Immigration Attorney for the Cuban Community

Your Green Card Under the Cuban Adjustment Act — Even If You Have a Drug Case.

Cuba is personal to me. A Cuban family helped put me through college and law school, and I've been to the island four times. For years, our firm has fought — and won — for Cubans whose records made everyone else say no. Let us look at your case.

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Se Habla Español SuperLawyers Rising Stars 2017–2020 Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated AILA Member Federal Court Admitted Crimmigration Focus
Immigration attorney Ahmad Yakzan, American Dream Law Office

Why Cuba Matters to Me

This Community Changed My Life. Now I Fight for It.

Long before I was an immigration attorney, a Cuban family opened a door for me. They believed in me and helped make my college and law school education possible. I have never forgotten it — and I have been back to Cuba four times to stay close to the people and the culture that shaped who I am.

"When I represent a Cuban client, I'm not just taking a case. I'm paying back a debt I've carried my whole career."

That's why our firm has taken on the Cuban cases other lawyers turn away — the ones with old drug convictions, detention, or a removal file already open. We know the Cuban Adjustment Act cold, and we know how to fight the criminal issues that get in its way.

The Cuban Adjustment Act + a Criminal Record

A Drug Conviction Doesn't Automatically End Your Path to a Green Card

The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 is one of the most generous paths in all of U.S. immigration law: most Cubans can apply for a green card after just one year of physical presence in the United States. But there's a catch — you still have to be admissible, and a drug conviction is one of the fastest ways to become inadmissible.

That's where most cases fall apart with the wrong lawyer. A conviction that looks fatal on paper often isn't — if you know where to push. We routinely challenge whether a state drug conviction even counts under federal immigration law, work to vacate improper guilty pleas, and pursue the narrow waivers that still exist.

At American Dream Law Office®, this crossroads of criminal and immigration law — crimmigration — is exactly what we do every day.

Cuban Cases We Handle

  • Cuban Adjustment Act green cards (I-485)
  • Green card despite a drug or other criminal conviction
  • Vacating a bad guilty plea (post-conviction relief)
  • Challenging whether a conviction counts under immigration law
  • I-220A release and parole eligibility questions
  • ICE detention & bond hearings
  • Removal / deportation defense in immigration court
  • Work permits (EAD) while your case is pending
  • Bringing family members from Cuba
  • §212(h) and other waivers of inadmissibility

How We Help Cuban Clients

Your Situation, Handled

Every Cuban case is different. Here are the most common ones we take on — and how we approach them.

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Cuban Adjustment Act Green Card

One year and one day of presence in the U.S. can be enough. We confirm your eligibility, prepare your I-485, and get you to lawful permanent residence.

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Green Card With a Drug Conviction

A controlled-substance conviction is the biggest obstacle to a Cuban green card — and the one we know best. We fight it on every front the law allows.

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Post-Conviction Relief

If you weren't properly warned about the immigration consequences of your plea, that conviction may be vacated — which can reopen your entire path.

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I-220A & Parole Questions

Released on an I-220A instead of parole? Whether you can adjust is a live legal fight. We evaluate your options under current case law.

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ICE Detention & Bond

If ICE has detained you or a family member, we move immediately for a bond hearing to get your loved one released while the case is pending.

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Removal Defense

Already in immigration court or facing a removal order? We defend Cubans at the trial level, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and in federal court.

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Waivers of Inadmissibility

Certain grounds — including some criminal issues — can be waived. We identify whether a §212(h) or other waiver opens your case back up.

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Family & Work Permits

Bring family members from Cuba and secure a work permit (EAD) so you can work legally while your green card application is in process.

Our Process

What Happens After You Contact Us

Case Strategy Session

We review how and when you entered, your presence in the U.S., and any criminal record — then map every path to a green card, in Spanish or English.

Clear the Obstacles

If a conviction is in the way, we attack it: challenge whether it counts under immigration law, pursue post-conviction relief, or identify a waiver.

File for Your Green Card

We prepare and file your Cuban Adjustment Act application (and work permit) and handle every request from immigration officials.

Defend You If Needed

If you're detained or in removal proceedings, we represent you through bond, immigration court, and appeals — all the way to federal court.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Cuban Clients Ask Us Most

The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 lets many Cuban nationals apply for a green card after being physically present in the U.S. for at least one year — without the usual family- or employment-based wait. You generally must have been inspected and admitted or paroled, be admissible (or eligible for a waiver), and meet the one-year presence requirement. We review your entry documents and record to confirm you qualify.
Possibly. A drug conviction can make you inadmissible and block the green card the Act would otherwise give you — but it is not always the end of the road. We analyze whether the conviction actually counts as a controlled-substance offense under federal immigration law, whether the plea can be vacated through post-conviction relief, and whether a narrow waiver applies. This is exactly the kind of case our firm focuses on.
This is a heavily litigated question. Whether a release on an I-220A counts as a "parole" for Cuban Adjustment Act purposes depends on evolving case law and the specific facts of your case. Don't assume you're ineligible — bring your documents to us so we can evaluate your options under the current state of the law.
Call us at 813-335-4938. We handle emergency detention situations. The first step is locating your family member in the ICE detainee locator and requesting a bond hearing before an immigration judge. Many people are released while their case is pending — but you need an attorney to present the hearing effectively.
Yes. Our team serves clients in English, Spanish, and Arabic, so you always have someone who understands you and can explain every step of your case in your own language.
The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Immigration law changes frequently and every case turns on its own facts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contacting American Dream Law Office® does not create an attorney-client relationship until a written agreement is signed.

Let's Look at Your Case Together

If you're Cuban and worried a conviction or a detention closed the door — let us be the ones to check. Schedule a case review with Attorney Ahmad Yakzan.

Schedule Your Case Review 813-335-4938 Toll-Free 888-963-7326

Se habla español · Serving Tampa, Miami, Orlando & clients nationwide

American Dream Law Office®, PLLC  ·  Ahmad Yakzan, Immigration Attorney  ·  813-335-4938

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