Abogada Alexandra Lozano main calo

Credit: Courtesy Alexandra Lozano

At age 16, Alexandra Lozano had an experience in Guatemala during a school field trip that drove her to become an immigration lawyer. While visiting a city, a local woman begged Lozano to take her child to the United States. She was confused and frightened that a mother would give up her child to a stranger that was only a tourist.

That experience shaped Lozano’s perspective, realizing she wanted to dedicate her life to helping immigrants and advocating for human rights. 

“I remember at the time I was so sad and moved by the decision a mother would take to give her child to a child,” Lozano said. “ I wanted to fight for human rights after that experience in Central America.” 

During her childhood,  Lozano understood why many people would immigrate to a new country due to her grandmother leaving her home of Czechoslovakia, the modern-day Czech Republic, due to financial circumstances. Hearing her grandmother tell her story of the trials and tribulations she went through to seek a brighter future for herself resonated with Lozano. These two experiences fueled her to help immigrants by becoming an immigration lawyer. 

Today, Lozano is the Chief Executive Officer of her law firm, Alexandra Lozano Immigration Law PLLC, which she formed in 2008. She has offices in five states, including Washington, California, and Texas. In 2021, Lozano’s law firm helped more than 1,000 clients receive their green cards, and she was named “40 Under 40,” a list of the most influential young leaders, by the Puget Sound Business Journal in September 2022. 

“I wanted to be a law firm for the people and the community,” Lozano said. “We created a law firm that puts our clients 100% in the center. We remain mission-centered, which allowed [for] our growth and let us become the largest humanitarian immigration law firm in the U.S.” 

On November 5, Lozano and her team of lawyers at the Alexandra Lozano Immigration Law PLLC offered free Spanish consultations on immigration issues in for residents of southeast Los Angeles. 

CALÓ NEWS interviewed Lozano about issues the immigrant community faces after the 2022 midterm elections and other concerns.


Abogada-Alexandra-Lozano-main-calo-2

At age 16, Lozano had an experience in Guatemala during a school field trip that drove her to become an immigration lawyer.

ALEXANDRA LOZANO, 38, SEATTLE, WA, FOUNDING PARTNER AND CEO OF ALEXANDRA LOZANO IMMIGRATION LAW PLLC, WHITE/ CAUCASIAN, SHE/HER

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OFFER FREE CONSULTATIONS TO LATINO IMMIGRANTS?  

I feel very dedicated to looking for the cases of people who have heard “no”; I have turned those into “yesses” because people often feel hopeless. They’ve heard many no’s, so they don’t want to talk to another lawyer. So when you offer them a free consultation, we can evaluate their case and tell them honestly if we can help them.

WHAT INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO CLIENTS WHO ATTENDED THE FREE CONSULTATION EVENT?   

One of the main things we do is a complete legal consultation; we will do a full legal analysis of their case and tell them what options are available. We have a great team, and I go to all of the [team members] to look at their documents. Sometimes, many people don’t have documents, so we just review their stories and then see what we can do for them.

WHAT ARE SOME FEARS OR ISSUES THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS FACING TODAY?

One is we all know the fear of I.C.E [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and the fear of deportation. But their fear, that I feel, isn’t voiced a lot, and that’s the fear that they [immigrants] will never see their parents again, which is so sad to think. When someone comes to the U.S., they sacrifice a lot. They sacrifice their lives just to get through the desert. So with my clients, my team and I are always looking for solutions for them to be able to go back and be with their families again.  

Alexandra-Lozano-with-Clients

Recently, Lozano and her team of lawyers at the Alexandra Lozano Immigration Law PLLC offered free Spanish consultations on immigration issues in southeast Los Angeles.

WITH THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS BEHIND US AND CERTAIN POSITIONS CHANGING, IS THERE A WAY OUR GOVERNMENT CAN FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD ON IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION REFORM? 

I’m hopeful. I think there are so many promises out there, and I would instead take the opportunity to help people change their lives right now. To take action today with what does exist because sitting around and hoping politicians will do the right thing isn’t going to happen. I would rather have us take the loss and see how we could apply that better next time. 

WITH MANY IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN LARGE CITIES LIKE LA, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IMMIGRANTS DO WHEN THEIR VOICES AREN’T BEING HEARD AND CAN’T VOTE?

It is hard to say to my clients who are working a job or two and raising their children, “go out there and do a marcha.” It’s challenging, and I think it becomes the responsibility of those who can vote for them. They do not have the right to vote or organize community events. I think it’s the responsibility of all of us who can vote or manage to do that. 

AS AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BEST PRACTICES TO SUPPORT THE IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY?

Voting is one of the ways, as well as donating your time and money to organizations that support immigrants. I believe there needs to be a national change regarding immigration, but with my work, we’re changing lives one at a time. Yes, it is a slower process and doesn’t change the whole system. Still, it changes that person’s life, so someone who cares about immigration could help an immigrant get legal assistance by donating to an organization that does non-profit work. Whatever it is, I think we can go big on a reform level or by helping individuals on a smaller scale. 

Los-Angeles-Team-Alexandra-Lozano-Immigration-Law-

Alexandra Lozano and her law firm team-based team in Los Angeles.

WITH 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A IMMIGRATION LAWYER, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SERVICES IMMIGRANTS SEEK OUT THE MOST?

Most of my clients want a work permit, and that’s number one. After that, they typically seek a valid social security number and permit to go to Mexico or a green card. They want the ability to be stable here in the U.S., have reliable work, provide for their family, and see them in Mexico. 

DO YOU HAVE EVENTS SIMILAR TO THE ONE YOU HAD ON NOV. 5?

For the whole month of September, we offered free consultations in all five of our offices, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Mexican Independence Day. We are dedicated to doing community events and having free consultations by phone. That way, people across the nation can receive consultations regardless of where they live. 

IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU’D LIKE IMMIGRANTS OR PEOPLE WHO KNOW IMMIGRANTS TO KNOW?

Even when it feels like there’s no option left, don’t lose hope. Hopefully, there is a way where you could hear that, yes. I know many of our clients have been through so much to make it into the U.S., and we want to honor that by trying to help them find the way. As we always say in my firm, la lucha sigue.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.