708-831-1800

 

Immigration law with a unique perspective.

Brenda founded Pathways Immigration Law in 2014. She represents clients in a wide variety of immigration matters, from asylum to naturalization.

Brenda began her career in immigration law in 2002 as an Asylum Officer. During her five-year tenure with the Chicago Asylum Office, she adjudicated Form I-589 Applications for Asylum and Withholding of Removal, as well as "credible fear" and "reasonable fear" cases and adjustment of status cases under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA).

In 2007, Brenda was promoted to Senior Adjudications Officer with the USCIS Chicago Field Office, where she handled the most complicated cases involving Writs of Mandamus, National Security, and Waivers. In this position, she worked in each of the three office branches: Adjudications, Citizenship, and Customer Service.

As the Senior Officer in the Adjudications Branch, Brenda adjudicated Form I-485 Applications for Permanent Residence, Form I-485 Supplement A Adjustment of Status under Section 245(i), Form I-130 Immigrant Petitions for Alien Relative, Form I-140 Immigrant Petitions for Alien Worker, Form I-601 Applications for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, Form I-602 Applications by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability, Form I-864 Affidavits of Support, and Form I-693 Medical Examinations. Brenda also developed training materials on adjudication protocols and legal writing.

As the Senior Officer in the Citizenship Branch, Brenda adjudicated Form N-400 Applications for Naturalization, Form N-648 Medical Certifications, and Form N-336 Naturalization Appeals. She also succeeded in overturning numerous wrongfully denied applications for U.S. citizenship on appeal.

As the Senior Officer in the Customer Service Branch, Brenda adjudicated Form I-751 Petitions to Remove the Conditions of Residence, and was the only officer in the Chicago office appointed to adjudicate waivers of the joint filing requirement based on battery or extreme cruelty (also known as "I-751 abuse waivers"). She handled applications for Parole in Place for military family members, Section 289 registration of permanent resident status for American Indians born in Canada, Form I-824 Applications for Action on an Approved Petition, Form I-102 Applications for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document, N-600 Applications for Certificate of Citizenship, Form I-131 Applications for Travel Document, and Form I-821 Applications for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Brenda earned special commendation from several immigration attorneys and community-based organizations representing immigrants for her outstanding, compassionate service for victims of domestic violence and for undocumented military family members seeking parole in place. She also conducted training sessions for the Immigration Services Officers on various aspects of the adjudication process.

Brenda obtained her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and her B.A. from the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. At DePaul, she was a member of the prestigious Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Comparative Law for her outstanding academic achievement.

Brenda is licensed to practice in Illinois and Minnesota.