Airport Detention of Lawful Permanent Residents

Houston Deportation Defense for Green Card Holders Detained at IAH or Hobby

A green card is not a right to re-entry. Lawful permanent residents returning from international travel can be stopped at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) or William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), pulled into CBP secondary inspection, and detained before their families even know what has happened. The situation feels sudden, but it isn’t random. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) runs background checks on returning non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents, and has the authority to initiate removal proceedings at the airport.

Detention at IAH or Hobby doesn’t mean deportation is decided. Legal remedies remain available, and the earlier an attorney is involved, the better positioned you are to use them. Galaviz Law Firm, PLLC handles airport detention cases for lawful permanent residents throughout the Houston area. Our team is accessible when these emergencies arise, and we provide full services in English and Spanish.

Have you or a loved one been detained at a Texas airport? Call Galaviz Law Firm, PLLC to speak with our Houston deportation attorney at (713) 597-5642 for immediate help.

Key Reasons CBP May Detain a Returning Lawful Permanent Resident

CBP officers at Houston-area airports follow federal guidelines when screening returning residents. Lawful permanent residents aren’t automatically permitted to re-enter the U.S. under all circumstances.

Reasons for airport detention include if the lawful permanent resident:

• Left the U.S. for more than six months
• Abandoned their lawful permanent resident status
• Was involved in illegal activity outside the U.S.
• Committed a felony or crime of moral turpitude

When CBP determines an LPR may be inadmissible, it can issue a Notice to Appear (NTA), which formally initiates removal proceedings and states the grounds for the case. The officer may also refer the person to ICE for transfer to a detention facility such as the Houston Contract Detention Facility. Receiving an NTA doesn’t mean deportation is the outcome. Legal remedies including 212(h) waivers, cancellation of removal, and adjustment of status in court may remain available. CBP makes the initial inadmissibility determination, but only an immigration judge can issue a final removal order.

What to Do & What to Avoid During Airport Detention

The decisions made in the first hours of an airport detention can shape the entire case. Knowing what is and isn’t required of you before CBP starts asking questions can make a real difference.

Required Answers
During secondary inspection, you’re required to answer questions related to your identity, your permanent resident status, and standard customs matters. Broader questioning goes beyond that scope.

Form I-407
CBP may present Form I-407, a record of voluntary abandonment of lawful permanent resident status. Signing surrenders your green card and can be very difficult to undo once processed. Don’t sign Form I-407 without speaking to an attorney first.

If CBP Takes Your Green Card
Request an I-551 stamp in your passport. This stamp serves as temporary proof of permanent resident status while your case is pending.

Documents Generally
Read anything carefully before signing. If you don’t understand the language, request an interpreter.

Requesting a Hearing
You have the right to request a hearing before an immigration judge rather than accepting a CBP determination at the airport. Only an immigration judge can revoke permanent resident status. CBP isn’t required to provide you with an attorney during the detention itself, but you can and should request to speak to one. That request goes on the record. Contact a deportation attorney in Houston as soon as the initial detention period allows.

What Green Card Holders Stand to Lose & What They’re Entitled To

Lawful permanent resident status carries significant legal rights. It also carries conditions. A removal order puts both sides of that equation at direct risk.

Under U.S. law, green card holders have the right to live and work permanently in the U.S., protected by U.S. law. These are rights that residents and their families have built their entire lives around. A removal order can take them away.

LPR status is a legal privilege, not an absolute right. The government can initiate removal proceedings when the conditions of that status are violated. Grounds that can make a green card holder deportable include crimes of moral turpitude such as murder, manslaughter, or robbery; smuggling; marriage fraud, voting fraud, or document fraud; and other violations of U.S. law. An aggravated felony conviction is among the most serious grounds, affecting not just re-entry but the availability of relief in immigration court. Understanding which grounds apply and which defenses are available is the core of what removal defense involves.

How Galaviz Law Firm, PLLC Handles Airport Detention Cases in Houston

Airport detention cases involving lawful permanent residents are among the highest-stakes matters in immigration law. They often turn on prior criminal history, the specific grounds CBP cited, and whether the right steps were taken before counsel was involved. Our firm handles exactly this kind of case.

Our Track Record in Removal Defense

We have represented lawful permanent residents who kept their green cards despite prior aggravated felony convictions. We’ve secured the release of clients from immigration detention facilities and pursued bond hearings before the Houston Immigration Court. These are past results for prior clients, not a promise about what any individual case will produce, but they reflect the experience we bring to airport detention matters.

Criminal-Immigration Intersection & Local Court Knowledge

A significant portion of our airport detention work involves the intersection of Texas criminal charges and immigration status. A conviction that appears minor under Texas law can trigger deportability grounds under federal immigration statutes. We handle both the immigration court proceedings and the criminal-immigration analysis. We’re also deeply familiar with the Houston Immigration Court and local USCIS field offices, which lets us give clients realistic procedural timelines rather than generic estimates.

Attorney Background & Consultation Process

Attorney Abraham J. Galaviz founded Galaviz Law Firm, PLLC in 2013. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and an alumnus of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Initial consultations include a full review of the case’s strengths and potential obstacles so clients understand what they’re facing before any hearing. Our firm also volunteers in the Houston community, providing free legal advice at immigration rights workshops.

Contact Our Houston Deportation Defense Attorneys

Airport detentions happen without warning, and the window to act is narrow. Whether you’re a family member trying to reach a detained loved one or a resident who has just been released and needs counsel immediately, we make it a priority to be reachable when these situations arise. We offer full services in English and Spanish so language is never a barrier during the moments that matter most.

From requesting a bond hearing before the Houston Immigration Court to building the strongest possible record for an individual merits hearing, we pursue available legal strategies to protect your permanent resident status. If you or a family member has been detained at IAH, Hobby Airport, or another Texas port of entry, contact our deportation defense attorneys now.

Detained at the airport? Contact us at (713) 597-5642 for assistance today.