Cleveland is home to some outstanding, experienced immigration lawyers and border attorneys. Prominent law schools in the area, world-renowned hospitals and universities, and rich immigration history attracted many attorneys to direct careers toward providing legal help to immigrants.
Immigration Attorney in Cleveland
Richard Thomas Herman
Richard Thomas Herman is a founder of Herman Legal Group, an award-winning immigration law, with the designation of “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report in the field of immigration law firm. Enriching his international experience by living and working in Russia for two years made Herma aware of large and growing immigrant populations in the United States.
Offering free legal consultations, attorneys within Herman Legal Group support and represent clients in all 50 states from its offices in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, and Canada.
Svetlana Schreiber
Svetlana Schreiber is a Cleveland immigration attorney for the extensive Romanian community, but besides immigration law, she specializes in domestic relations, personal injury, worker compensation, and social security cases. Svetlana is a member of AILA (Association of Immigration Lawyers), of its Ohio Chapter, of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Cuyahoga County Bar Association, and the New York State Bar Association.
Irina Vinogradsky
Irina Vinogradsky is a reputation Cleveland Ohio Immigration Lawyer experienced in areas of non-criminal and criminal deportation defense. She represents clients on appeals and motions with the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals, family-based immigration, asylum, naturalization, and consular processing. Irina’s extensive experience in immigration matters qualifies her to provide the best representation in both simple and challenging immigration cases.
Juan Paolo Pasia Sarmiento
Juan Paolo Pasia Sarmiento is the founder and managing attorney of the Sarmiento Immigration Law Firm. Being an immigrant himself, Juan practices on all areas of immigration law, dealing with different types of non-immigrant visas, family, marriage, and employment-based green cards, citizenship and naturalization applications, and asylum and deportation defense.
Sintsirnas & Mueller Co. L.P.A.
Sintsirnas & Mueller Co. L.P.A. is an immigration law office operating in the utmost professionalism with 50 years of combined legal experience. Their attorneys, Caroline Mueller, George Sintsirmas, Spyridon Sintsirmas, and Carmen B. Kluth, can help you with employment visas, family-based visas, asylum matters, visa, and citizen applications, adjustment of status, or obtaining green cards.
Tanya M. Linetsky
Tanya M. Linetsky is a Russian immigrant who has been practicing immigration law for more than a decade, providing clients with individualized representation in immigration matters. Her prominence was awarded the honor “the Pro Bono Hero” by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
The Pinjuh Law Firm
The Pinjuh Law Firm provides exceptional immigration legal services. Practicing immigration law for seventeen years, the office earned several awards to be proud of: Lori Pinjuh- selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star by Cincinnati Magazine in 2005 and the Immigration “Lawyer of the Year” in 2015; The Pinjuh Law Firm – chosen by U.S. News as the Best Law firm in Immigration Law in 2015.
Gus M. Shihab
Gus M. Shihab is a founder of The Law Firm of Shihab & Associates. With more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Shihab provides professional legal help not only to immigrants but also to international investors, businesses, corporations, and employers. Mr. Shihab is fluent in Arabic.
Margaret Wong
Margaret Wong, a founder and managing partner of Margaret W. Wong & Associates, L.L.C., was born in Hong Kong. She is an author of the book The Immigrant’s Way, available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish. Besides in Cleveland, Margaret W. Wong & Associates’ office, L.L.C. is present in eight other cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, and Raleigh.
Robert Brown
Robert Brown is the managing partner at the law office, Brown Immigration Law. As Managing Partner, Robert oversees all of the firm’s practice areas, including employment-based immigration, family-based immigration, removal defense, and compliance work. Brown Immigration Law maintains a global immigration practice, serving clients in Ohio, throughout the country, but also across the world.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a federal agency, is a component of the United States Department of Homeland Security (D.H.S.), that monitors and administers lawful naturalization and immigration to the United States.
USCIS provides services in various domains: Citizenship (Includes the Related Naturalization Process), Working in the United States, Immigration of Family Members, Verifying an Individual’s Legal Right to Work in the United States (E-Verify), Humanitarian Programs, Adoptions, Civic Integration, and Genealogy.
There are more than 200 local offices worldwide, including a local office in Cleveland, Ohio. As USCIS Field offices across the United States, local USCIS office in Cleveland also provides:
- Interviews for all the cases that are non-asylum
- Naturalization ceremonies
- Informative appointments
Local Office in Cleveland
Local office in Cleveland is located in A.J.C. Federal Building, 1240 East 9th Street, Room 501.
Areas that are served by Cleveland USCIS office are:
- Allen
- Ashland
- Ashtabula
- Auglaize
- Carroll
- Columbiana
- Crawford
- Cuyahoga
- Defiance
- Erie
- Fulton
- Geauga
- Hancock
- Hardin
- Henry
- Holmes
- Huron
- Lake
- Lorain
- Lucas
- Mahoning
- Marion
- Medina
- Mercer
- Ottawa
- Paulding
- Portage
- Putnam
- Richland
- Ross
- Sandusky
- Seneca
- Stark
- Summit
- Trumbull
- Tuscarawas
- Union
- Van Wert
- Wayne
- Williams
- Wood
- Wyandot
In order to visit the office, it is necessary to make an appointment. USCIS makes appointments, or people can schedule appointments on their own through InfoPass, an online scheduling appointment service on the USCIS website.
The InfoPass appointments are a free service that allows you to ask questions about immigration directly to the USCIS immigration officer. Online scheduling appointments via InfoPass is not available for people inside the United States, for domestic offices. The office is handicapped accessible. Yet, it is closed on Wednesday.
Case Processing Times in Cleveland
Case processing times for different forms can be checked here. This option allows you to see how long USCIS local office will take to process your case, from the date they have received it. The estimated time range is based on collected data for two previous months.
The processing times in Cleveland for some of the most searched forms are:
I–485 form
Application to register permanent residence or adjust status – 8 to 29 months.
This form is used by applicants who are in the United States on an immigration visa, in order to get a green card (permanent residence). Eligibility for a green card can be based on:
- Employer or family member sponsorship
- Asylee or refugee status for one year or more
N–400 form
Application for Naturalization – 12.5 to 36 months.
This form represents a Citizenship application which is used for naturalization. It is necessary to support the form with photos and the following documents, as stated in filling instructions.
Two types of fees are usually arising from filing this application:
- USCIS filing fee: $640
- Biometrics fee: $85
Eligibility requirements for U.S. citizenship are:
- To be at least 18 years old
- To have a green card for at least five years (three years if you are married to U.S. citizen, or no green card requirement if you have served U.S. military)
- To continuously reside in the United States for five years at least (three years if you are married to U.S. citizen)
- Physical presence for at least two and a half years (one and a half if you are married to U.S. citizen)
- Living in a state where you have applied the N – 400 form for at least three months
- Good English reading, writing and listening skill
- Knowing U.S. history and politics
- Moral qualities and respect for U.S. constitutional principles
N–600 form
Application for Certificate of Citizenship – 5 to 13 months.
This form is used by an individual, who was born outside the United States, but who claims that it already has U.S. citizenship because of the birth to a U.S. citizen parent. Those who meet all the requirements will automatically become U.S. citizens, and the Certificate of Citizenship is the evidence of citizenship.
In total, the local office in Cleveland has efficient service, with the highest backlogs completion, short wait times, and easily accessible location for the citizenship interview. This has brought them to the top of the list, the “Best (Worst) Field Offices to Become a U.S. Citizen.”, and gave them the title of one of the best USCIS local offices in the United States.
Contact your immigration lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio should you have any questions and read more information about immigration in Cleveland now.
There are about 9 million lawful permanent residents in America, eligible to become U.S. citizens. A process through which an immigrant to the United States can become a U.S. citizen is called naturalization.
Naturalization is defined by different requirements, application processes, and rights and obligations of the new citizen. The eligibility for getting citizenship depends on two factors:
- If you are a green card holder for 3-5 years;
- If you have served in the U.S. military.
Information For Naturalization Requirements and Eligibility
More information about the naturalization requirements and the eligibility check for U.S. Citizenship can be done here.
The naturalization rate depends on how governments are handling citizen applications at the local level, and the path to citizenship is more complicated in the last couple of years. However, close to 3.000 immigrants every year succeed in getting U.S. citizenship in Cleveland, Ohio.
A report by Boundless Immigration, a Seattle technology company that helps families enter the immigration process and apply for green cards and citizenship, shows Cleveland is the No. 1 city in America to become a U.S. citizen.
The analysis was performed on 103 major metropolitan areas, and Cleveland was on the top of the list of the “Best (and Worst) Cities to Become a U.S. Citizen.”
Besides Cleveland, two more metro areas are the most suitable for citizenship – Riverside, California, and Louisville, Kentucky, while the worst struggling to become a U.S. citizen the immigrants are facing all in Texas – Austin, Houston, and Dallas.
The most efficient U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office is also stated to be in Cleveland. The USCIS office efficiency is reflected in the highest backlog completion of 71.3%, and the nation’s shortest average processing time, which is only four months.
Almost nobody waited longer than 12.3 months. In comparison, the national average is ten months, while the Houston area has the longest wait time – 17.3 months, and it is expected that this number will increase in the future. There were cases that the wait time was almost two years in this area (23.5 months).
Although Cleveland is the overall best-ranked city for becoming U.S. citizens, the highest naturalization rate of eligible immigrants are in Columbus (20.6%) and Cincinnati (16.8%), Ohio, and Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
There are economic benefits from naturalization, not only for immigrants as individuals but also for the whole state economy. Naturalized citizens are more likely to get well-paid jobs and job promotions since naturalization shows their commitment to work and create life in the United States.
There are many opportunities for entrepreneurs, banking benefits, organized language clubs, and activities that help new citizens feel like a part of the community. Research shows that naturalized immigrants earn 8-11% more in annual income.
If only half of the eligible immigrants nationally become U.S. citizens, it would increase the state’s GDP for $37-52 billion per year.
With a constant effort to advance socioeconomic policies, provide affordable living for immigrant families, and an effective naturalization process in the USCIS office, Cleveland is one of the most immigrant-friendly cities in the U.S.
International students in Ohio come from more than 100 countries, including China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan, as leading ones.
In order to achieve cultural diversity, Ohio is also offering support through International Student Services (ISS) local offices. These offices contribute to a global goal of Ohio Universities to advance cultural awareness and develop international student communities through different support services.
These services usually include assisting with immigration and financial matters, paired with cultural and social support. This all together is more than stimulating for international students’ personal and academic development.
Some of the significant benefits for international students are:
Affordable costs of living
Living costs are lower than the average at the national level. Therefore students can save money and travel more across the state and neighboring states as well.
The great diversity of study areas, public universities, and private institutions
There are different study programs, from architecture to business, journalism, pharmacy, medicine, law, psychology, etc.
As one of the most livable cities in the U.S., Cleveland stands out as an excellent academic platform for international students. One of the reasons that contribute to student mobility in Cleveland is good connections in all types of transportation. There are an international airport and a train station called Amtrak and Greyhound bus terminal.
Best Colleges in Cleveland
The Best Colleges in Cleveland with International Student Services support are:
Case Western Reserve University
International Student Service at Case Western Reserve University helps students in the field of immigration, intercultural exchanges, CWRU resources, and cultural and social matters at the University and the United States.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, the office does virtual advising on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 11 am to 3 pm. Appointments are scheduled by sending an email with brief concerns on international@case.edu. Same-day appointments are not possible.
Oberlin College
The International Student Resource Center at Oberlin College is open from Monday to Friday, from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. Contact person is Josh Whitson, Josh.Whitson@oberlin.edu. The Center helps international students in developmental advising, community building, visa regulation, and immigration paperwork.
Baldwin Wallace University
International Student Services at Baldwin Wallace University offers support to international students with immigration advice and their partaking in various social and cultural programs, such as Global friends hour, group outings, and culture nights.
Ursuline College
Students from more than 20 countries are studying at this liberal art of Ursuline College.
Cleveland State University
Virtual assistance from Cleveland State University is available on weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm in summer. It is possible to schedule an appointment via Zoom, phone, or email. The phone number is 216-687-3910, and the email address is intlcenter@csuohio.edu.
Cleveland Institute of Art
The International Student Office of Cleveland Institute of Art is devoted to including international students in cultural and social activities, which are sponsored.
Cleveland Institute of Music
More than 30% of the students from the Cleveland Institute of Music are coming from abroad. International Student Advisor, Kristen Zalar, is available for applicants questions from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, at admission@cim.edu.
More information about procedures, required documents, passport, visa and language requirements, as well as financial aid for international students are available here.
Contact your immigration lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio should you have any questions and read more information about immigration in Cleveland now.
Changing the city where you will live, or even state to reside is not a straightforward task. It makes it harder to integrate into the community or find a job and go to school if you don’t speak the language and you don’t get the additional support.
Because of rich immigration history, people in Cleveland know how to cherish national diversity and many immigration nonprofits are established there.
From supporting, educational activities, to advocacy, and legal work, these 10 organizations highlighted below are ensuring that immigrant rights are respected in Cleveland and Ohio.
Building Hope in the City
Building Hope in the City is a non-profit Christian mission organization founded in August 2003. Focusing on the renewal of urban Cleveland, it brings together local congregations and volunteers with the many people it serves. Their mission is to foster relationships and encourage personal and community transformation.
Its programs and initiatives are directed towards:
- Building the capacity of faith leaders;
- Community development;
- Affordable housing;
- Refugee and immigrant integration
- Social enterprise business ventures
Catholic Charities
As one of the most significant comprehensive health and human services organizations in the region, Catholic Charities delivers over 150 services at 60 locations to more than 400,000 individuals each year.
Catholic Charities provides aid and creates hope for people of every race and religion throughout the eight counties: Ashland, Geauga, Lake, Cuyahoga, Lorain, Summit, Medina, and Wayne.
The organization provides the following service: Family and Community Services, Persons with Disabilities, Emergency and Specialized Services, Elderly and Chronically Ill, and Treatment, Prevention, Recovery Services, Parish Outreach, and Social Justice.
Asian Services in Action
Asian Services In Action is the largest agency that provides services related to health and human and serving the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) community of Northeast Ohio. Asian Services In Action runs two federally qualified health centers:
1. In Cleveland
2. In Akron
These centers are specialized in linguistically and culturally competent care for immigrants and refugees.
The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants was established almost 100 years ago to advance the rights and lives of people who have been forcibly or voluntarily removed. They strive to make the lives of immigrants, refugees, and uprooted people dignified to ensure their rights are respected and protected.
International Institute of Akron
International Institute of Akron is a leading organization in the ever-expanding international community in Summit County, Ohio. This organization act toward contributing to the community’s well-being.
The goals are to achieve by creating and implementing diverse programs and services assisting people born outside the United States, but decided to move here, and support their integration into American society.
By promoting public awareness of the value of ethnic diversity and encouraging international communication, the International Institute of Akron provides services such as educational, employment, legal services for immigrants, interpretation, and translation, social services, etc.
The Spanish American Committee
The Spanish American Committee is the longest-operating Hispanic/Latino Social Services agency in Ohio, serving as the gateway to socioeconomic success for nearly 50 years.
Low-income individuals belonging to the Hispanic community may benefit from opportunities that this organization creates, leading them to self-sufficiency. Serving over 5,500 disadvantaged individuals and families each year, the Spanish American Committee provides opportunities through five programs.
These programs are directed toward providing clients with family support and childcare services, housing education and guidance, financial literacy education and training, employment training and services, and adult education opportunities such as English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and the only Spanish-language GED program in Ohio.
Esperanza
Esperanza’s mission is to improve the academic achievement of Hispanics in Greater Cleveland by supporting students to graduate high school and promote achievements in post-secondary education.
By developing a model of academic and community excellence, Esperanza motivates students to gain and cherish academic achievement, enhance the quality of economic and community life, promote continuity of community through leadership.
- Offering enriched educational services and opportunities
- Providing scholarship assistance
International Services Center of Cleveland
The International Services Center of Cleveland welcomes and historically integrates new Americans as fully engaged citizens of Northeast Ohio.
The organization conducts the program dedicated to the resettlement and employment, including services associated with the resettlement of refugees Also, it provides social services, such as translation and interpretation services; counseling; intergroup relations; community relations.
Hispanic Alliance
As a not-for-profit local Hispanic membership corporation, The Hispanic Alliance defined its mission toward integrating the Hispanic/Latino community. They endeavor to unite, support, and strengthen Hispanic alliance members in greater Cleveland and northern Ohio.
They advocate for the social, educational, and economic development of the Hispanic/Latino community. They have several integrational programs such as Community redevelopment la villa Hispana that is one of the premier community development projects on the west side.
They also created a five-year action plan aiming to strengthen three essential principles: community engagement, economic development, and arts and culture to operate within an agreed-upon framework.
The Hispanic Alliance established the Community engagement center. This is a place that gathers and unites people, a place for education and training courses, by which the organization became recognizable.
Refugee Response
The Refugee Response is a foundation that helps refugees to adjust to life in northeast Ohio. Working to empower the area’s growing newcomer population, especially directed to people who came to Ohio between three months and five years.
The refugee response provides those people with compelling opportunities so they can acquire the skills they need to succeed in their new communities. Newcomers may learn the English language, which is essential to find a job and efficiently integrate into the community, then the basic cultural orientation or they can have the training for employment.
English language classes are meant for both children and adults. The foundation has developed a few programs, and one of them is dedicated to empowering the refugees engaged in agriculture. Also, the foundation provides children home tutoring, since usually the instructions that they get in school are limited due to lack of support.
Contact your immigration lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio should you have any questions and read more information about immigration in Cleveland now.
If you intend to apply for a green card in Cleveland, Ohio, you will have to pass a medical examination. But, not any doctor is authorized to provide you with such an examination. Instead, you need to find a doctor who has a license issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Here, we compile a list of doctors with the USCIS authorization in Cleveland’s greater area, medical institutions where you can find them, and their contact information.
Concentra Medical Center
Within this national health care company focused on improving America’s workforce health, there are two locations where you can find doctors who are authorized for a medical examination if you intend to apply for a green card.
Concentra Medical Center is located at 5500 South Marginal Road, Cleveland, OH 44103, there are two doctors with the authorization:
- Dr. Sandra Fakult; contact: 216-426-9020
- Dr. Jessica Perse; contact: 216-426-9020
Also, two doctors are at your disposal at 4660 Hinckley Industrial Parkway Unit 7, Cleveland OH 44109
- Dr. Rhea Richardson; contact: 216-749-2730
- Dr. Sandra Fakult; contact: 216-749-2730
Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc.
Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. is located at 8300 Hough Avenue in Cleveland, OH, Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Service is a Federally Qualified Health Center network of community health centers dedicated to improving access to health care and reducing health disparities in Greater Cleveland.
There are three doctors authorized by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
- Dr. Suzanne White; contact: 216-231-7700
- Dr. Joji Gacad; contact: 216-231-7700
- Dr. Constancia Castro; contact: 216-231-7700
Neighborhood Family Practice
Neighborhood Family Practice has been serving people in Cleveland with quality primary health care for over 35 years. You can find their authorized doctors at two locations:
- At 3569 Ridge Road, Cleveland, OH. There is one doctor licensed by the USCIS- Dr. Erick Kauffman; contact: 216-281-0872
- 11709 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland OH 44111: Dr. Melanie Golembiewski; contact: 216-367-1004
Lakewood Urgent Care
Lakewood Urgent Care provides quality and accessible, personalized evidence-based care. It is located at 1716 Detroit Avenue Lakewood, OH, and within this medical institution, two doctors are authorized to do medical examinations required for the green card:
- Dr. Bryan Loos; contact: 216-712-7818
- Dr. Nicolas Young; contact: 216-712-7818
Premier Physicians Centers
Premier Physicians Centers are a community-based, independent physician group practice. Their services include primary care – Family Medicine and Internal Medicine – and other medical and surgical specialists. Located at 3665 West 117th Street, Cleveland OH 44111, there is one authorized doctor:
- Dr. Ibrahim Bshara; contact: 216-351-0778
MedGroup
MedGroup is conveniently located in University Heights, 13916 Cedar Road, OH 44118. MEDGroup offers extended office hours so that patients can get immediate care during off-hours or even on weekends.
Authorized doctor by the USCIS:
- Dr. Daniel Breitenbach; contact: 216-397-9000
Ridge Park Urgent Care
Ridge Park Urgent Care is a care center for urgent medical services located at 5500 Ridge Road #120, Cleveland, OH.
A doctor with the USCIS license:
- Dr. Justin Smith; contact: 216-398-5535
Advanced Medical Services
Advanced Medical Services is a 24-hour, 7- day-a-week, on-and off-site company maintaining strict compliance with Federal regulations.
On its location at 5793 Ridge Road Parma OH 44129, one doctor has the USCIS’s authorization:
- Dr. Pawan Mangla; contact: 216-502-4320
More information about Cleveland Immigration available.
The Cleveland Immigration Court is one of the 67 immigration courts in the United States. It is under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ), which determines immigration court policies, monitors policy implementation, and supervises immigration judges. OCIJ is a part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review under the Department of Justice.
It is located at 801 W. Superior Avenue, Suite 13 – 100, Cleveland, OH 44113.
Operation hours are from 8 am to 12 pm, and from 12.30 pm to 4 pm, during weekdays.
The phone number is 216-802-1100.
Immigration Court staff consists of:
Immigration Judges: James F. McCarthy III, Assistant Chief Immigration Judge; Monte J. Horton; Teresa L. Riley; Bruce D. Imbacuan; Jeremy J. Santoro; Jonathan W. Owens; David C. Whipple; and Jennifer M. Riedthaler-Williams. Immigration judges act independently in leading the Immigration Court proceedings.
They also partake at naturalization ceremonies taken by the Department of Homeland Security.
The court administrator is James W. Roder. Court administrator works under the supervision of an Assistant Chief Immigration Judge, and it administrates Court and staff activities.
Immigration court adjudicates cases that fall under immigration law and matters. Proceedings before the Court are civil, and they can be removal, deportation, exclusion, and other kinds. They include non-citizens that are charged for violating the immigration law. A person can appear before the Court with an attorney or accredited representative, or it can represent itself.
A list of subjects, such as lawyers and nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost legal services, is available by the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge.
The person gets noticed that he is charged before the Immigration Court via Notice to Appear (NTA). This document contains charges that non-citizen will admit or deny during the proceedings. Therefore, it is crucial to understand all the stated allegations.
Court works on the principle of individual hearings. During the hearings, immigrants will have the opportunity to argument his/her rights to stay in the United States. It is necessary to prepare a defense, and it is possible to bring witnesses.
The opponent will be the government attorney. Cross-examination is allowed, and the immigration judge can also interrupt to ask for clarifications during the questioning.
Before the hearings, non-citizen should declare what relief from removal it seeks. Relief application consists of form EOIR-28 (if required), cover page, fee receipt (if applicable), application, exhibits, and proof of service. The application with all the side documents should be filed. Also, it is necessary to pay the application fees before a certain date. Otherwise, the request will be denied.
The immigration judge will base his decision on previous decisions in similar cases, and it will decide if the non-citizen will remain, or it will be deported. The decisions are final, except if the appeal was filed timely, within 30 days, to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
This is the highest organ that has jurisdiction to review immigration court decisions, as well as some of the Department of Homeland security decisions.
In general, court proceedings are open to the public. More information and observing prohibitions are available at observing immigration court hearings.
Introduction
If you consider moving to Cleveland, a city that each year welcomes close to 3,000 people who decide to become new citizens, you probably want to find out what this city and the state of Ohio can offer to newcomers.
Ohio lost about 183,000 native-born Ohioans over the past six years. Still, over that same period, nearly 113,000 immigrants moved into the state. Not only immigration helped Ohio’s population stabilize, but they were also a source of growth.
According to the report “Our Pathway to a Brighter Future: Ohio’s New Americans,” Ohio’s newest residents could help reverse its declining population. Immigrants can provide much-needed innovation and diversity of ideas and can offer a solution to the looming shortage of workers in fields like healthcare.
Required tests in English and civics, costly application fees, and long processing times make the path to citizenship longer and more complicated than ever. Moreover, the likelihood of being approved for citizenship varies according to where you live. Still, there are numbers of applicants being denied.
However, Cleveland has its advantages. While Cleveland is the fourth-oldest city in the country in its citizens’ age, it takes the No. 1 place in the United States to become a U.S. citizen.
This fact is based on a last-year-released study by Boundless Immigration that ranked 103 major metropolitan areas and 86 USCIS field offices according to significant barriers to citizenship, using the relevant federal data.
On both its lists, Cleveland came on top. It was named the “Best City to Become a U.S. Citizen” with the “Best Field Office to Become a U.S. Citizen.” An average time processing an application for citizenship in Cleveland is only four months, which is the shortest time in the country, while the average waiting period nationally is more than twice that at ten months.
Although Cleveland can be proud of its rich immigration history and the mentioned achievements, the city has specific challenges when it comes to attracting immigrants. While Philadelphia welcomed 113,000 immigrants between 2000 and 2006, Cleveland lost another 7 percent of its population and became almost entirely native-born.
Yet, if you consider moving to Cleveland, the city definitely has a lot to offer. Let’s look through what Cleveland may provide to its newcomers and if it is worth a try.
Brief History of Immigration in Cleveland
In the period from 1870 – 1930, it seemed like people from every country in the world came to Cleveland. The tremendous influx of immigrants brought people from Poland, Ireland, Czech, Slovakia, Germany, England, Scotland, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungaria, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Lithuania, Greece, and people from two dozen other nations. They all together contributed to the growth of the city as one of the major industrial centers.
During this period, the lack of large-scale economic opportunity provided little attraction for migration to the region. Following the canal’s completion and a rail network, the area’s economic potential grew, particularly in mercantile endeavors. It became more attractive to migrating groups.
The most diverse migration occurred after this period until World War I ended large-scale European immigration. Still, the city’s need for people continued attracting thousands of blacks that came north to work in wartime industries which met the workforce’s need.
During World War II, special acts permitting the immigration of displaced persons from Europe were adopted. Those helped to partially replenish some of the older European immigrant populations of the city.
In the immediate postwar period, Cleveland welcomed immigrants from Puerto Rican, Mexico, and Cuba. The relaxation of restrictions on Asian immigration brought people from China, Korea, India, and Pakistan to the city. Besides the industry, many of those were attracted by the colleges and the growth of medical and research sectors.
Although not as large as previous immigrant groups, first groups of Vietnamese, Guatemalans, and Palestinians that came during the 1970s and 1980s represented a complete shift in Cleveland’s migration pattern. In conclusion, the international situation and economic position of Cleveland have shaped the nature of migration to the city in the past.
They will continue to do so as long as the area remains economically viable. English immigration to the area, for instance, continued into the 1990s, as did the movement of native-born white Americans, as well as Bosnians.
How Cleveland Attracts Immigrants Today?
Cleveland is a city that’s been in economic decline for decades. Looking at growth strategies, it is in need of a plan that will attract more immigrants. In the article, Cleveland was celebrated as a self-confident and growing city in the first half of the 20th century.
Yet, due to de-industrialization, closing factories, unemployment rising, a sharp decline in the city’s good fortune, and population followed.
According to the New American Economy and based on national rankings, Cleveland rose significantly to No. 14 in 2019, evaluating how easy it is for immigrants to become part of the community, compared to the previous year when it ended up on place No. 64.
One of the reasons is that immigrants in Cleveland have accessibility to many governmental resources, which makes their and their families’ living in this city more convenient. Thanks to the USCIS field office with the best processing time of applications, Cleveland ended up on the top of the list to become a U.S citizen, as stated earlier in the text.
The fingerprint office- Cleveland, OH – Application Support Center is located at 1240 East 9th Street, and it is accessible to people with disabilities. The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Cleveland Immigration Court, as well as five Immigrants Jails that have contracts to house ICE detainees are at disposal to support families and individuals in need.
Then, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a law enforcement organization in charge of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the United States, has established one of its offices in this city, as well as Sandusky Bay Station that is situated near Cleveland.
Due to national diversity, many consulates and offices of government affairs, such as Denish, Lithuanian, Romanian, Franch, Hungarian, Italian, German, are established in Cleveland.
Here is the list of Foreign representations in Cleveland:
- Denmark – Consulate
- Germany – Consulate
- Hungary – Consulate General
- Luxembourg – Consulate
- Netherlands – Consulate
- Romania – Consulate General
- Serbia – Consulate General
- Slovenia – Consulate General
- Sweden – Consulate
- Switzerland – Consulate
- Ukraine – Consulate
When it comes to healthcare- you don’t be worried about it in Cleveland. Tout as one of the top four hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, the Cleveland Clinic is known for its innovative and groundbreaking medical accomplishments.
The first near-total face transplant and the discovery of an intestinal bacteria product that can predict heart disease. This research hospital follows a patient’s first principle and delivers outstanding care.
Moreover, Because of the law schools in the area, world-renowned hospitals and universities, and rich immigration history, several prominent Cleveland immigration law firms have been built. They can provide you with legal advice, help you with the preparation of documents, or representation in courts.
For example, law office Herman Legal Group, one of the best immigration law offices, is a 3-minute walk away from USCIS, and only about 10 minutes to Immigration Court.
This office serves many clients at this headquarters office, located at 815 superior Ave, Suite 1225, Cleveland, Ohio 4414. Speaking over 12 languages and being in business for 25 years makes the Herman Legal Group highly competent to provide the best possible legal aid to people coming from abroad.
There are many other notable immigration and border lawyers and law offices such as Svetlana Schreiber, Irina Vinogradsky, Sarmiento, Sintsirnas & Mueller, and Linetsky, and many more. If you would like to find out more about legal help that you can get, check out the list of Top 10 Immigration lawyers in Cleveland.
The importance of accessibility to these primary immigration resources is only one way of how newcomers may benefit if they choose to move to Cleveland. Further through the article, we will look through more of how much the community is welcoming, supportive, and open to cherish cultural diversity.
Organizations that Provide Help to Immigrants
Trying to enrich Cleveland’s population and attract more people to move there, Cleveland’s community became a strong support to the newcomers.
In Cleveland’s metro area, many political and professional organizations work closely with immigrants and the community toward inclusion. Some of those are:
- Cameo
- Appo Foundation
- AAPI
- FICA
- Asian American Bar Association of Ohio
- CCCCA
- The Greater Cleveland Chinese Chamber of Commerce
- The Korean American Association of Greater Cleveland
- MotivAsians for Cleveland
- OCA Greater Cleveland Chapter
- Westlake Chinese Culture Association (WCCA)
- The Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NEOHCC)
There are plenty of non-profit organizations that provide support to specific groups of immigrants, such as Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland and The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, and The International Institute of Akron (IIA), which offer low-cost legal services for immigrants.
Then, Asian Services in Action (ASIA), The Spanish American Committee, and Esperanza are organizations that work on improving academic achievements and socio-economic position of distinct immigrant groups.
Besides these, there are many other non-profit organizations in this metro area. More about nonprofits that serve immigrants you can find here. (link to the article from the cluster).
To cherish individuals who have made a valuable and lasting contribution to Cleveland’s multiculturality, clevelandpeople.com founded The Cleveland International Hall of Fame.
Culture and Religion in Cleveland
Cleveland is a diverse community situated on Lake Erie’s shores, which is a great place to take a walk around or spend some time on one of the cleanest beaches in the country.
But here, we will not talk about what you can explore on your own just by walking around and meeting a new place as you would do anywhere. Instead, we will highlight what Cleveland does to make their newcomers feel excelling in the city and demonstrating how cherishable diversity is.
We will start with the best example of Cleveland’s multiculturalism: The Cleveland Cultural Gardens. It is one of Northeast Ohio’s oldest and most beautiful treasures. Compiling of 33 dedicated gardens, the site is designed and cultivated by distinct cultural or nationality groups.
These gardens represent the diverse and multicultural characteristics of Cleveland. The Cleveland Cultural Gardens share one important principle: peace through mutual understanding.
Notable poets, philosophers, peacemakers, composers, scientists, and others are represented in the gardens. Some of the famous names are Goethe (German Garden), Chopin (Polish Garden), Dante (Italian Garden), Nikola Tesla (Serbian Garden), Mark Twain (American Garden), Gandhi (Indian Garden) and many others.
Cleveland recognizes the importance of having houses of worship that will gather a group or individuals to practice religion or perform acts of devotion.
- Islamic Center of Cleveland
- Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Society Of Cleveland
- Shiva Vishnu Temple
- St. John’s Episcopal Church
- Cleveland Chinese Christian Church
- Church in Cleveland
- Debre Mitmak St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Church – Cleveland Ohio
- Sacred Heart Chapel
If you are a keen listener to alternative music or just feel like you would instead read the news in your maternity language, we encourage you to explore local ethnic media in Cleveland.
There are diverse media channels, television, radio stations, or online news directed to specific communities such as Panorama Hispano News, Cleveland Russian Magazine, Cleveland Jewish News, and many more. One of the largest and most popular Hispanic media companies is La Mega Media. This radio station you can also find at 97.7 FM.
Not being surprised since Cleveland is a multicultural city, but it is home to some outstanding ethnic festivals where you can listen to authentic music and explore tastes of food from all around the world. Here are some of the celebrations being organized each year:
- Cleveland Asian Festival
- Tremont Greek Festival
- Simply Slavic Heritage Festival
- Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival
- Little Italy Summer Art Festival
- Ohio Scottish Games and Celtic Festival
- Cleveland Russian Festival
- Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest
- India Festival USA
- Romanian Festival
Yet, festivals are not the only opportunity to get to know your community better and try traditional food from countries around the globe. You can buy and eat Mexican tacos in La Plaza Supermarket, or try freshly-baked pastries in Athens Pastries and Imported Foods. There are plenty of ethnic groceries around!
Education and Career
Known as the “North Coast,” with more than 20 institutions that’ll prepare you for a future in neuroscience, engineering, music, and more, Cleveland has everything you need for smooth sailing in your education and career.
Many companies found their place in Cleveland, including one of America’s best hospitals, The Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland has been ranked as one of the most livable cities and named an emerging global city. If you come to the Midwest, it means you’ll be living and working with some of the most helpful people in the country.
To attract students and support them through their years at universities, many colleges established international offices.
Here is the list of some of the best colleges in Cleveland with International Student Services support are:
- Case Western Reserve University
- Oberlin College
- Baldwin Wallace University
- Ursuline College
- Cleveland State University
- Cleveland Institute of Art
- Cleveland Institute of Music
If your career path is in medical science, then learning about opportunities at some hospitals might be of interest. At area hospitals, there are foreign medical graduate training organized.
Cleveland Clinic offers international education opportunities through a diverse range of programs in Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary Medicine, and Infectious diseases.
MetroHealth is home to 47 vibrant residency and fellowship programs. Each year, it trains more than 2,000 students, residents, and fellows. At this faculty, you will work with members who have a deep sense of dedication to their work and get the opportunity to see a wide range of clinical cases.
Leisure Time and Sports in Cleveland
If you are always on the move, active, and like sports, you will love residing in Cleveland. This city is home to the famous clubs in different sports leagues: Cleveland Cavaliers, an NBA team where one of the best basketball players- LeBron James currently plays, The Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball Team, and Cleveland Browns, an NFL team.
Cleveland is also known as “The Forest City,” serving as the center of the Cleveland Metroparks nature reserve system that nature lovers will be happy to hear about. The majority of the reservations are in the suburbs of Cuyahoga County, but Brookside Reservation is located within Cleveland. The city sits on Lake Eri that has the most popular beach- Edgewater Beach to hang out during summer.
Of course, culture and architecture in the city are worth seeing and visiting. The Cleveland’s major cultural institutions include the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Orchestra, Playhouse Square, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After exploring the city on foot or if you want to find some nice place to meet your friends, you can choose one of more than 30 breweries in the city. Having more than 70 breweries makes Greater Cleveland the fourth largest in the country in the number of breweries.
Cleveland is increasingly becoming an outlier on the issue of building globally-inclusive communities, attracting immigrants, and creating new jobs by leveraging the entrepreneurial and innovative propensities of the foreign-born.
Despite progressive depopulation, job loss, and erosion of the tax base, few in Cleveland seem to notice.
While other cities are racing forward on immigrant-inclusion strategies, immigrant-attraction initiatives, and global engagement efforts, Cleveland seems, as one renowned economist tagged us, as a “global backwater.”
Even the conversation on this topic is tentative, measured, and spoken in hushed tones.
In the book, “Caught in the Middle: The Midwest in the Age of Globalization,”Pulitzer-nominated journalist Richard Longworth formerly of the Chicago Tribune, wrote that of all the Midwest cities he visited and studied, Cleveland was the least willing or least able to discuss globalization and what it means going forward.
Huh? Wouldn’t every leader want to know how to help his/her community from being a punching bag of globalization, and instead transform it to being able to harvest the fruits of an internationally-connected economy?
One of the main bridges to leveraging globalization for local economic growth is immigration — the attraction of foreign-born talent, entrepreneurs, investors, homeowners, and consumers.
So, why is Cleveland so quiet on the immigration opportunity?
I believe this is due largely to two factors: status quo leadership not eager to usher in change; and a stunted civic dialogue that gets very little help from disengaged media struggling for survival. In this instant recycling “news” machine, well-packaged hype takes precedence over meaningful analysis. Happy thoughts are better than painful introspection
As an example of disinterested local journalism, it is hard to believe that the Plain Dealer editorial board is doing its homework when it wrote in January that Greater Cleveland made “extraordinary efforts” in moving the conversation forward on immigrant attraction as a growth opportunity for the region. http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/01/assessing_agenda_2013_greater.html
It’s even harder to believe that they are aware of what is happening outside their windows, as they write this http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/05/global_cleveland_wants_to_reve.html seemingly oblivious as to how nearby cities powerfully embrace immigration as an economic development opportunity, while leadership at Cleveland’s foundations, chamber of commerce, and elected offices largely reject it.
Media: Let the Fresh Air In
Perhaps the first thing the editors of the PD should consider doing, to educate themselves and their readers, is to begin re-publishing pivotal stories that are generated about this issue, seemingly weekly, from the NYTimes, WSJ, Washpost, CNN and other outlets. If for nothing else, exposure to the real issues and possibilities might raise the level of discussion in Cleveland beyond platitudes and pablum.
Even better, the PD & Cleveland.com should do their OWN series on our peer cities and how Cleveland is measuring up.
The national media consistently leaves out mention of Cleveland as it discusses the “extraordinary” innovations on the immigrant-attraction front in cities like Detroit, Dayton, St. Louis, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Chicago, Indy, Buffalo, Syracuse, and other rust belt cities.
There is a reason for this omission. The national media see the anemic immigration policy discussion taking place in rust belt cities, aware that Cleveland is not on board. And yet, our own journalists (with welcome but rare exceptions), miss the story.
A good way to describe this is “cognitive dissonance” (a term used by Dan Moulthrop in this bell-hitting blog post: http://theciviccommons.com/blog/a-not-so-open-door-policy
In regards to Dan’s post, I had a revealing discussion with Editors at PD and Cleveland.com recently, and when I suggested that they largely missed Mayor Frank Jackson’s historic “we take care of our own” comments at the state of the city a year ago, they proudly said, no, we did cover it! I kindly pointed out to them, that yes, you did cover the story, but it took a couple of weeks AFTER the Mayor’s comments were made in front of an audience of 1,000 people, after the story broke by Dan asking in his blog, why aren’t we talking about this?” after Scene wrote their story about Dan’s blog, after the Mayor issued a press release “clarifying” his comments, that the Mayor’s comments made it into the PD: http://www.cleveland.com/tipoff/index.ssf/2013/03/cleveland_mayor_frank_jackson_2.html
Is this the level of coverage that is expected when the PD Editors claim, year after year, that the immigrant welcoming/attraction discussion is its “editorial priority”?
If the Plain Dealer editorial board is going to discuss this issue as one of their longstanding “editorial priorities,” they should have a deeper understanding of the questions involved, rather than just parroting the mantra of need to attract “high skill immigrants” or “let’s attract newcomers” with snappy pitches. (Yes, Cleveland has amenities and unfilled jobs, but so does every other major city in America. In terms of unfilled jobs— it’s a national crisis — collectively over 2 million open jobs).
The issue is much more complex than the PD Editorial Board seems to grasp, and much more nuanced than the local non-profit cartel peddles in their press releases.
The taxpayer-funded campaign of Global Cleveland should be more about attracting & welcoming immigrants. To do this, and to appeal to immigrants, “we” will have to change. The public education & awareness campaign should be focused on changing the insular hearts and minds in NEO, to help “us” understand why welcoming immigrants is in our economic self-interest, and how we should go about creating an organic culture that welcomes and attracts them.
This discussion is raging in nearby cities….. in Cleveland, it’s barely a whisper.
Isn’t the role of journalism (and civic leadership) to uncover the heart of the matter? Shouldn’t the PD be asking the question: why are peer cities running toward this issue, why Cleveland is largely running away from it?
Along with over 10 Hispanic immigrant leaders sitting alongside me recently in the PD Boardroom, I also suggested to the PD and Cleveland.com editorial leadership that they figure out, quickly, how to properly edit the racist rants of their Deputy Editor Kevin O’Brien. http://www.cleveland.com/obrien/index.ssf/2014/04/illegal_immigrants_want_money.html
Unfiltered and unencumbered by fact or research, O’Brien helps to fuel a culture of intolerance in Northeast Ohio.
I recently described this to our friends on the PD editorial board by suggesting that watching our peer cities embrace the immigrant-inclusion conversation, and comparing that to the narrative that has been ushered in Cleveland, is like watching me stand next to Arnold Schwarzenegger next to me on the beach.
The region needs the disengaged PD Editorial Board, and its business and civic leaders, to become more interested in this conversation. To ask more questions. To help lead a meaningful public discussion.
So, What Are Cleveland’s Peer Cities Doing?
Here is a recent sampling of “extraordinary efforts” in welcoming and attracting immigrants outside the CLE compound:
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3026569/a-city-on-the-upswing-pittsburghs-new-mayor-aims-to-woo-newcomers
Detroit
https://www.nytimes.com/svc/oembed/html/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2014%2F01%2F24%2Fus%2Fimmigrants-seen-as-way-to-refill-detroit-ranks.html#?secret=0LE8jJ6UsZ
Dayton
https://www.nytimes.com/svc/oembed/html/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2013%2F10%2F07%2Fus%2Failing-cities-extend-hand-to-immigrants.html#?secret=5KYNit4q69
St. Louis
http://stlouisco.me/2013/09/08/mosaic-project-gets-global-coverage-on-cnn/
Columbus
http://www.columbusmonthly.com/content/roundups/2014/03/story-of-us.html?page=1&navType=
http://columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=65002
Accelerating Trend in Cities Embracing Immigrants to Promote Economic Growth
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2013/12/us-cities-in-a-racetoattractimmigrants.html
http://immigrationimpact.com/2014/01/15/immigrant-entrepreneurs-driving-growth-in-americas-heartland
Also of note, cities of Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincinnati and Dayton all have recently elected new mayors. All are launching programs to leverage the immigrant-dividend.
Bill Peduto, the new mayor of Pittsburgh, ran on a campaign of making Pittsburgh a more immigrant-friendly city. He won by a landslide. http://www.billpeduto.com/2013/02/27/84-city-of-immigrants-welcoming-a-new-generation-of-immigrants-to-pittsburgh/
http://globalpittsburgh.blogspot.com/2014/01/open-letter-to-mayor-elect-bill-peduto.html
The 2014 summit on immigrant-friendly cities in the rust belt will be held in Pittsburgh in June. http://globalgl.wordpress.com/
Where to go From Here?
In all the cities who are pursuing economic development initiatives focused on immigrants and immigration, leadership has emerged from at least one of these sectors: political, business or philanthropy. In Cleveland, all three sectors have declined to embrace an immigration-based strategy.
For Cleveland to move forward and join these other cities, it will have to have a tough, honest and open discussion about race, inclusion, and globalization.
A group of dedicated leaders will need to emerge to champion this issue, connecting the old guard with fresh new voices.
Until that happens, we will still be dancing in our own bubble, while the city and region continue to decline.
Herman Legal Group and Cleveland immigration lawyer will help, with all we can, to help this region train, retain and attract talents.
Many people who want to move to the US face legal hurdles that they need to get over with. There are a few fantastic immigration lawyers in Cleveland, Ohio. If you need a lawyer and live anywhere close to Cleveland, hire the best immigration lawyer. The one that understands the unique situation that immigrants find themselves in. The lawyer that works hard to see that not just the client is taken care of but also the entire family. There is such thing as a compassionate lawyer and your Cleveland immigration lawyer is him.
When people want to immigrate to the US, it could be for any number of reasons. Some want to marry a US citizen, others want to work or go to school, and some would like to start a new life in the United States.
Anyone of these people needs to hire an immigration lawyer in Cleveland. Going through the immigration process is very difficult. This is something that should not be done alone or without legal representation. Immigration is a hot topic in politics right now, the laws change regularly, and the rules are not always enforced according to the law. That is why, having an experienced lawyer, is the key.
A great immigration lawyer will sit down and consult with his clients. He will speak their language and understand their culture. He will also do his best to bring comfort to any family members that may be a part of the process.
A great lawyer will work diligently on behalf of his client. He will be with the client to help fill out the paperwork correctly the first time. He will petition the courts and even stand beside his clients in a court of law. Without this type of commitment, the immigration process in Cleveland could take even longer than it normally would.
Immigration in Cleveland, Ohio is no small issue.
Hiring a legal counsel as an advocate is imperative to success. There is so much to do that it all takes time, even years. Many people do not want to wait years and that is why hiring a lawyer is the right way to go. A great immigration lawyer will handle their clients’ immigration case from the beginning until the very end.