In this episode of the Alejandra Campos Podcast, attorney Alejandra Campos introduces a new member of the Campos Law Firm team: attorney Néstor Rodríguez. But the conversation goes beyond his title. His story is that of an immigrant who started from zero and now uses everything he lived through to guide the Latino community.
From Bogotá to the United States, After an Attempt on His Life
Néstor is from Bogotá, Colombia. He comes from a humble family displaced by violence; his grandparents and parents served in Colombia’s National Police. He graduated as a lawyer there and took his very first case all the way to Colombia’s Supreme Court, and won.
The problem was who he was litigating against: the National Police. Warnings started arriving telling him to stop, and then came an attempt on his life.
In the United States he met the woman who is now his wife, an American from New Jersey with Colombian roots. Newly married and with no money, they set out to start over.
“We arrived with nothing, like every immigrant, with a little suitcase and our dreams.”
From lawyer in Colombia to cleaning bathrooms
Their first car cost $500. Néstor remembers a day when they couldn’t pay a toll and he had to pull over to search for coins the previous owner had left behind.
He and his wife shoveled snow every day. He went from being a lawyer in Colombia to cleaning bathrooms in the United States. “There are days when you ask yourself: what am I doing here?”
He started his immigration process at a time of deep uncertainty. He went to his interview in New York as nervous as the clients he now serves at the firm. The officer reviewed the photos of his marriage and approved his green card.
“I feel nostalgic when I see our clients nervous, because I was there too.”
The Army as a Way In
With his green card, Néstor followed advice he had heard from his uncles: the easiest way to move forward in a new society is military service. He walked into a recruiting office just to ask questions. He took the entrance exam without mastering English and did so well they made him retake it. His wife decided to join too, and they both enlisted.
For the first time, he says, someone was explaining how the system worked. In the U.S. Army he found:
- Full health coverage for himself and his family during active duty
- Training and a job: he learned water purification, one of the roles offered to a permanent resident
- The chance to learn English
- A veterans’ home loan: two years in, he bought his house with no down payment
He served almost four years. He left with back and knee injuries, and that’s when he discovered a second stage of benefits: service-connected disability compensation and payment for his U.S. law studies through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), plus scholarships.
Military parole: an option few people know about
While on active duty, Néstor was also able to petition for his parents. Attorney Campos used the moment to explain a little-known option: military parole (parole in place).
This discretionary measure can benefit spouses, children, and parents of active-duty service members, members of the Selected Reserve (including the National Guard), and veterans who entered the country without inspection. If approved, it may allow them to fix their status inside the United States, without leaving the country, as long as they qualify through another path, such as a family petition.
Military parole is not automatic, and each case is reviewed individually. Talk to an immigration attorney before filing any application.
Prosecutor in Colorado: What He Saw in Court
After graduating, Néstor faced the bar exam. He didn’t pass the first time; he passed on his second attempt and earned his license in Colorado.
A judge, also an immigrant, became his mentor and encouraged him to learn to litigate in court. His first job was as a prosecutor in El Paso County, Colorado. His boss was a Navy veteran. For seven months he worked Sunday through Sunday.
At first appearances, prosecutors review each case in a few minutes and make an offer. That’s where he saw the problem that brought him to Campos Law Firm:
“Immigrants came in scared, not understanding the interpretation or the local law, and they asked me: ‘Mr. Prosecutor, what should I do?’ And I couldn’t tell them, because it’s not ethical.”
That helplessness led him to look for a firm that shared his values. A friend who works at Campos Law Firm told him about Attorney Campos, and he decided to join with one conviction: the Latino community needs more bilingual attorneys.
The Mistakes He Saw Most as a Prosecutor
Néstor and Attorney Campos agree on the cases that most often bring immigrants to court:
- Domestic violence
- DUI (driving under the influence)
- Driving without registration or with someone else’s plates, for example in a car you just bought
And on the costliest mistake: saying too much. Néstor saw many people admit everything they were accused of in front of the judge, at a recorded hearing, without knowing an attorney could negotiate lesser charges that wouldn’t affect their immigration case.
“The best lesson is to be careful about what you say. That is a confession being recorded.”
A criminal charge can affect your immigration case even if it seems minor. Before you plead guilty, talk to an attorney.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for Teens
Many parents with asylum cases ask Néstor what to do about their teenage children. His advice: check whether they qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), which allows unmarried children under 21 to get a green card when a state court finds they cannot reunify with one or both parents due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
“If your child qualifies, it’s the best investment you can make. With a green card, they can get student loans, scholarships, or join the Army.”
Néstor’s Message: Don’t Give Up
For anyone about to throw in the towel, Néstor has three pieces of advice:
- Don’t give up. Every immigrant reaches the moment of missing family, food, and familiar noise. Latinos are fighters.
- Fix yourhttps://camposlawfirm.com/practice-areas/immigration/ immigration status. With a green card, the only limits are the ones you set.
- Keep a clean record. If you have a DUI or a domestic violence case, call an attorney now, not when an opportunity to fix your status opens up.
Attorney Campos closed by reminding viewers about the emergency button in the Campos Law Firm app: if police stop you, stay silent, say you want to speak with your attorney, and press the button. The team is available 24 hours a day.
👉 If you need legal support, contact us at +1 (844) 922-6767. At Campos Law Firm, consultations are FREE.
