Other Immigration Law INS mess

[quagmine]

Background: Came to the States with my parents in 1958 when I was 7 or just turned 8 YO. Mother was born here but absent too long, over 10 years. Father naturalized before I was 16 YO. I had a green card A-%^&$*^ perment resident. During the 70's when I turned 21, I foolishly believed I was an automatic Citizan----WRONG. I fall into a 2 year period making me ineligible to become a Citizan through my Father's Naturalization papers. My brother which is younger fell into a different bracked and is a Citizen under my Dad.
This is meaningless but I believed I became a Citizan when turning 21. So I never renewed this perment resident card.
I'm past 55, lived here continousely since 1958, have an Amarican born wife and 3 american Born children.
Needing a renewed Driver's License, I went to get a replacement SS card. I was told that I have NO STATUS. A real shock to me. Now I have no idea what to expect and the lawyers I spoke with all said I would be DEPORTED. Maybe a scare tactic?
THIS is my Country--America, always has been. I have no idea when it expired and all I have is the number on the card when I was a lot younger.
Is this deportation a for real ? I know I need an attorney but I only want the best if he/she can be found.
Anyone know what I can expect if I try to get this mess straightened out?
If deportation is a reality, I have no motive to persue this at all. I've even been able to be a registered Voter for years and this came as a horrible surprise.
Can anyone who knows be of any assistance. I find this extremely depressing. I came with my parents from England and I'm needing this mess fixed but want to know all that's ahead of me. If deportation with losing my Family is a reality, I'll be happy to move to Canada first. no smiles here today.
Many Thanks~!

 

[NYClex]

yikes, this is a mess. There are several problems here, so you need a good attorney to sort it all out.

 

[gilbert]

Had to re-register.
Thanks NYClex,
Can you be more specific as to the problems? Secondly, Lawyers............I find 2 kind of immigration lawyers. I live in a small city where the immigration lawyers are 1st accident case lawyers.
#1, "we can do ANYTHING----PAY ME". To test them, I even told some that I was in a prison under another name and said "NO PROBLEM" which to me is insane and an untrue fact I tossed in.
#2, "there's nothing you (I) can do or I (lawyer) would be more than glad to help me, but I will be DEPORTED".

The #2 type are free consultation lawyers, which all 1st consultations should be to see if they can help. If they believed I had a case, they would get happy to help and take my money.
My old Green Card had no expiration date at all but this 1996 law seems to have jammed me.
KC Missouri area, who is a good and HONEST lawyer who can deliver?

Can you share what specific problems you see me facing? Unless I "CAN" find an HONEST lawyer, I'll never try to get this mess fixed although I really would like to fix this mess.
My problem with lawyers is that I am not stupid and know where the bear .. since I was raised in NYC.
"Good Immigration Lawyer" is like finding chicken teeth. The INS says "Come on down" and fill out the replacement forms but I don't trust them.

I really need help. How can I be deported when every living Faimly member is in the States with me.
I haven't found any lawyers who say they can do anything except the ones who will take my money and promice me the world.
The ones who tell me for free what they can or can't do, are the ones I'm more inclined to trust but they are of no help. All those have told me DEPORTATION. I'm not going anywhere unless I'm physically removed.
I need HELP -- specific help. No lawyer I've spoken with, person to person has been of any help to me or has given me anything to look foreward to that is positive except some amnesty deal???. ALL will take my money except for the ones who I've seen and said they could not be of any help.

Can this be worked out in my favor?? If I can find a lawyer, can I go somewhere to check out their record of success? Gosh, this is very dismal...............

 

[AJTatty]

Advice on Finding an Immigration Lawyer

There are very few competent immigration lawyers in Missouri. Be careful.

The first question you should ask the lawyer is whether he or she is a member of AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) and, if so, how long he or she has been a member. If the lawyer is not an AILA member, you should turn and run.... don't walk....

Immigration law is very specialized and the law constantly is changing. Lawyers who are competent immigration lawyers do nothing else but immigration law. The sub-specialties within immigration practice are so varied that even lawyers who do nothing but immigration are not generally competent in all aspects of immigration law.

You should check out AILA's site at AILA.org. The best immigration law web site developed and maintained by an immigration law firm is VisaPage.com.

The INS office Kansas City,
Missouri 64153:
9747 North Conant Ave.,
(816) 891-0603

If you go there, they will tell you the names of the few immigration lawyers who handle the vast majority of the cases there.

I hope this helps.