Kelly M. Chicas

Kelly M. Chicas has dedicated her legal career exclusively to the practice of immigration law. With significant expertise in areas such as deportation defense, she has handled cases involving cancellation of removal, 212(c) and 212(h) waivers, de novo TPS claims, and bond hearings. Her experience extends to family-based immigration, including adjustment of status and consular processing, as well as visas for immigrant survivors of domestic violence and crime victims.

Ms. Chicas is also well-versed in obtaining waivers for issues like fraud, crimes, health-related bars, and prior deportations. She provides guidance on citizenship and naturalization, nonimmigrant visas, asylum, NACARA, and humanitarian relief such as temporary protected status and parole. Her clients benefit from her representation before Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and various U.S. consulates and embassies.

Ms. Chicas holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish and a B.A. in English from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio. Her interest in immigration law was sparked during her time as an ESL teacher at a non-profit organization assisting immigrants and refugees in northeast Ohio.

During law school, she furthered her passion by working with an employment-based immigration law firm and a non-profit aiding migrant and seasonal farmworkers in southwest Michigan. After graduating, she began her career at a busy immigration law firm in Miami, Florida, in 2006. In 2007, she joined a Dallas, Texas, immigration law firm, where she played a key role in expanding the firm's practice.

Before her current position at the Law Offices of Michael G. Matthews, Ms. Chicas honed her skills and built a reputation for excellence in the field of immigration law.