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- Spanish
- English
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
444 South Flower Street, Suite 500
Los Angeles CA 90071
United States
Melissa is a Partner in Fragomen’s Los Angeles office. With more than a decade of experience, she has established herself as a trusted advisor to multinational employers navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. Melissa provides strategic counsel across all facets of business immigration, with significant experience designing and managing large-scale immigration programs that are both compliant and business-forward. She is experienced with permanent residence strategies, with a particular focus on priority worker categories such as EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) and EB-1B (Outstanding Researcher) petitions.
Melissa considers herself an extension of her clients’ organizations, fully immersing herself in their culture and helping drive their business goals and workforce strategy. She is a strategic partner who manages immigration programs that align with each client’s unique needs while balancing compliance, cost-efficiency and employee experience.
A champion for continuous improvement, Melissa is passionate about process optimization and quality. She brings a thoughtful and analytical lens to every challenge and is always in pursuit of smarter, more effective ways to deliver results. She prides herself in helping her client strategically utilize immigration to serve their broader organizational results.
Melissa speaks English and Spanish.
Education
- Southwestern University School of Law, J.D., cum laude , 2014
- Grinnell College, B.A., 2012
More from Melissa
Admissions
Bar Admissions: California
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Awards
Named to Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, 2021 to 2026
Professional accomplishments
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Member, Latina Lawyers Bar Association
Member, Mexican American Bar Association
Experience
Represented clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR); Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA); and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Prepared applications for a variety of immigrant and nonimmigrant matters.
Prepared responses to requests for evidence.
Prepared applications and represented individuals seeking naturalization, asylum, cancellation of removal and U-Visas.
Represented clients in court at master calendar and individual hearings.
Publications and lectures
Speaker, “Immigration Breakfast Briefing.” Fragomen, Los Angeles, CA, 5 March 2025.
Melissa’s insights
January 5, 2026 | Fragomen news
August 21, 2025 | Awards
March 5, 2025 | Meeting














