among its services. Affirmative applicants generally present their claims to USCIS while they remain outside removal proceedings. Defensive applicants raise asylum before an immigration judge after the government starts a removal case.

An asylum claim usually requires a detailed personal statement and evidence tied to a protected ground under federal law. Country reports, identity papers, medical records, witness statements and proof of past events may support the account. The applicant must also address filing rules, credibility questions and any procedural issues that affect eligibility.

Hearings in immigration court

Removal defense is a stated focus of both founders. Immigration court cases commonly begin with a Notice to Appear that lists the government's allegations and legal charges. The respondent answers those charges and may apply for any available form of relief.

Immigration judges control hearing schedules, receive evidence and decide contested applications. Government attorneys may question the respondent and challenge eligibility. Preparation can include reviewing the immigration record, organizing exhibits, drafting legal arguments and preparing testimony.

Affirmative and defensive claims

The distinction between affirmative and defensive asylum affects the decision-maker and the setting. USCIS asylum officers conduct affirmative interviews. Immigration judges hear defensive applications in court, where the Department of Homeland Security participates in the proceeding.

Political opinion can support an asylum claim when the facts meet the statutory test, but a political dispute alone does not decide eligibility. The applicant must connect the feared harm to a protected ground and satisfy the other legal requirements. Each claim turns on its own history, documents and testimony.

Permanent status, citizenship and VAWA

Green card services at Hafey & Karim include adjustment of status and consular processing. Permanent residence cases often involve close review of immigration history, prior entries and family relationships. Applicants may also need civil records, financial sponsorship documents and identity evidence.

USCIS may schedule an interview or issue a request for further evidence. A consular case can involve the National Visa Center and a United States consulate. The agency or consular officer then decides whether the applicant meets the applicable requirements.

Citizenship and naturalization

The firm also handles citizenship and naturalization matters. Naturalization applicants generally must establish a qualifying period of permanent residence and meet rules concerning physical presence and good moral character. Many applicants also complete English and civics testing, subject to statutory exceptions.

USCIS reviews the application, conducts an interview and issues a decision. Prior travel, criminal history, tax records and earlier immigration filings may require close attention. An approved applicant completes the process by taking the oath of allegiance.

VAWA self-petitions

VAWA self-petitions provide an immigration route for certain qualifying family members affected by abuse. The process permits an eligible applicant to file without relying on the abusive relative to submit the petition. Hafey & Karim identifies these self-petitions as a separate service area.

A VAWA filing can require proof of the qualifying relationship, residence history, good faith marriage where applicable and the abuse described in the application. Applicants often use personal declarations and available records to explain their circumstances. Confidentiality rules apply to these filings and related agency communications.

Team, language access and court reach

Founders Shahzeen Karim and Ryan Hafey entered immigration law after working in different legal fields. Karim previously worked in criminal law, while Hafey worked in international law. Both later concentrated on immigration and removal defense before establishing Hafey & Karim.

Those backgrounds have a practical connection to the firm's stated caseload. Removal matters can involve prior criminal records, questions about immigration consequences and legal issues that cross national borders. The website ties both founders directly to the firm's deportation defense work.

Attorneys and language support

The attorney roster also includes Aqsa Nawaz. Together, the site names three attorneys associated with the firm. The available material gives detailed background information for the two founders and identifies Nawaz as part of the legal team.

Legal services are available in English and Bengali. The firm also works with translators for Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Hindko and Spanish. Language support can help clients explain personal histories, review declarations and understand questions during case preparation.

Immigration court coverage

Hafey & Karim states that it represents clients in immigration courts across the United States. The website specifically names courts in San Francisco, Concord and Sacramento, California, along with Dallas, Texas. These locations indicate experience with removal proceedings in more than one court system and geographic area.

Immigration court representation may include master calendar hearings, filing deadlines and individual merits hearings. Court schedules and local procedures can vary by location, while federal immigration law governs the claims. The firm's stated court coverage includes three California cities and one Texas city.