Shahid Haque

Shahid Haque dedicates his practice to helping immigrants obtain legal status in the United States and pursue all that the country has to offer. Mr. Haque assists clients with a wide variety of immigration matters, including applications with the consulates abroad and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, representing clients arrested by the Department of Homeland Security, and defending immigrants in deportation proceedings in Immigration Court.

Mr. Haque represents well over a thousand immigrants and their families all across Montana, and has been in contact with over a thousand other immigrants in Montana through his advocacy efforts. He has internalized their stories, understands their feelings and anxieties, and is one of the few people in Montana who has a broad and clear picture of the diverse immigrant communities throughout Montana, from Glacier to Yellowstone — and in all the small communities all along the way.

Mr. Haque helps clients with a wide variety of family and employment based visas. He has won asylum for over twenty refugees who fled from their home countries to escape torture, persecution, and death on account of their political or religious beliefs. He has also won cancellation of removal for numerous clients in contested deportation proceedings — one of the most difficult forms of relief to win due to its high burden of proof.

In 2013, he filed a class action lawsuit against the Montana Highway Patrol to challenge its practice of detaining Latino drivers and passengers solely for the purpose of checking into their immigration status. In 2015, he prevailed with a judgment in his favor. Under a new policy, troopers cannot ask about immigration status based solely on a person’s race, ethnicity or language abilities. Nor can they demand drivers or passengers tell them their immigration status or detain people who choose not to answer. Montana is now one of the only states with a clear policy prohibiting this conduct.

• Citizenship and Naturalization
• Criminal Immigration Violations
• Worksite Compliance with Immigration Laws

• Credit Cards Accepted
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Flat fees offered for many types of cases; affordable monthly payment plans can be arranged.

Illinois

Since 2005

Montana

Since 2007

Managing Partner

Border Crossing Law Firm, P.C.

2008 - Current

Representing immigrants in a wide variety of matters, including family and business related visa processing, adjustment of status, green cards, asylum, removal and deportation defense, and citizenship and naturalization services.

Director

Montana Immigrant Justice Alliance ("MIJA")

2008 - Current

The Montana Immigrant Justice Alliance (MIJA) is a statewide organization focused on immigrant justice issues. The acronym for the organization, mija, is an affectionate abbreviation of mi hija which means my daughter in Spanish. We chose this name because we believe that family unity is an important and fundamental human right, and one that many migrants are denied. Over the last decade, the State of Montana has experienced growth in the numbers of migrants arriving here in search of work and a better life for their families. With the influx of migrants, we have witnessed a host of new challenges and injustices. Migrants are commonly confronted with financial, food and housing insecurity, racial prejudice, language barriers, cultural and political barriers, overt hostility to their presence, and inability to access services. Over the years, many groups and individuals have been doing impressive work on behalf of immigrants in Montana. The goal of this organization is to expand our power and influence by combining our efforts.

Associate Attorney

Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven, P.C.

2007 - 2008

Practicing before administrative agencies in numerous public service, labor, and taxation proceedings. Practicing immigration law and representing immigrants in a wide variety of matters.

Associate Attorney

Howrey LLP

2007 - 2007

Litigated class actions, complex commercial litigation, RICO and consumer fraud claims by taking depositions, conducting research, and drafting legal pleadings, memoranda and motions. Maintained active pro bono practice and represented a refugee in Immigration Court proceedings.

Associate Attorney

Jenner & Block, LLP

2005 - 2007

Drafted legal pleadings, memoranda and motions, including numerous dispositive motions. Researched and analyzed a wide variety of legal issues, including the validity of putative class claims, civil RICO and consumer fraud claims. Maintained a lively pro bono practice: Won asylum for three refugees; defended two clients from removal in Immigration Court and represented one client in an application before the Chicago Asylum Office. Prepared immigration paperwork for clients, including applications for Legal Permanent Resident status and visa petitions for family members; reunited a Togolese refugee with her three children. Worked with the Tax Assistance Program to prepare federal and state tax returns for low-income individuals and families.

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology

J.D

2002 - 2005

Honors: High Honors; Order of the Coif; West Publishing Award for the highest GPA in the class, 2002-2003; Bar & Gavel Award for outstanding service to the community; CALI Award for highest grade in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Federal Courts.

Bar & Gavel Award for outstanding service to the community.

Chicago-Kent College of Law

2005

Awards for highest grade in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Federal Courts classes in law school.

CALI

2005

West Publishing Award for the highest GPA in the class of 2002-03.

West Publishing

Immigration West, Inc.

Executive Director

2008 - Current

Border Crossing Law Firm, P.C.

Managing Partner

2008 - Current

Helena International Affairs Council

Appointed Member

2008 - Current

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

Member

2007 - Current

Business and Commercial Litigation in the Federal Courts: RICO (Contributing Editor)

Thomson West, 2d Edition

2006

Beyond Hoffman Plastic: Reforming National Labor Relations Policy to Conform to the Immigration Reform and Control Act

Chicago-Kent Law Review

2004

Juris Doctor, with High Honors

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology