Portland Immigration Attorneys

Candace was born overseas and her father is a naturalized U.S. citizen. She fondly remembers watching him take the oath of citizenship while waving her American flag. He inspires her love for immigration.

She grew up in Oregon and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping in this beautiful state. She spent a year living in France, and hopes to move back one day, although her French has grown a little rusty. She loves to travel and meet new people from all over the world. She is married to her best friend and together they have three small children.

Candace graduated from Willamette University College of Law. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon where she graduated with departmental honors. She is a member of the Oregon State Bar and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

Languages: English

Claire Fawcett graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2013 and is a member of the California State Bar and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

Claire moved to Oregon in 2020 with her family. She worked at Immigration Counseling Service (ICS) in Portland, Oregon as the Unaccompanied Children’s Program Managing Attorney for a year and a half before joining Vanderwall Immigration.

Prior to her work in Oregon, Claire practiced immigration law in the San Francisco Bay Area, primarily working in non-profit organizations, where she specialized in U-visas, removal defense, and working with unaccompanied children.

Claire grew up in Hanover, Pennsylvania and attended college at Haverford College outside of Philadelphia. She graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Spanish. She spent a semester studying in Xalapa, Veracruz, where she learned Spanish. After graduation, she worked as a legal assistant in the areas of employment, consumer, and housing law. Because the majority of the clients with whom she worked were undocumented, she realized that often they felt they had to make a decision between asserting their rights and being deported or staying in the shadows. For that reason, she became passionate about helping people gain legal status.

Languages: English, Spanish

Alicia was born and raised in Hillsboro Oregon along with her 12 brothers and sisters. Half of Alicia’s siblings came to America as refugees and have since been able to petition for their siblings and parents to join them in the US. Family gatherings at the Vial homestead are very exciting with over 70 family members, representing 3 different nationalities and speaking 8 languages.

Alicia and her husband raise their four children on their farm, along with approx. 15 head of cattle, 5 horses, and a multitude of sheep and chickens.

In 2002-2003, Alicia spent a year and a half in the Indian Ocean learning French on the Islands of Mauritius and La Reunion. Upon returning she continued her studies in anthropology at BYU-Hawaii, where she decided to learn Spanish. Alicia then completed her senior ethnography project in Momostenango Guatemala. She continues to visit as often as possible to spend time with the family who took her in while there as a young student. Alicia completed her Law Degree at BYU Law in Utah and spent as much time as possible during law school traveling and volunteering doing non-profit work. Alicia runs a non-profit which supports sustainable humanitarian businesses in various countries in Africa.

Alicia loves the complexity and happy endings she gets to play a part in with immigration law. Alicia is a member of American Immigration Lawyers Associates (AILA).

Languages: English, Spanish

Lucie was born and raised in Paris, France. Since she was a child and likely due to the influence of American movies, she dreamt of living in the United States. She decided to make her dream come true, and after graduating with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Paris X, she traveled to California to learn English. Lucie’s first time in America only reinforced her goal to settle in the U.S. one day. Upon returning to France, she continued to learn English to ensure she could practice law in America. Lucie graduated Valedictorian with a Master of International and European Law from the Catholic Institute of Paris and a Master of Law at the University Of Denver, CO. She successfully passed the New York Bar and started her career in Immigration Law in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout her studies across the world and work experience in Chicago, Illinois, she has realized the importance of diversity. As an immigrant herself, Lucie recognizes and values the needs of immigrants and is eager to contribute to the service that Vanderwall Immigration provides them. Because Lucie relates to our clients, she enjoys helping them make their American dream come true.

She moved to Oregon in January 2023 and loves exploring new hiking places and watching the pine trees. She has two U.S. citizen cats and hopes she will one day become a U.S. citizen herself. Lucie is currently learning Spanish at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, and is excited to become trilingual.

Languages: English, French

Francesca was born in Banbury, England, outside of Oxford and moved to the United States as a young child. She has travelled back and forth and lived in both England and Ireland as an adult. As a child she lived in California and Louisiana and moved to Portland, Oregon for college when she was 18 years old to study history, delving deep into her love of other cultures and world travel. She then moved back to California and attended University of San Diego, School of Law and obtained her Juris Doctorate in 2020 with a concentration in International Law. She also received the Outstanding Child Advocate Award for her work and research on the separation of immigrant families at the border. She successfully took the bar and was admitted into both the New York Bar as well as the District of Columbia Bar. She began practicing as an asylum defense attorney in San Diego, CA working with both detained and non-detained asylum seekers throughout southern California. She has extensive experience representing African asylum seekers and LGBTQ+ asylum seekers; she has worked with clients in removal since 2018. In 2023 she completed her Masters in International Relations at University of San Diego.

She moved back to Portland, OR in March of 2024 and is excited to be able to regularly visit her favorite bookstore in the United States, Powells. She is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a bonus mom to two beautiful children.

Languages: English

Originally from Argentina, Paula was brought to the United States by her parents in 1999. Just two weeks later she started high school in California without speaking a word of English. She remembers how hard it was to communicate with her teachers, but also remembers how patient and helpful they were with her. In 2000, Paula and her family moved to Oregon, where she graduated from Wilsonville High School in 2003 and right after she attended Clackamas Community College for one year for general studies.

Paula worked many different jobs out of high school, searching for the career she was passionate about. Being undocumented herself, she suffered much mistreatment and many disappointments throughout her search. Before working at Vanderwall Immigration, Paula was familiar with some immigration applications and helped her family members to obtain their residency. That is when Paula realized that she really enjoyed helping people change their lives through immigration.

In 2009, Paula married her soulmate surrounded by her family and friends. She became a U.S. Citizen in 2012 and a mom to a beautiful boy in 2013. Paula enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She loves getting together with her parents to eat a traditional Argentinian “Asado” every week where they only speak Spanish, so that her son is ready for his first trip to Argentina.

Languages: English, Spanish

Karla was born in Mexico and was brought to the U.S. as a young child. She grew up undocumented for many years, until in 2012 she was able to benefit from the program known as DACA. The enaction of this program deeply and positively impacted her life. She began her career in the immigration field that same year. In 2017 she married her soulmate and in 2019 she became a permanent resident; very soon, she will be able to become a naturalized citizen.

Karla’s journey through her own complex immigration process has provided her with invaluable lessons that she is able to implement when speaking and working with clients. She loves to dedicate her time and energy assisting and empowering immigrants as a way to give back to her community. Karla hopes to continue to serve some of the most vulnerable members of our community and their families for many years to come through her work at Vanderwall immigration.

In her free time, Karla loves spending time with her family. She and her husband enjoy taking their son outdoors and finding new places for hiking and camping. Being new from California to the Pacific Northwest, she cannot wait to discover everything it has to offer.

Languages: English, Spanish

Erika, born and raised in Oregon, hails from a Mexican heritage. While she was born in the United States, Spanish was her primary language during her early years. Erika encountered academic challenges in elementary school due to the language barrier, leading her to attend ESL classes to master English. Despite the difficulties, she successfully graduated from ESL before progressing to middle school, marking one of her many accomplishments.

Her lifelong residence in Oregon has fostered a deep appreciation for its rainy climate, which, in her view, offers the finest weather. Erika possesses a strong passion for assisting those in need, firmly believing in the importance of mutual support during both favorable and challenging times. She recognizes that everyone requires assistance at some point in their life’s journey.

Beyond her professional life, Erika treasures moments spent with her family, friends, and beloved daughter. Her daughter serves as her greatest source of motivation, shaping her into the person she has become. Erika’s interests extend to the art of humor, forging new friendships, and embarking on explorations across the diverse landscapes of Oregon.

She holds the conviction that every obstacle and hardship encountered in life ultimately leads to a rewarding outcome, provided one maintains patience, makes necessary sacrifices, and conquers the hurdles. Erika lives by Ronald Reagan’s wisdom: “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

Languages: English, Spanish

Gisela was born and raised in California. Her family is originally from Mexico City and recently became Legal Permanent Residents of the United States. She is a first generation Mexican-American. Gisela graduated from University of La Verne with a major in Criminology. She recently moved to Oregon in 2021 and is excited for the cooler weather.

Prior to joining Vanderwall Immigration, Gisela worked as a Legal Advocate for Survivors of Domestic Violence. Gisela advocated for clients seeking U-Visa and VAWA. Gisela understood the importance of advocating for limited English clients through legal processes. Gisela also remembers the struggles that her parents went through in obtaining their Legal Permanent Residency, and wants to continue advocating for clients through their immigration process. Gisela enjoys dancing and exploring new restaurants.

Languages: English, Spanish

Baudelia was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Her family is from the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, and she’s a first-generation Mexican-American. She spent much of her childhood traveling back and forth between Cuidad Juarez and El Paso as the majority of her family still lived in Juarez. She has many fond memories of her childhood and family holidays in Juarez. She later moved to San Antonio and graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University with a degree in biology. She worked as a math and science tutor for a long time because she enjoys helping people. Baudelia used to volunteer at the immigrant shelters back in El Paso, with her father when she’d go visit home. It was through this that she began to learn even more about the immigration process and how truly complex it is. Baudelia chose to become a paralegal after her volunteer work because she has seen many of her family members go through the immigration process and knows how difficult it can be. She felt that she could continue to help people through this type of work.

In her free time, Baude likes to spend time with her husband and their two cats. She and her husband enjoy bird-watching together and going to new restaurants. She also loves to read and play video games. As recent transplants from Texas, they are looking forward to enjoying all the Pacific Northwest has to offer. 

Languages: English, Spanish

Adriana was born and raised in Oregon. She graduated from Portland State University with a major in Criminal Justice and Criminology and a minor in Anthropology. Adriana is a first generation Mexican-American and Indigenous raised by her immigrant parents. She also remembers interpreting for her parents at a young age and today. Her first language is Spanish, and is currently learning her native language Triqui.

Prior to working at Vanderwall Immigration, Adriana has worked as a Legal Assistant and Latina Advocate for domestic/sexual violence and human trafficking. Adriana understood the importance of advocating for those who are not able to speak for themselves and explain complex systems. Adriana chose to be a paralegal after seeing her family struggle with the immigration process and language barriers. She wants to continue her education and attend law school to continue helping her community.

In her free time she loves to spend time with her animals she has three dogs, one rabbit, and a lot of chickens. She loves to paint/draw, spend time with her family and go on hikes. She likes to read, arrange flowers, and run.

Languages: English, Spanish

Adam was born and raised in Pennsylvania. In 2022 he graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. with a major in International Relations and spent time studying abroad in Chile. After graduating, Adam interned with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) to advocate for more just and fair policies regarding immigration and the refugee resettlement process. Working with and alongside refugees, immigrants, and people from around the world has been a great blessing to learn about different cultures and ways of life. He is excited to work and learn from such an amazing and experienced team here at Vanderwall Immigration.

In his free time, Adam enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and girlfriend. He loves to travel and try new foods. He looks forward to exploring the Pacific Northwest, spending time on its many hiking trails, and enjoying the beautiful landscapes the region has to offer.

Languages: English & Spanish

Jericka Diaz, born in Dominican Republic, embarked on a transformative journey to the United States at the age of 6, alongside her mother, following her father's petition. Navigating the complexities of a new culture and language proved to be a formidable challenge, shaping Jericka's resilience from an early age.

In her formative years, Jericka's commitment to her new homeland culminated in her attainment of US citizenship during her early twenties, marking a significant milestone in her life journey.

As Jericka pursued higher education, she found her calling in aiding individuals navigating the complexities of immigration processes. She began working as an immigration form preparer in the vibrant milieu of New York City. She refined her skills over seven years, motivated by a deep desire to aid those struggling with language barriers.

Driven by a dual passion for criminal justice and immigration advocacy, Jericka embarked on a quest for knowledge, earning her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Monroe College. Subsequently, she transitioned into a law enforcement role for some years.

Relocating to Oregon with her family in 2019, Jericka seized the opportunity to integrate her diverse skill set, merging her law enforcement background with her expertise in immigration affairs. Embracing her role as an immigration paralegal in Portland, she continues to advocate for the rights of immigrants, drawing on her distinctive combination of experience and empathy.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Jericka finds comfort in the company of her loved ones, cherishing moments spent with family. She also values moments of solitude, finding relaxation in quiet contemplation. Additionally, she enjoys music as a source of personal enjoyment.

Languages: Spanish & English

Michelle was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She is a daughter of Mexican-Immigrants, originally from Zacatecas, Mexico. Michelle graduated from the University of Oregon in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minored in Legal Studies and Philosophy. She plans to attend Law School in the near future. Michelle has over three years of experience working with the Immigration community in the state of Oregon. Helping such a special community motivates her day after day.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, going to bookstores to find new fiction novels to read, trying new coffee shops in the Pacific Northwest with friends and going to Pilates on the weekends. If Michelle is out of the office, she is likely visiting family in Mexico.

Languages: English and Spanish

Lyllyan is a first generation Mexican-American, born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Portland State University in 2023 and began working in the legal field as a legal assistant for Catholic Charities of Oregon.

Being a daughter of immigrants herself, Lyllyan has seen firsthand the barriers that immigrant families often face. With a passion for helping others navigate the complexities of the immigration system, she is committed to providing exceptional support to individuals and families as a way to advocate for her community.

As she navigates this field, Lyllyan is also eager to further her education by attending law school, where she hopes to specialize in immigration law and continue to make a positive impact in her community.

In her free time, Lyllyan enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, trying new restaurants, going to the gym, and going on last minute adventures.

Languages: English and Spanish

Lesly was born and raised in Hood River, Oregon. She is the daughter of 2 hardworking parents who immigrated from Mexico. Lesly graduated from Oregon State University in 2024 with a degree in Sociology and Crime and Justice.

Prior to working at Vanderwall Immigration, Lesly worked as a legal intern for Immigration Counseling Service in their Hood River office. It was in this internship that Lesly found the career field she truly enjoys working in. In the future, Lesly would like to continue her education and pursue law school.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family whenever she gets the chance to.

Languages: English and Spanish

Sandra was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her family is originally from México. Her first language was Spanglish, which was not correct. So trying to perfect both English and Spanish was a struggle she overcame when she was younger. Her parents always reminded her how important it is to never forget her roots. Now she loves to help translate whenever she sees the need in her everyday life and is super thankful her parents instilled that mentality in her. Being able to speak English and Spanish has helped her find her passion in helping people. She moved to Oregon with her family back in 2008 and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. She attended Western Oregon University to study legal studies and hopes to soon be able to go back to accomplish her dream of one day going to law school.

She loves to explore and try something new every chance she gets. From going to new hiking places to trying a new restaurant. She loves to spend time with her family. Also travels back and forth from Oregon to California to visit family and friends. She is excited to make a difference in people's lives working at Vanderwall Immigration and also within the company. She believes anything is possible, if we work together.

Languages: English, Spanish

Elinyer, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, embodies the essence of empathy, communication prowess, and a wealth of customer service experience. Elinyer has cultivated a career dedicated to fostering meaningful relationships and delivering exceptional service. From his earliest experiences, he recognized the power of empathy to bridge divides and create genuine connections, shaping his approach to communication and service delivery.

Throughout his professional trajectory, Elinyer has honed his communication skills to effectively understand and address the needs of diverse individuals and communities. Through digital channels, he excels in conveying information with clarity, compassion, and authenticity, leaving a lasting impact on those he serves.

Languages: Spanish & English

Jessica has many years of experience in hospitality which has given her a healthy foundation in excellent customer service. She was born and raised in California. She has also lived in the dry desert biomes of southern Utah, the blue-bonnet blanketed central Texas, and finally making the misty side of Oregon her new home. Jessica is a first generation Salvadoran-American. Her parents and older sister emigrated from El Salvador to escape the political upheavals of their country’s civil war to cultivate a more stable livelihood. This gives Jessica an advantage in immigration law from her upbringing.

In her free time, Jessica likes to get her steps in via exploring the rain soaked forests of the Pacific Northwest with her sister and niece. She also enjoys bicycling, camping, live music, and international cuisines.

Languages: English, Spanish

Ximena was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. At 8 years old, Ximena moved to Oregon to join her family in the United States after waiting for her residency to be processed. She graduated from North Salem High School in 2022. Ximena is passionate about helping people with their immigration matters due to her own personal experience. Before coming to the U.S., Ximena had to wait in Mexico without her parents and siblings for one year before her residency was processed. This was a very hard and painful time for her and her family. Being separated from her family made Ximena realize how important it is to keep families united and now, as an adult, she wants to be part of helping people achieve their immigration goals and keep families together.

In her free time, Ximena enjoys hiking and exploring the Oregon trails.

Languages: English, Spanish