Immigration Attorney
Himedes V. Chicas

PARTNER

Immigration attorney and partner, Himedes V. Chicas is the lead attorney and head of the immigration department at the Law Offices of Jezic & Moyse, LLC. Himedes has been named as one of the “Best Immigration Lawyers” in the Washington, DC area by Washingtonian Magazine from 2017 to 2022. Himedes is the immediate-past chair of the Immigration Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association, and the Vice Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, D.C. Chapter Liaison Committee to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Baltimore Field Office. Mr. Chicas has received nearly 100 percent of glowing reviews from clients.

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Himedes focuses his immigration law practice on the intersection of criminal and immigration law, namely the immigration consequences of criminal convictions on noncitizens. Himedes advises clients and their criminal defense attorneys on these matters, including crafting immigrant-friendly plea deals, providing pre-trial immigration advisory opinions, and serving as an expert witness in postconviction matters before criminal courts. Most recently, Himedes became an advisor to the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland on immigration-related matters impacting their client’s criminal cases.

Himedes also directly represents clients facing removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review-requesting release on bond, challenging removal, and/or applying for various forms of relief from removal before the immigration courts. He also represents clients in administrative appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as petitions for review before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Himedes recently co-counseled a significant victory at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, that resulted in a precedential opinion from the Court regarding the proper application of the categorical approach to a state criminal conviction. This case is Larios-Reyes v. Lynch, 843 F.3d 146 (4th Cir. 2016), cert. denied sub nom. Sessions v. Larios-Reyes, 17-58, 2017 WL 2972640 (U.S. Oct. 16, 2017).

Himedes has lectured and presented in numerous conferences, symposia, and training sessions to practitioners on immigration law-including private criminal defense attorneys, public defenders, state prosecutors, and state court judges.

Himedes also volunteers his time and provides pro bono representation and advice to indigent clients through the Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition, the Tahirih Justice Center, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Immigration Clinic, and the World Relief Organization.

“I was previously turned down by two immigration attorneys who gave me no hope of winning my case and told me not to waste my money. However, I was determined to find an attorney who would take a chance on my family and me. Fortunately, I was referred to Attorney Himedes Chicas, who agreed to take my complex case. After working tirelessly, he won the case. I knew I had chosen the right person for the job when even the immigration judge praised his diligent professional work when presenting the case at the hearing. I can attest that he is highly knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. He answered all my emails and appeased all my questions throughout the process.” -Zulma Salmeron

“I very highly recommend Himedes Chicas, Esq. to anyone seeking representation for removal defense, especially with difficult facts in their case such as criminal convictions in removal proceedings, because he navigates the immigration and cancellation of removal process extremely well.  He won my husband’s removal case, which had facts that made other lawyers send us out of their office telling us, “no chance, good luck”.  Very professional, diligent, courteous, and accessible.  He is the gold standard.” -Stephanie Guevara

“I am a criminal defense attorney that has practiced Criminal Law for over 34 years now with my own firm.  As a lawyer, I have referred countless clients with immigration issues to Mr. Himedes Chicas Esq., who specializes in this field of law. I have also consulted with him in countless other cases over many years, where my criminal defense clients have serious immigration issues that are heavily impacted by their criminal cases. Without question, he is my number-one go-to expert on Immigration Law. He provides authoritatively researched Immigration Consequences Memoranda of Law, expert advice through email and phone, and he is responsive, highly competent, caring, very pleasant, has reasonable fees, and is a consummate professional.  My views are widely shared by other lawyers, prosecutors and Judges who know of his work, as well as countless of my clients. Whether you’re an attorney, like I am, or someone who needs an excellent immigration lawyer for all sorts of immigration-related issues, Mr. Himedes Chicas is very highly recommended by me.” -James N Papirmeister, Esq.

“Himedes Chicas is without a doubt our go-to immigration lawyer. He has won cases for a few relatives and NEVER disappoints. Very polite, responsive & knowledgeable lawyer.” – Vanessa Perez

“My attorney Chicas is exceptionally very good with his immigration law advice, processing and representing  my case at USCIS. He is very good when he follow up my case and updating the progress. I truly want to thank you Attorney Chicas and his team for working and handling my case. I’m highly recommend him. I thank you for your service and for going over and beyond the call of duty.” – Rebka Lemma

“All I can say that everything about this group of lawyers is amazing they have amazing lawyers that help with everything and they have great costumer service especially with Himedes Chicas he is one of the best of lawyers he helped me my whole life and until now there hasn’t been no problem and I think there will be no problem if I stay with him”. -Elder Ramirez

“Very happy and satisfied with the excellent and wonderful work that the lawyer Himedes Chicas and his team did in my immigration case. My case was very difficult but today the lawyer was able to cancel the deportation and get residency for me. I recommend them 100%”. – Evelin Villeda

“Lawyer Himedes Chicas was my husband’s lawyer. He represented him in a immigration removal/ deportable case. After two previous lawyers that didn’t believe in having a winning case, Mr. Chicas advised us that my husband case was winnable. Due to his representation, professionalism, high intellect, knowledge in this matter he won his case and my husband wasn’t deported.
The judge and prosecutor both praised and thank Mr. Chicas for having such a well organized and professional presentation of evidence. I highly recommend Mr. Chicas do not hesitate to hire him as your lawyer and also listen to what he recommends because they make a huge difference in winning your case! Thank you Mr. Chicas for your time and dedication you were God sent!” – Katia Rivas

“I can’t say enough good things about Himedes V. Chicas and the Law Offices of Jezic & Moyse. Attorney Chicas took on my immigration case and delivered results that exceeded my expectations. His knowledge of immigration law and attention to detail were evident throughout the process. He guided me with precision, ensuring that every aspect of my case was thoroughly addressed.

Moreover, the level of professionalism and dedication exhibited by Attorney Chicas and his office staff was truly outstanding. They kept me informed and reassured me at every step, making a stressful process much smoother. I am immensely grateful for their expertise and the successful resolution of my case. I wholeheartedly recommend Himedes V. Chicas and the Law Offices of Jezic & Moyse to anyone seeking top-notch legal representation in immigration matters. They deserve every bit of this 5-star rating!” – Yared Chegen

“This law firm is one of the best in the area, I had Mr. Himedes Chicas take on a very complex immigration case and I am so grateful to have been referred to an exceptional immigration lawyer. His knowledge on policy, cases, immigration law is impeccable. He was very transparent since we first hired him as a lawyer and he always always demonstrated his professionalism and willingness to fight for our case. He always outlined all the options on the case and his paralegal did an amazing job on providing us updates. I cannot thank Mr. Chicas enough for all that he has done for our family. We are truly grateful !” – Shirley Mur

“I recently had the pleasure of working with Himenes Chicas on my brother’s complex legal matter, and I cannot recommend their services highly enough. From the initial consultation to the resolution of the case, the level of professionalism and expertise displayed was outstanding.

Mr. Chicas and his team were not only knowledgeable about the law but also took the time to thoroughly understand the nuances of my brother’s situation. They communicated with clarity and transparency, keeping us informed at every stage of the legal process.

What stood out most was their strategic approach to handling the case. Mr. Chicas demonstrated a keen understanding of the intricacies of the law relevant to my brother’s immigration situation and developed a comprehensive strategy that ultimately led to a favorable outcome.

Moreover, the responsiveness and accessibility of Mr. Chicas and his team were commendable. Any concerns or questions I had were promptly addressed, making me feel confident and supported throughout the legal proceedings.

If you’re in search of an attorney who combines legal expertise with a client-focused approach, look no further. I am grateful for the dedicated representation and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone seeking exceptional legal services.” – Maria Alejandra Ahumada

“Attorney Himedes Chicas handled my marriage green card case, the removal of conditions on my green card, and my citizenship case. I have just become an American citizen! Himedes was fantastic throughout my entire naturalization process. He was very well organized, prepared us for what to expect, and was deeply knowledgeable. I don’t expect to need an immigration attorney again, but if I do, he would be the only attorney I would use. Thanks Himedes!” – Archu Patil

Himedes is a graduate of the University of Scranton. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he represented indigent clients as student attorney in the law school’s Immigration Clinic. He also served as the Executive Articles Editor for the Maryland Journal of International Law, an Asper Fellow for the Honorable Althea M. Handy, Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and a Legislative Law Clerk for Senator Ben Cardin in the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

Himedes is a member of the state bar of Maryland and is admitted to practice law in the U.S. District Court for Maryland and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

In addition, Himedes represents clients applying for affirmative family based and humanitarian benefits before the Department of Homeland Security.

Select Presentations, Engagements, and Trainings

• Faculty/Presenter, Prince George’s County, Maryland Bar Association, Alan Goldstein Annual Memorial Lecture, Duty of Criminal Defense Attorneys to Advise Noncitizen Clients (March 2014)
• Faculty/Presenter, Maryland State Bar Association, Immigration Section, CLE Spring Conference, The November 21, 2014 DHS Enforcement Priorities Memo: Alive and Well in Maryland and throughout the Country (May 2015)
• Faculty/Presenter, Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Immigration Program, The Immigrant and Criminal Defense Institute, Relief from Removal: Cancellation, 212(h) (September 2015)
• Faculty/Presenter, District of Columbia Bar, Continuing Legal Education Program, Immigration Practice Law Clinic: Litigation and Advocacy before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (October 2015)
• Faculty/Presenter, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Washington D.C. Chapter, 2015 Fall Conference, Enforcement Priorities and Prosecutorial Discretion: Confronting These Countervailing Forces, (November 2015)
• Presenter, University of Baltimore School of Law, Immigration Law Association, Crim-Imm Symposium: Avoiding the Pitfalls in Representing Noncitizen Clients in Criminal and Immigration Proceedings(April 2016)
• Faculty/Presenter, Office of the State’s Attorney for Montgomery County, Maryland, SAO Training, Immigration Law Fundamentals (May 2016)
• Faculty/Presenter, Maryland State Bar Association, 2016 Annual Conference/Joint Ben Bar Conference, Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions Fundamentals (June 2016)
• Faculty/Presenter, District of Columbia Bar, Continuing Legal Education Program, Immigration Litigation Series, (June 2016)
• Faculty/Presenter, District of Columbia Bar, Continuing Legal Education Program, Criminal and Immigration Law: Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activities and Convictions (February 2017)
• Faculty/Presenter, Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland, Criminal Justice Act Panel Training Program, Representing Immigrants in the Trump Era (May 2017)
• Faculty/Presenter, Maryland State Bar Association, 2017 Annual Conference, Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions in the New Era of Executive Orders (June 2017)
• Faculty/Presenter, District of Columbia Bar, Continuing Legal Education Program, Immigration Law Clinic: Litigation and Advocacy before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (August 2017)
• Presenter, Howard County Bar Association, Membership Luncheon Presentation, Immigration Practice in the Trump Era (September 2017)
• Faculty/Presenter, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Washington D.C. Chapter, 2017 Fall Conference, Everyone’s an ICE Target, (November 2017)

Representative Precedential Cases

• Larios-Reyes v. Lynch, 843 F.3d 146 (4th Cir. 2016), cert. denied sub nom. Sessions v. Larios-Reyes, 17-58, 2017 WL 2972640 (U.S. Oct. 16, 2017) (co-counsel for Petitioner)
• Matter of D-M-C-P-, 26 I&N Dec. 644 (BIA 2015) (Counsel for Respondent)

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”), Member (2010-Present)
• AILA, Washington D.C. Chapter, Baltimore-U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Liaison Committee, Vice Chair (2012-2014)
• AILA, Washington D.C. Chapter, Baltimore-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Liaison Committee, Co-Chair (2015-Present)
• Bar Association of Baltimore City, Member (2011-2013)
• Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, Member (2015-Present)
• Maryland Hispanic Bar Association, Member (2015-Present)
• Maryland State Bar Association (“MSBA”), Member (2010-Present)
• MSBA Immigration Law Section Council, Chair (2016-Present)
• Maryland Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, Member (2010-Present)
• Montgomery County Bar Association, Member (2014-Present)
• Regional Criminal-Immigration Collaborative, Participant (2014-Present)
• University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law, Immigration Clinic-World Relief, Baltimore Immigration Court Consultation Project, Volunteer Attorney (2011-Present)

HONORS AND RECOGNITIONS

• Named one of Maryland’s top immigration lawyers by Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2016-2017
• Named one of Washington’s top immigration lawyers by Washingtonian Magazine, D.C. Best Lawyers: Immigration, 2017 to 2022

You may email Mr. Chicas at hchicas@jezicfirm.com or call him in the office at 240-292-7200 or on his cell at 202-384-2647.