Meet Patricia B. Minikon

Patricia is the senior attorney in the office, and the founder of Minikon Law, LLC. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Maryland School of Law and her Master’s Degree in International Affairs, from the School of International Service at American University. She earned her undergraduate degree in the Administration of Justice, magna cum laude, at Howard University

 
Attorney Minikon has had over 30 years of remarkable success practicing as an immigration attorney: representing clients before USCIS, at U.S. Consulates overseas, in immigration courts, at the Board of Immigration Appeals, and at the U.S. Court of Appeals. She has a deep knowledge of the intricacies of the ever-changing immigration landscape that she brings to every client representation. She served as adjunct professor of immigration law at both Dickinson School of Law at Penn State University and University of Maryland University College for many years.

For individuals and families, Patricia has the depth of experience to develop strategy using the best immigration option to serve your best interest. She has extensive experience with marriage-based cases and interviews in the U.S. and at the embassies abroad. She has an excellent track record for asylum seekers and those seeking humanitarian relief, such as TPS, DACA, and Parole, or those in need of an immigration waiver. She can handle naturalization cases for those with complicated immigration histories

Patricia represents a variety of employers from different industries and advises on a wide range of business-related immigration matters. She is well-versed on the best and most efficient route for temporary (non-immigrant) or permanent (immigrant) employment. She has an excellent success rate for such petitions.

Court of Appeals of Maryland
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
US District Court for the District of Maryland
US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
Maryland State Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar Association

Panelist, Issue Spotting and Problem-Solving when Applying for Naturalization November 2022 Panelist, Marriage Can Be Messy, AILA National CLE April 2022
Presenter, National Interest Waivers, MSBA February 2022
Panelist, Can You ‘Do Good’ and ‘Do Well’? Tips for Pro Bono Success, AILA Virtual Annual Conference on Immigration Law June 2020
Panelist, Complicated I-751s, AILA National Conference on Immigration Law June 2019
Panelist, The Ethics of Growing Your Practice and Law Practice Management, AILA D.C. Chapter
Fall Conference November 2016
Panelist, Winning Asylum Claims Based on Particular Social Groups, AILA D.C. Chapter Fall Conference November 2014
Speaker, Immigration Options After Graduation, Lunch with a Lawyer Series at the University of Maryland College Park October 2012 – Present
Presenter, Interviewing Refugees for Human Rights Factfinding, American University Fall 2007

Co-author, Practice Advisory: Can You Do Good and Do Well?, AILA National Conference on Immigration Law June 2020
Co-author, Practice Advisory: Complicated I-751s, AILA National Conference on Immigration Law June 2019
Co-Author, Chapter 8, “Documenting Human Rights Abuses Among the Diaspora: Lessons Learned From the
Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” Negotiating Sovereignty and Human Rights: Actors and
Issues in Contemporary Human Rights Politics (2009)

Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center Volunteer Attorney 2021 – Present
Maryland State Bar Association, Immigration Section Pro Bono Co-chair 2021-Present
Maryland State Bar Association, Immigration Section Councilmember 2017- Present
AILA DC Chapter’s AIC Writing Contest Committee Chair 2017-2021
Board Member, Liberty’s Promise 2015 – 2017
MSBA Eastern Shore Pro Bono Clinic 2016 – 2017
AILA DC Chapter Liaison to Maryland State Bar Association 2016 –2020
AILA National Conference Day Coordinator, 2016
AILA D.C. Chapter Co-Coordinator, Kurzban Chapter Purchase Program 2016
AILA National Conference Host Chapter Events Committee 2015
AILA National Conference Pro Bono Clinic, 2015-2019
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (Human Rights First) Volunteer Attorney 1994-1996
Montgomery County Commission for Women Immigration Callback Program Volunteer 1993 – 2010

English
Spanish
French
Pidgin/Creole/Patois English

BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS AND U.S. IMMIGRATION COURTS
Obtained deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture for an El Salvadoran man due to harm inflicted by the police on account of being an imputed whistle-blower.

Prevented the deportation of Guatemalan and Mexican women who had fled their countries after suffering years of domestic violence, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, at the hands of their ex-husbands and obtained asylum for them.

Secured withholding of removal for a mother from Guatemala who had been abused for over 10 years by her husband.

Secured asylum for a woman from Honduras based on her well-founded fear of persecution on account of her particular social group.  Successfully argued that her social group merited protection under U.S. law.

Prevented the deportation of a Somalian woman who entered the U.S. with a false U.S. passport and successfully filed for a waiver and adjustment of status. Filed a successful Motion to Reopen before the Board of Immigration Appeals more than 5 years after she had been ordered removed.

Secured waiver of inadmissibility for misrepresentation and permanent resident status for a Sierra Leonean man based on the extreme hardship that his lawful permanent resident wife would suffer if he were deported. 

Convinced the Immigration Judge to administratively close the removal case of an El Salvadoran man by making a prima facie showing that he had acquired derivative U.S citizenship. The client was in absentia during his removal proceedings due to state incarceration for possession of drugs.

Filed successful adjustment of status and waiver applications before the Immigration Judge for an Ivorian man convicted of robbery.

Filed and won the appeal of USCIS denial of a marriage-based petition following USCIS interview of the couple whose answers contained multiple discrepancies, and the U.S. citizen spouse had not met her in-laws, despite their visit to the U.S. during the marriage.

U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES

Obtained asylum for a Colombian woman based on her membership in a particular social group composed of an ethnic minority. Members of her ethnic group had suffered persistent discrimination and persecution for years and she was targeted for speaking out against the injustices.

Obtained a waiver of the J-1 two-year home residence requirement for a Liberian Fulbright Scholar who could not obtain a no-objection waiver.

Obtained asylum for a gay, Turkish man who had been abused by the police and was a potential “honor killing” victim due to his sexual orientation.

Successfully defended against naturalization denial based on alleged marriage fraud and obtained approval of the Nigerian client’s application for naturalization.

Obtained citizenship for a Guinean man who had been convicted of two crimes, one involving moral turpitude and the other involving a handgun.

Obtained Parole in Place for an El Salvadoran woman whose husband served in the U.S. military as a member of the Navy, so she could adjust her status to permanent residence without leaving the United States, which would have triggered a bar to her re-entry due to her previous unlawful presence.

Obtained Temporary Protected Status for an El Salvadoran man who had two DUI convictions. Successfully argued that one of the convictions did not meet the definition of a conviction under the immigration laws and the law in the Fourth Circuit.

Obtained removal of conditions on residence and waiver of the joint filing requirement for a Colombian woman whose marriage to the U.S. citizen petitioner had dissolved after she received permanent residence based on their marriage.

Successfully petitioned for H-1B status for a Registered Nurse while representing a health care company that required a Bachelor’s degree for the position, instead of an Associate’s degree. 

U.S. CONSULATES

Convinced the U.S. consulate in Vienna, Austria, that a Slovakian man with prior immigration violations, unlawful presence in the United States, and a previous removal order should be re-admitted to the United States.

Obtained immigrant visa and admission to the U.S. for a Yemeni woman who had previously been denied parole.