

Immigration law in Louisiana can be intimidating, and nowhere is that more evident than in Jena. Home to the LaSalle ICE Processing Center, one of the largest immigration detention facilities in the United States, Jena plays a central role in federal immigration enforcement. Every day, individuals are detained, placed into removal proceedings, and forced to navigate a complex legal system that often moves faster than families can respond.
At Bartell, Georgalas & Juarez, we provide compassionate, results-driven representation to immigrants detained in Jena, as well as to their families throughout Louisiana and nearby Natchez, Mississippi. Our attorneys have extensive experience in deportation defense, adjustment of status, green cards, and criminal defense for non-citizens, and we work tirelessly to secure our clients’ rights and their futures. Whether you are seeking release from detention, pursuing permanent residency, or protecting yourself from deportation, our Jena immigration lawyers are here to help.
Jena has become a focal point for immigration enforcement in the southern United States. With thousands of individuals detained at the LaSalle ICE Processing Center each year, the town’s legal system plays a key role in the deportation and detention process. Cases here can move quickly, and many detainees are held far from their families or support networks.
The isolation of detention facilities like Jena’s can make it difficult for immigrants to access qualified legal representation. Without an attorney, detainees face long odds in court, especially when language barriers and complicated procedures stand in the way of justice.
Our firm understands the urgency and sensitivity of immigration cases originating from Jena. We represent clients in all stages of the immigration process, including:
Families of detained immigrants often live hours away, including many in Natchez, Mississippi, and rely on our attorneys for consistent communication and case updates. Our goal is to protect clients’ rights, secure their release from detention when possible, and fight for their long-term legal status in the United States.
As a full-service immigration law firm, Bartell, Georgalas & Juarez represents clients in every aspect of immigration law. In Jena, our work focuses on the most pressing issues faced by individuals detained at the LaSalle ICE Processing Center and their families, including removal defense, detention representation, adjustment of status, criminal defense, asylum, naturalization, DACA, and visas.
Our attorneys understand the urgency that comes with detention cases and the emotional toll that immigration proceedings place on families. We act quickly to protect your rights, secure release when possible, and pursue the best available path to lawful status.
Removal proceedings are among the most serious immigration matters, and Jena sees a high volume of them each year. Our attorneys provide aggressive defense for clients detained at the LaSalle ICE Processing Center and beyond. We represent individuals in bond hearings, cancellation of removal, asylum claims, and motions to reopen.
If a removal order has already been issued, we handle appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and, when appropriate, in federal court. We believe every person deserves a fair hearing and the opportunity to remain with their loved ones. Our goal is always to keep families together and prevent wrongful deportation.
For individuals detained in Jena or living nearby, obtaining a green card through adjustment of status may still be possible. Our attorneys help clients pursue lawful permanent residency through marriage, family sponsorship, or humanitarian programs such as asylum or special immigrant status.
We assist with documentation, interview preparation, and representation before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Even if you have been detained or have a prior removal order, our attorneys can assess your eligibility and develop a strategy to achieve permanent legal residence.
Criminal charges can have devastating immigration consequences. In Louisiana, many non-citizens are detained in Jena following an arrest or conviction. Our firm provides comprehensive representation, defending clients in criminal court while simultaneously safeguarding their immigration status.
Because our attorneys practice in both immigration and criminal law, we understand how the two systems interact. We work to minimize the immigration fallout from criminal charges, negotiate plea agreements that protect future immigration options, and fight to prevent deportation based on criminal grounds.
Many people detained in Jena are asylum seekers who fled persecution in their home countries. The asylum process can be complex and intimidating, especially when conducted from within a detention center. Our attorneys help clients prepare credible fear interviews, gather country condition evidence, and present strong asylum claims before immigration judges.
We also assist families of detainees by providing case updates, filing necessary documents, and ensuring that asylum applications are properly prepared and submitted under the strict federal timelines.
Although many Jena cases involve detention and removal, our firm also helps lawful permanent residents throughout Louisiana take the next step toward U.S. citizenship. We prepare and file N-400 applications, gather supporting evidence, and guide clients through interviews and exams.
For individuals with past immigration or criminal issues, our attorneys review eligibility and develop legal strategies to clear obstacles to naturalization. We believe every client who has contributed to their community deserves a fair opportunity to become a citizen.
While Jena’s immigration caseload is heavily focused on detention, our firm also assists Louisiana’s Dreamers with both new DACA applications and renewals. We help ensure that forms are filed correctly, that renewals are processed on time, and that applicants maintain lawful work authorization.
For those who no longer qualify for DACA or are seeking more permanent options, our attorneys explore alternative forms of immigration relief such as adjustment of status, family petitions, or humanitarian protections.
From family-based visas to hardship waivers, our attorneys help clients overcome obstacles that may prevent them from entering or remaining in the United States legally. We prepare waivers of inadmissibility for prior unlawful presence, criminal history, or other grounds that could make an applicant ineligible.
Our team works with families in Jena and beyond to secure spousal visas, fiancé(e) visas, and family-based green cards, ensuring that every petition is backed by strong evidence and legal support.
In addition to direct representation for detainees, we assist families across Louisiana and nearby Natchez, Mississippi, with filing immigration petitions, responding to ICE notifications, and staying informed throughout the detention process. Our attorneys provide bilingual support in English and Spanish, ensuring that every client fully understands their rights and options.
The LaSalle ICE Processing Center in Jena holds immigrants from across the United States. Many detainees have been transferred from other states and may not have local family support. Proceedings often move quickly, and detainees are expected to respond to government filings with little notice.
Our attorneys are deeply familiar with the LaSalle facility, its procedures, and the immigration courts that handle cases from Jena. We regularly represent clients in bond hearings, credible fear interviews, and removal proceedings. We also coordinate directly with families living elsewhere, including Natchez, Mississippi, and other southern states, to ensure they stay informed about their loved one’s case and court dates.
For many detainees, legal representation is the only chance to secure release or avoid deportation. Our firm’s experience in ICE detention defense allows us to act fast, communicate effectively with clients in custody, and pursue every available form of relief.
Immigration detention and deportation defense require skill, urgency, and persistence. Families and detainees in Jena trust our firm because of our experience, dedication, and proven results.
When you choose Bartell, Georgalas & Juarez, you are choosing a firm that will fight tirelessly to protect your rights, your family, and your future.
We know that most individuals detained in Jena are not from the area; their families are often hours away, struggling to stay informed and connected. Our attorneys work directly with families across Louisiana and nearby Natchez, Mississippi, to provide case updates, explain next steps, and coordinate all communication with detention staff and immigration courts.
Our goal is to provide peace of mind during one of the most difficult experiences a family can face. Whether we are appearing at a bond hearing, filing a green card petition, or challenging a removal order, we are committed to standing with every client from start to finish.
If you or a loved one has been detained at the LaSalle ICE Processing Center or is facing deportation in Jena, now is the time to act. The earlier you involve an experienced immigration attorney, the more options you may have to stay in the United States and reunite with your family.
At Bartell, Georgalas & Juarez, we proudly serve clients in Jena, Oakdale, New Orleans, and throughout Louisiana, as well as families in Natchez, Mississippi, who need support for detained loved ones.
Call Bartell, Georgalas & Juarez today at (216) 284-7591 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with a skilled Jena immigration lawyer. Our attorneys are ready to protect your rights, fight for your freedom, and help you build a more secure future in the United States.




