Senior Associate
Zeena Barazanji
Country / Territory
Get in touch
Languages
- English
- Arabic
- Spanish
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
333 W Wacker Dr 15th Floor
Chicago IL 60606
United States
Zeena is a Senior Associate at Fragomen’s Chicago office where she practices in employment and family-based immigration law. Zeena counsels a wide range of clients from local startups to multinational corporations in the financial, tech and healthcare industries on the nonimmigrant and immigrant visa process, employer compliance and global mobility. She also represents individuals in their family-based immigration petitions, consular applications, and removal and deportation defense. Zeena regularly represents clients before USCIS, the Asylum Office, the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
Prior to joining Fragomen, Zeena worked at boutique immigration law firms where she managed an extensive practice spanning all areas of immigration law.
Zeena’s pro bono efforts have included representing survivors of domestic violence and other crimes seeking VAWA petitions and U Visas, overcoming visa denials before the Department of State and counselling individuals who were impacted by the August 2019 Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at a Mississippi poultry plant, where she prepared T visas and advised clients on bond matters and potential relief from removal.
Zeena speaks Arabic, English and Spanish.
Education
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 2013
- University of Iowa, B.A., high honors , 2010
More from Zeena
Admissions
Bar Admissions: Illinois
Court Admissions: United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Professional accomplishments
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Co-Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, AILA Chicago Chapter
Member, Illinois State Bar Association
Experience
Successfully tried asylum cases in immigration court for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, victims of religious persecution, political dissidents and more.
Represented individuals and families in immigration court seeking cancellation of removal and adjustment of status cases against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Counseled a Fortune 500 multinational corporation in managing its immigrant and nonimmigrant employment-based visa petitions, including a high volume of H-1B petitions, L-1s for intracompany transferees and adjustment of status petitions.
Overturned wrongful denials of H-1B, N-400 and I-485 petitions through motions to reopen and appeals with USCIS and the Administrative Appeals Office.
Secured reinstatement to F-1 status for students whose status was wrongfully terminated.
Received a custody grant and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for an unaccompanied minor fleeing gang violence in his home country.
Publications and lectures
Speaker, “All About INA § 212(d)(3) Waivers in the Employment Context.” AILA Chicago Chapter 2024 Employment Conference Series, 30 October 2024.
Zeena’s insights
October 23, 2024 — October 30, 2024 | Conference
October 11, 2023 | Webinar
