Title: Immigration Lawyer Reveals Why You Need a Paid Consultation | Immigration Law Explained
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[Music] Welcome back everyone to another episode of the Auto Accident Attorneys podcast brought to you by the Auto Accident Attorneys Group. Our motto is simple. We take care of you. While we're known for helping people navigate the aftermath of auto accidents, this podcast, as you've come to know, is about so much more. Here you'll find helpful episodes on what to do after an accident, how to deal with insurance adjusters, and even tips for preventing accidents in the first place. But we don't stop there.

This show is about taking care of people in every way we can. And on staying on that theme for this week, we're taking care of you listeners. on Aziz by having an immigration attorney on the podcast today, a fellow Persian attorney as well, Miss Nushin Beageri. >> Yes, >> Miss Begi, thank you so much for joining me today. >> Thank you for inviting me. >> Miss Beari runs the Bear Law Firm in Sandy Springs and she also has a fantastic podcast which I've listened to. Uh I got a lot of great information and great some some great stories as well.

Uh the p name of the podcast is so where are you from? You can find it on all major platforms. I have so many questions for you today nisheen. Uh, but before I dive in, um, being as that you're a Persian guest, I I wanted to show the viewers and listeners. I've I've got some treats. When you're uh when you have a Persian guest, you always have to bring fruits and nuts. We didn't have any fruits in the office, so I brought some nuts. >> And you provided the chai. >> And that's right. Yes. Um, Nanjan, please uh introduce yourself to our listeners.

and uh let us know a little bit about yourself. >> Well, thank you for having me, inviting me to your podcast. Um yes, immigration is a hot topic amongst many. My name is Nishim uh Beari. I was born and raised here in Atlanta, Georgia. Um my family is from Iran. So, first generation Iranian American. Um I practice immigration law. I have my own firm called Bear Law Firm located here in Georgia. However, because we deal with federal law, I can assist clients all across the US and all across the world, which I do have clients located from Malaysia to Europe to Iran, from California, up north, and so forth.

So, that's the beauty of immigration law that I could assist anywhere you're located at. Um, it's been it's been an interesting few years, a lot of changes. And during that time, you know, when you're practicing law, as you can as you can relate to, you kind of want to have that creative outlet. And so my creative outlet was having my own little podcast. Just kind of stepping outside my comfort zone, bringing attention to other areas of immigration, not so serious areas of immigration where it was called, "So where are you from?" Because being born and raised here with the color tone of my skin, no one would believe that I'm from the US.

And so they'll keep asking, "No, so where are you from?" I'm like, "Atlanta." They're like, "No, really." And then you had to go through this whole spiel. So I just want to bring different perspectives of the lives of immigrants and what they've been through and some people like enjoyed it because it touched certain parts of their lives of their stories of their journey and so just to make it >> bring out what we don't speak about because of our culture. We always keep a lot of things in or either by shame or just don't talk about this.

I want to expose it so that people can be feel related relatable to somebody else and be like hey I'm going through the same journey too. Yeah, that's amazing. The one thing that you and I share in common is we were both born in the south. Yeah. >> You were born in Atlanta. I was You're from the big city, though. I was born in Chattanooga. >> Oh, really? >> And my my parents had the wherewithal this boy is being born in Chattanooga. They're like, "Let's name him Muhammad." >> Okay. >> So, thanks mom and dad.

On that note though, I one of the things that I found very relatable was your experience when people are asking where are you from and you say Atlanta and they pause. Yeah. >> And they wait like what's going on. >> You mentioned that you identify the opposite of wherever you're at amongst Iran. Iranians or if you're in Iran, you feel American. >> Oh yes. >> And when you're amongst Americans, you feel Iranian. >> That was an interesting part growing up. So my parents, you know, I love them that they did this now, especially as I gotten older.

Every two years, they would take us back to Iran for a summer vacation to get to know our family over there. But the funny thing is I would be here, born and raised here, and everyone because just of color skin tone, they'll be like, you know, they'll be like, "Oh, you're Iranian. You're not American enough." And also because my parents raised me traditional, they didn't allow me to be full-on American either. They're like, "No, here are the traditions and culture." But then when I would go to Iran, people would be like, "Okay, like they'll let me get away with things because, "Oh, she's American." And so I never like fit in either.

So it was just kind of I I took advantage of it when I could. You know, you could play ignorance, but like in Iran, I'm like, "Oh, I didn't know because I'm American." But >> gave it a pass for that. >> I got a pass for I got a pass from like the family. But um but it was it was hard because you just don't feel like you fit in >> in like in either location. And um I try to take the best of both. So I sometimes feel like I have an identity crisis myself too. I'm like who am I? But I just try to mesh as well.

Like sometimes I I hate to say it just in work like you know a lot of my clients are immigrants and I love what I do because I feel like I can relate to them how I grew up and because my family and everybody else but then when it comes to business I have to bring my American side into it and be like okay no no no we're not I don't I don't we don't we're not going to do this. No bargaining. I don't know how to bargain. That's so funny that you mentioned that because um I don't know how to say it in Farsy to take care of you.

>> Well, I was about to I guess so. >> What what Musheen just said one it's part of the culture. Um and and everybody likes to have a good deal or value and and I think that because of that connection >> there's almost this sense of I don't mean this as negatively as it sounds but there is a sense of entitlement like >> but you know something has to pay for the building too and it's it's not pro bono work although where on my end and I know that I see that you do an annual donation drive where we can we will make those um concessions and I try and help as much as possible.

But I imagine, you know, I do contingency fee based work. >> Um you don't have that luxury. You have to uh I say luxury, it's it's not a luxury, but you know, you you have billable hours or or pay flat fee. Okay. So your expertise comes from >> what's in your mind and for you to express what's in your mind and help someone and they need time. Yeah. >> So, I'm assuming that you probably have a lot of push back on. You have like consultation fees. They they want to get on the phone and talk to you. >> Yeah.

That's the problem. I wish as anybody could, you know, offer do the proono, but there's so much and I have overhead and you have, you know, you like just like anybody else. You work, you get paid. Um, I think a lot of misconception is there are people who do offer free consultation in immigration. However, you have to be wary of the free consultations. Are you really getting any information? Like they'll just give you 15 20 minutes. It's a sales test tactic. It's a scare tactic like hire me, I can do it or they guarantee something which they can't guarantee in immigration, >> right?

>> Like when you get a paid one, you get indepth evaluation. So you come out with something either you want to continue with a lawyer or you can do it on your own, but you come out with information and clarification of your personal case. It's not a sales pitch, at least for me. So I think that's why when I charge, I give my time, I do my research, I do my follow-up, and then you have access to me in a sense because I need to develop that client attorney privilege as well. So if I we're not signing on to something or someone just calls and picks up, you know, says, "Hey, can you answer this question?" We're not developing that client attorney privilege and I have liability as well and I don't want to misguide you.

So I want that time. I want to know your background, make sure I'm informing you correctly because it is sensitive and a lot of people don't realize a lot certain things like even when I sign on a client in the middle of it, I find out some information that could either be good or harmful to their case. And so it's like that's even when I'm like with you for a while. So imagine you think you have one question, you want to answer it real quickly. I can't because I'm going to miss key points. I know you're not providing me what I need to know.

That's critical, >> right? Talk me through that journey. I I was luckily born here in the States, so this is not something that I'm >> uh I have personal experience with, but what does that look like from that perspective? I'm already putting myself in in the Persian uh listeners mind. I don't even know what it looks like that I'm here. I need to change my status. So I need to get a consult. What what does that look like logistically from the potential client's perspective? They step one is to pay for a consultation for a review.

>> So yes. So like how I run it is um so a client will reach out to my office and then I tell them it's like listen schedule a time that's one-on-one, you know, that we can talk about your case because otherwise a lot of people either want to try to DM me on social media or send a text. I'm like I can't give, you know, secure information over social media. it's not for beneficial to you or for me as well. And so we're going to have a lot of miscommunications that way. So let's meet up either like a virtual meeting, which I do, or in person at the office.

And um so we offer that to make it easy for everybody. But what that allows is we're reserving a time. You're reserving my time. I ask you to submit me whatever documentations you have. I sit down. I review it. I go over your options. I go over what options you don't have. I explain the whole process. explain, you know, what we can guarantee, what we can't guarantee, and where we're at in the in the universe of immigration law. >> And so that time is like I feel like it's worthy enough that you know, you're coming out with something and then sometimes I can guide you be like, okay, these are your options.

And sometime with immigration, people think it's just forms that's online. You can fill it yourself. It's so much more than that. And I can't emphasize that enough. But hey, if you want to just complete a form, I can tell you like which options you have. can go forth or you can secure work with me and then it offers a time do you want to even work with me do you like do you like my energy do you like how I work or I how I present myself I'm interviewing you as well because with immigration there the cases and just like in your area I'm sure >> it could take a year two years three years we're together we become family at the end it's like my clients become my family at the end >> and so we have to see do we work together well and so it's kind of like an interview process me of you and you of me.

So, you allow yourself that, give yourself, you know, that benefit of meeting with the attorney one-on-one. >> What's the most common call that you get for consultation? Let's start there. >> Oh, well, the common call always starts with I have just one quick question. >> There's like there's no such thing as one quick question as as you know, like the attorney's response that it depends. You know, you can't guarantee anything. So I get I get so much um the ones that kind of get me and I feel bad to but you know I get to also pick and choose the cases I want to do you know as well that I want because I want to be as successful as well and make sure you you qualify.

Um the ones are the ones where people decide to do it on themselves and they're in the middle of the process. They have some questions or they messed up. And I always tell people it's like, listen, if I'm going to get into this case now, it's going to cost you more >> than if you initially signed up with me because now to go backwards. I can't just jump in a case. I don't know what you submitted. I don't know anything about you. I can't just help you attend an interview or fix this problem when I know nothing about you.

So, I have to go backwards, get to know you, get to know every research everything you submitted and in response to get to that point. So it's actually costing more hourly time. So those >> double the work essentially. >> It's double the work. So I'm like just do it right the first time. >> You know, very similarly on my end, um we'll get calls when somebody has handled their auto accident claim on their own and the insurance company has offered them, let's call it, $1,200. And then they call me and I'm like, well, you know, your accident was eight months ago.

Everything that should have been done is already done. I cannot now go back and fix anything. >> Yeah, that's true. >> We had a an estate attorney on the podcast a few weeks ago and she said, "Look, I'll be the first one to talk myself out of a job. Nothing that I do is magic. All of the forms are accessible to the public." >> Yeah. >> What my expertise is is knowing what to put on those forms and how to present them. >> Exactly. Um, and I I feel like that's probably a lot of what's going on on the immigration side on on what information to expose, when to expose it, how to expose it.

>> Exactly. Like especially now, especially now, everything is critical. You get one shot before you kind of if you, for example, you apply for citizenship and you're a green card holder, you don't get the citizenship. Hey, you can apply again. Now, no, you get that one shot. Now, they start reporting to other agencies like ICE and so forth of why you got rejected. So the the agencies are communicating more. So you really like if I'm >> if this is my livelihood, I would invest that little bit into it. You know, I would do it right the first time because you really only get one shot nowadays.

>> I'm Persian, so I got to know. >> Yeah. >> Are we t on a consultation? >> Are we talking hundreds of dollars? Are we talking thousands of dollars? What does that investment look like for >> consultation? >> For consultation. >> Okay. I was to say my consultation is like 150 >> and you get push back. >> Oh yes. That's why that's one of the reasons I kind of do a constitution. It's like also it's like a test. It's like are you gonna take me seriously or not? Like you know because you have a lot of people that just kind of want to tap into your energy, tap into your time.

It's like are you going to take this case seriously? It's like are you serious for me to put my time into it? So it's kind of like a testing in a sense. >> Do you really care about this case? >> Wow. That's wild. >> Yeah. >> Uh >> right. I think maybe one of the best things that we can do for listeners right now is to sort of educate them on the paradigm shift that requires to be made in order to take care of your life. You said it's your livelihood. It's your life. It's what you're going to do for the rest of your life.

You'll gladly spend $150 of Roomies. No shade at Roomies. I love Roomies. Yeah. All the glad >> the priorities. >> Yeah. >> By the way, I'd love to have Roomies as a sponsor. I think what it is with our profession, I don't know about you so much, do um do you guys do consultation fees? >> No, there's we're there's no uh merchants services processing at all in any of our offices because the clients never pay us for anything. >> That's true. But you get it at the end. Yeah. >> With the insurance companies always send us a check and it has to go through the client trust account.

We don't even touch it. That's another misconception on our end. >> Yeah. the insurance companies now have uh what they started doing as soon as they mail the check to the office they'll send a letter to the client being like hey we sent you know $250,000 to this law firm and luckily we provide settlement statements and they're informed but before we had those standard operating procedures we'd have clients call in and be like hey you have my money like they're afraid that >> we're going to go and spend their money like I can't even a even if we once we get it I still can't access it >> it's got to go through your trust account >> there's a lot that the listeners don't I think what people um I guess see I'm trying to understand from their point of view as well why it comes to that.

I think what it is is like because our service is um vocal. It's not like you go to a do like I can imagine you go to a doctor and you're calling them on their personal phone hey can you answer this question like how many people do that or push back when you have to pay consult to go see a dentist or doctor just you know block a time off >> because they're involved they they're providing like a physical service >> right >> I think because we provide an intellectual you know skill that they don't feel like we deserve to be paid >> right >> you know and but we're paying for education we're paying for like the knowledge that we obtain like we go to conferences keep up to date all of this stuff these verifications and live malpractice everything so people don't realize that so I feel like that's what they see it as like you know sometimes I feel like they really think I must be like a 1800 call service like they just call I'm like I don't have time to just pick up a call you know I have case paid clients that I'm going to put priority on to >> if the client steps out of their paradigm and looks at it from your paradigm that client it's it's that one issue for them they don't realize that you're working that scale.

So if every one of the clients is like just give me five minutes of your time, your day is spoken for. >> Exactly. They don't realize that. That's the thing. It's like I can't give to everybody that who reaches out to me like the time and and it's not one question. It's not more. It's not five minutes. It's like it takes over an hour. So um and multiple times they'll reach out. It's like you answer one question, they have a follow-up question follow and then you're like, "Oh gosh, see I knew this was going to happen." >> Yeah.

>> So that's the things like it's time. Time is money. And you know, we have I have other CL cases going on that I have to put preference on priority on who paid and invested in me. So, they're my priority. So, I have to put their needs first. >> Bottom line, if you're in a situation where you need some guidance, 150 bucks is a drop in the bucket for anyone. I don't care what economic level you're at. Um, you can scrape up 150 bucks if you're in that situation to figure out what you're going to do with your life.

So, we're going to leave that there. So now after consultation, um, is it mostly they're trying to get citizenship? Is that is that the >> No, citizenship is kind of less. That one's a little bit more straightforward. Some people like I like I say, I recommend don't do it on your own. Make sure cuz part of the consultation that we do is that they don't understand. It's like, let me see if you even you say you want citizenship, but let me see if you even qualify. Let's see if it's not going to be a risk even applying.

Sometimes like like I'm the I'm the type of attorney that I've had a couple clients. I'm like, no. Like I could have easily got their case. They went to citizenships. Like we can work on it. But I was like, "No, you're safer staying as a green card holder right now. Come back to me in a couple of years. Let's make sure this history of yours is cleared up." Like I'm not here to like I want to do it the right way. I want to be successful. Like all my cases, thank God, have been successful because we vet out and I just want to give the best advice to people and I forewarn them.

But at the end, it's their decision. But I give them the upfront. So once after the consultation you know they take time um if they want to hire like I say do they want to work with me do I want to work with them and if they reach out then we we you know engage an engagement contract and go from there and I'm like once you sign and the flat fee is paid then you know we take off we take off with your work. What's the range of somebody that is going through that needs immigration services if it's it's going to take years?

You said like possibly. >> Yeah. >> So that flat fee has to cover that possibility of that length of time. >> That's what people don't understand. So it seems like a lot in the beginning and I understand it's like a a chunk like a couple thousand could be in a chunk but I'm holding on to your case. I have overhead. I have everything for at least a year, two years. It could sometimes be three years that I'm holding on to your case and your email. And the thing they don't realize with my flat fee is that includes the calls and emails.

I'm not doing billable hours, everything. So that's the thing. Once you entrust in me, we become family. And so I don't nitpick after like I'm not nitpicking after that unless it's excessive. I've had some clients excessive like every week, what's the what's the status? I'm like I will let you know. But yeah, I'm holding on to cases for a year, three years. So it's really like pennies in a bucket when you think about the hours spent in holding on to your case. >> Yeah, I see it. But that's just because I from your side I'm on the side of providing the services and I know what goes into it.

Um we get a lot of shoppers on the front end when an accident happens and they want to know about percentage. You're not even paying out of pocket. It's like well after you win I want the percentage to be lower. There are firms the billboard says my 25% attorney. What I say is if you pay me even 40% or 50%. You'll double the 25%. But that's not what our fees are. But I'm saying >> even if you double what they're charging you when I am able to achieve a higher >> gross settlement, >> you're still better off than paying somebody 25% on a smaller settlement because we're only whichever attorney you go to, they're only having a slice of the pie.

>> Yeah. >> So the attorneys want Well, the good attorneys want to make the pie as big as possible. But I digress. >> No, no. It's interesting because in our field we have a lot of issues with I don't know if in your field probably not so much because you guys go to court and mediate all that for us because you know people think once again it's just forms it's not just a form application that there's so many non attorneys quote unquote practicing law these people are willing paying double that what I charge they get screwed up at the end because they're not real lawyers they have no malpractice they have no liability and then when they come to you they don't want to pay you it's like you decide to take risk with someone because quote unquote you thought it was cheaper, but they're not even they're not re they're not real attorneys, >> right?

>> They they're not invested in your case. >> Nin just said liability and malpractice. That's that's the insurance that attorneys have to have in case of malpractice. Sort of like a doctor. If a doctor commits malpractice, they can be liable. When when you're not an attorney, you not only do you not have that insurance to protect your clients clients, you're probably a fly by night shop. >> Oh, and the problem is when they don't realize this, so on these immigration forms, if somebody's preparing your case, there is a section where you have to fill out the end of the application, you sign it, you date it, you put your information, who prepared this case.

So, as attorney, I put my name, my thing. So, I'm like responsible. I'm putting my name with the government. I prepared this case. Mhm. >> These people who are filling it for free or really low, they're not signing it. So, whatever it falls on the client. Anything that's wrong with the application falls 100% on the client and the clients don't know what's being filled out for them most of the time. >> Is that really common? Is that not regulated? >> Oh my gosh. It's not regulated. We're trying to like the bar association is trying to have like a list of, you know, you can notify of these, but especially in the Hispanic communities called they're called Notorios.

>> Huge. And even amongst the Persian communities, I know people who kind of claim they're immigration attorneys when they're not just because they can fill they were successful in one family case, but when it gets complicated, they're they don't realize that you can always can't go back to them if they sign the form. >> Speaking of uh the Hispanic community and Persians, there's language barriers, >> yeah, >> are a big issue. Can you talk about some of the most common challenges when >> Oh, yeah. >> when those language barriers are in place.

So, um, majority of my clients are Iranian. So, I have to say in hindsight, like you have kids, I have kids. So, back in the day, my with my traditional father, we would do I don't know if you ever had to do this Sunday school Farsy classes with a >> Yes. Mama Nand. It was torturous. Never appreciated none of that. And then I actually finally enjoyed going to the learner language. So, I took it in college, some Farsy classes. And in hindsight, look where I end up at. So my that my little Farsy has helped me a lot with my clients to so it's funny the first call I get from Iran he's like do you speak far I was like so I can speak >> that's good >> I say I can speak socially to you but not with not legal terms >> right >> and I try not to do the legal terms because I want to make sure I'm conveying correctly the legal term and also to the point that if you're applying for naturalization you got to know a little bit of English so it's kind of on the client as well.

But I try my best. My Farsy has gotten better dealing with Ryan clients and they say they could all understand me, but um or I'll get a DM all in forcy about something help. I'm like, please write this in English. I could sort of read it, but I don't want to take the risk. I'm misinformed, you know. So that so those Farsy classes I have to give to my dad that, you know, they've helped me out. >> Amazing. naturally curious if there are any unique cases or any wild stories that our listeners might be surprised to hear that you've had experience with.

>> I had a sad one which this was a really kind of hard case but we managed it but it ended up I was very sad for it. There's this one Iranian young guy who fled Iran, didn't even have a passport, didn't have his military card which is like all major documentations you need. He's in Amsterdam and um he wanted to get a tourist visa to come to the US and so it was already uphill battle like he didn't have all the documents. We had to find like substitute documents. We had to explain it to the embassy.

He's a young single guy. That's already a red flag. >> Yeah. >> All of this stuff and it was a mess of with the system where they lost his passport. We had to retrieve it back, send it back, everything. We finally after a year got his tourist visa. And so he got it before Trump came in. And I'm thinking, dude, get in now. Get in if you can now. And he said, well, this was like in October, but he postponed. He's like, I can't come to summer. I'm like, okay. So then Trump comes, the ban comes, and they said he got his visa before the ban kicked in, which technically, you know, the visa is still viable.

But what people don't understand is just because they have a visa doesn't mean you're allowed entry into the US. A visa just gives you access on a plane to come to the US border and then the officers are here make the final decision. >> So this guy got the visa after so long and so long investment comes to yes recently. He just emailed like nine I just got questioned for hours at the airport and I got sent back and they stamped my thing my visa was voided. >> Wow. >> It broke my heart and I you know you try to console it's like you just feel so helpless.

So that was heartbreaking. Um especially during around the band time that was hard because I had some cases where we were so close. We were up to the interview time like for a student wanting to come here to study and then the band hit and I'm like I'm sorry that's it. That's the end of your road for you. It's like we just could not pursue anymore. >> Why is it this might be a silly question but I'm asking because I've got an uncle that's in Iran. He applied I believe I assume it was for a >> consultation and Yeah.

That's so good. This whole thing was a ruse to get. >> Try to sneak a question in your >> That was good. You caught me. Okay. Thanks for listen. No, no, he So, he's been on a list since the 80s and I know a lot >> um >> like a government list over there or >> um I'm under the impression that he's applied for a visa. >> Okay. >> Since the 80s >> if I'm not mistaken. >> Okay. >> Um maybe 90s. Sorry. Maybe it was the 90s, but I I've heard a lot of stories like this from family friends that, you know, they've they've been waiting for so long and there's like the lottery that happens or something where they get pulled for a number.

>> Okay. So, there's called the diversity lottery. And so, I I don't know if that's what what he was at. So, every year, and I always tell all my Ryan clients that um when they say talking about options, like it's certain countries who have the less amount of people that immigrate to the US. The US issues a certain amount like a couple thousand lottery for a green card directly getting a green card. So what it is, it's an application for free. You can apply every year, put your name into this lottery and then they pull out like once a year like a couple hundred thousand people that you've gotten chosen for this lottery, but you still have to apply and qualify for that visa.

So then you kind of have to hurry up in this short little period of time to like submit the applications, all of this, and still do an interview. But one thing that's great about it is that it's free just to put your name in and it goes directly to getting a green card. >> So I know like a lot of people put their name in every year and but some people like have been years in waiting. Some people who like just started putting their name in got it. It's like you just don't know. It's like it's just the best chance.

>> I have a lot of empathy for those people because I have a very similar experience. Every year I put my name in for the lottery for the Masters and I never get to the kids. What I'm wondering is how come because I I see immigrants from all sorts of nations. >> Yeah. >> Here in the States, >> it does seem to me or maybe I just have a skewed vision because I'm just thinking about my one uncle. >> It does seem to me that there it's exponentially more difficult for Iranians to get here. >> It's all politics.

It's a lot of Muslim countries. It's all politics. They claim it's for um the claim is it's for certain countries who are not being as open in regards to their security background checks of people not sharing it with the US before they come. But then you have to look at the list where why some countries on it and why certain other countries who have worse situations are not on it. >> That's what I'm thinking. >> Yeah. It's politics. >> I see. >> Yeah. >> Um that's sad. >> Yeah. It's really sad that people's lives are on the line because of politics, especially here.

I think what's happening now with this administration and a lot of people don't realize is the reason they kind of these I hate to say these ego men up in power, they rattle the issue of immigration because it's the only area of law they don't need congressional approval for. So they can just change the law on a whim. Like last summer in his administration, every Friday at 5:00, can you imagine a lawyer, you're ready for the weekend, 5:00, he drops a bomb and then you have all these clients calling like, "Is this affecting me?

Is this not affecting me?" It's like you're just like, >> "Oh my god." Every week a new law. And so that's I feel like it's like a a dwindling thing that they wave in front of you. It's like, "Look what I have. Well, look what power I have." Yeah. >> Because they have that power. Unfortunately, >> it's something where it makes it seem like there's this one part of the government is is very effective. They're they're they're working. They're doing something. >> Yeah, it makes a it's a show. Yeah, they make it because that's the only thing he they have unlimited power in a sense in a sense for that.

There's still rules and laws, but yeah. >> Um, on that note, because I knew you were coming in, I just sort of looked at a few things in this area of law and I saw that there was something called the Dignity Act of 2025. >> Oh, I haven't gone into that. I'm like, what I try not to do because you can get so overwhelmed with everything that's just thrown in your face. like we get updates every week of like a certain law. Like one thing what people don't understand with immigration law and kind of like I guess with a doctor you want to go to people who are specialized in an area.

So immigration has three main factors. They have asylum and removal cases. They have family based and they have workbased visas. Not all attorneys practice every area of law because it's a lot and it's ever changing. Like my main thing is family based. And so when I have someone that's like, you know, assignment claim, I refer that to somebody else because I know they do it day in day out because I can't keep up with the rules changing in the workplace. I can't keep up with the rules changing. So I'm like, I just stay in my lane, focus on it, do the best I can on that, and tune in to any changes that's happening with that.

>> That makes a lot of sense and I really appreciate that tidbit. I didn't know it, so I'm assuming my listeners didn't know it. Yeah. >> So if you're looking for an immigration attorney, the first thing you want to do is categorize yourself, right? either are you looking for uh immigration for asylum, family, family based >> families or work based >> or work based >> and some do all because it could be a bigger firm some do all some dabble in but I like to specialize in one area for now and you know eventually do expand but for now this is because it's so ever changing I just can't keep up with the others and I want to make sure I'm up to date like I get I don't know if I should say this but I get sketched out when there's some lawyers that practice it's kind of like multiply areas of laws like how do you can you keep up >> door law >> is that what it's Yeah.

Anything that comes through the door. >> Yes. >> That's scary because it's like kind of like going to a doctor. It's like you want to go to a specialist and so who's do it day in day out. >> Um so that >> Thank you for setting that up. This podcast is brought to you by the auto accident attorneys group. >> So just just auto accidents. >> Just auto accidents. >> See that's good. Then I know it's a one-stop shop that my auto accidents take care of and I'm not like you know I love that term. That's so much I never heard that term.

But yeah. Yeah. So, you want to go to a specialist. You want to make sure what area they do. Um, not the ones that do multiple areas, especially outside immigration. Immigration. Yeah. So, people can do all of it, but outside we're doing like personal injury, immigration. I'm like, how do you keep up with it? It's changing all the time. >> Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. The reason I was bringing that particular piece, the piece of legislation up was because I saw that it provided legal status for undocumented people and I was wondering if there was an interplay between that and DACA.

Is DACA still a thing? The deferred action? >> Yeah. So DACA is still technically around. So for the longest time um it's been a few years. It's been in the courts. It's been a battle in the courts to have people sign up for new DACA status. If you've had DACA, you can renew it. And I recommend make sure you keep renewing it. So it's still in the battle. The dignity act like oh so when I sorry I went on a tangent last time. So my thing about like for example dignia dignia or any of these acts that anything they kind of put out there or these executive orders that Trump puts out there I don't jump on it.

I just wait. I wait. Does this really going to be enforced? Like even in my Instagram when I put up videos and stuff like that. A lot of people want to put oh they propose this. It proposes. I'm like don't put fear when it's not official yet. Right? >> That's my motto. So I kind of wait back to see like you know I don't think they're going to give legal sex to undocumented people. I mean, like right now in this state of how things are going, >> right, >> it's just the Yeah, it's it's not good. >> Most of this episode has been geared towards people that might need help in immigration.

>> Yeah. >> Um I would like to turn it over to you for a moment to speak to our listeners that are American citizens born here for generations. Yeah. >> Can you educate them on what DACA is? >> So DACA is for um it was called the Dreamers Act. I believe it was under Obama that it allowed children who came in undocumented into the US as babies like pretty much as two-year-olds babies their only known home is here in the US because their parents brought them in they were undocumented. So it allows them to have deferred action of being deported.

And what that means is pre-Trump administration, because everything's kind of different now, is when someone was deportable, there was a hierarchy of who would be deportable, like those that are like undocumented with criminal convictions, those who, you know, commit certain types of crime. It was just like a hierarchy who was the worst until they get to the bob. and Dhaka. Yes, they could be deported, but they were deferred because of how low of a resource of a threat they were. You know, these are just kids that are just living in a home they only know, they don't know their home country.

>> For all intents and purposes, just American kids. >> American kids. Really, American kids. And the funny thing is that people don't realize with DACA is that these kids are under strict scrutiny that you have to be in school, you have to be working, you have to like you cannot if you have one little crime, then you're out of DACA. So these are like the best citizens. I'm sorry to say they're the best citizens. They're productive citizens of society. So they bring they contribute and so but doc is just a because they don't really have legal status.

You can't get a green card through it. You can't get citizenship through it. Through other avenues you can, but yeah, they're like it gives them a chance to be here and hopefully adjust status, but they're like on the bottom totem pole of being deported. Just to be clear for the listeners, I know that the way you meant it, but you said that they're they're the best citizens just in the means of >> I'm sorry. Yeah. Not citizens, the contributor to society. >> They're the best. Some of the best amongst us, but they it's they don't have citizenship.

>> No. No. Yeah. >> I think that's one thing that gets lost on people that are not completely unaffected by immigration because they don't need it. Yeah. >> By US citizens, I think it's overlooked when they hear DACA. These are documented noncitizens and they are still deportable. Yeah. It was a means of putting them into our system so that they could be accounted for. So a lot of people are like in the political rhetoric >> in that sphere you hear a lot of like how many undocumented >> illegals. Yeah. >> Right.

>> Yeah. >> These are people that have gone through the process to be like hey I through no fault of my own I'm on this side of the line. Here's my information. Document me. They can check in >> like every two years. So they're Yeah, they have tabs on them. >> I believe that that's probably one of the best pieces of legislation that America has. >> Yeah. >> We have not afforded them citizenship, but they are accounted for and they're documented and we can still deport them. >> Yeah, >> we the government can still deport.

I'm not coming after them. >> Yeah. Hopefully they don't. They're very like low on the totem pole of being deported, but it's scary because they're in this limbo, too. They're living life in a limbo. They want to just assimulate completely and contribute, >> but they're in this limbo. So, that's where we're at with that. And so, unless they marry like, for example, a US citizen or a green card holder, then they can adjust status. There's ways about it. But still, it's it's really sad because they're in this limbo.

Like, for example, certain states, they'll be going to u they'll be living, for example, in Georgia all their life, but they can't get instate tuition, >> you know, and so they don't get the same benefits >> because of the work I do. Um, one of the things that I'm always talking about is how important it is for the individual to get uninsured motors protection >> because there are so many uninsured motorists on the road. >> Yeah. >> A high rate of uninsured motorists, if you think it through logically, are people that don't have driver's licenses.

>> Yeah. >> So, they can't get insurance. So, one of the They're here. There are people here that are undocumented. One of the best things we can do is we don't afford them the the rights of citizenship, but we document them >> so that when they're on the road, they can purchase a vehicle. They can have insurance. They're driving anyways. They're on the road. You see them. I know you see them, >> right? That sounded racist, but you can sort of sometimes tell. Maybe I should delete this podcast immediately.

No hate. I love you all, but I'm I'm trying to be real with the listeners that they exist. They're on the roads. They're they're working. It is in our nation's best interest for the citizens, the us that are here if they're documented so that they're part of the infrastructure. >> Yeah. >> Um I have very strong feelings on immigration. Some of them are uh I I think they would be wellliked and some of them I might get hated on for but it doesn't come from a racist place. It comes from just like a logistics based one thing.

For example, I'm going to share this and I don't know what kind of feedback you're going to give me. I believe that we should have a national language. >> I think that we should recognize one language. I think it should be English since it's the most common one. And I I believe that we would see so much more efficiency in government at the DMV, for example, because we don't have a national language, an official language. We see those pamphlets in Tagalague, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic. Do you know what I'm talking about?

Have you seen those flyers? >> Well, >> this is what I was waiting for. Here we go. Give it back to me. >> But we're a melting pot. That's the glory of the US. We're a melting pot. Of course, I feel like this the standard English and the language is English is just providing the newcomers time to adjust. You have to allow people to have time to adjust and even like when you take citizenship, you have to like do an English test and they actually know more. They have government questions they have to answer.

They know more about the government than I do. So, you ha I think it's a a slow immersion. I understand there's certain parts of like some states have like, you know, Chinatown or more Spanish, you know, Tetangelus or something. >> That's okay. Yeah, >> I love that. I say like it's okay, like I'm against it. That's not what I mean. I mean from the government in in private business like I I think I should have the right to put up right outside my building if I wanted my sign the auto accident attorneys group to be all in Spanish because I'm looking for Hispanic clientele.

I think I should have the right to do that. I'm not saying to prohibit it. Yeah. But for the at the governmental level, governmental level, just at the state level, >> I think that there would be a lot of efficiency if there was an official language. And I've >> the reason I knew I knew there was going to be push back because I've said this in mixed company before. >> Yeah. >> And I got praise like, "Hell yeah, brother." >> But for a completely different reason, I was like, "No, no, no, no, no, no. >> That's not >> Yeah.

>> We're not on the same team right now. That's not that's not why I'm saying that. I think it's just a I'll leave that for another podcast. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> food for thought. >> Yeah. >> Keeping on track with the legislation, the one big beautiful bill that went through on July 4th. >> Yeah. >> One thing I'm familiar with is that the immigration fees have gone up. >> Oh, it wasn't even just because of this big beautiful bill. It's been going up lately, the last couple years. And um it's just it's getting ridiculous.

Um they've changed it like probably like I don't know within like the last two years or so two or three times they'll they'll just before they would give a heads up notice. It was crazy. So before they'll give you a heads up like hey we're going to be increasing the bill um the fees in two months. So a lot of people would try submit their applications while the fee was low. Now they give no warning. They're like okay the the fee has changed. And so if you sub if you're in a process, you completed your application was going to mail it that day, it could be returned back to you for wrong filing fees.

>> Wow. >> So there's no grace period as much anymore. But yeah, the the fees do go up. Yeah. >> And staffing. And so we're paying these clients are paying USCIS to do their job by paying higher fees, but honestly, the work they're doing is getting worse and worse. like the delays, the nonresponse, shutting down agencies, the staffing issues. So, it's like I don't know what we're paying for. >> How big of a percentage increase are we talking about? Is it is it unreasonable? >> It's not unreasonable, but it adds up.

It adds up because when you're paying a flat fee for attorney and then with the application fees on top, you're paying like this chunk like and I always tell clients like it's a lot in the beginning, but then um and I try to space it out however. I'm like, "Okay, you can pay my flat fee. We don't pay application fee until we're done with your application. Give you two more two months time to while we're working on this to collect that fee. It's just a lot upfront I think. And so when you're dealing with attorney fees, >> what does that application fee look like?

What is that right now? >> Very like if you want to renew a green card, I believe uh like people would ask me all the time. I'm like don't quote me because I have to honestly check every day like has it changed since? Because I can't remember all the things. >> How quickly they change >> some you just don't know. You just don't know. Um, so like for example, renewal of a green card, I think it's like $675. So now they have two separate fees. They have a fee if you do a paper application or an online application.

And then um, for example, for adjustment of status to do like three applications with this adjustment of status packets, it could be up to $2,400 and something dollars >> just for the USCIS application fees. Oh, so it it is it's expensive. >> Yeah, it's expensive. What do people do? >> So people there there are companies that that work among like work with immigration law firms. I know this one company that kind of would reach out to me. He's like, "If you have a client that needs a payment plan, we we provide that like we'll pay the attorney.

We'll give them a payment plan. It helps them create credit as well in a sense. It's a benefit to the clients. There's that. >> At the end of the day, they do have the money. They, you know, at the end they do. It's funny. Everyone pays differently. Every culture is different. So, I had to learn, it's like in the beginning, I had to learn how to deal with different cultures. And it's just, it's really interesting. >> Speaking of that, you said you interview your potential clients as well as them interviewing you.

Do you have an ideal client? >> Oh, I love the organized ones. I love the ones that have everything and who are techsavvy that can scan and send me and who are responsive. I love the ones that, you know, that that trust. You have to have trust. You're hiring me like to I understand I'm a stranger to you but you have to that's why with interview to build you have that trust with me because if you don't trust then it makes it harder you know um because we're both I'm on your team and we're both going against the US government.

So they have to remember that that I'm not you get caught in the middle. You have the US government messing up. You have a client that's anxious you know obviously so and want their stuff. So, you're in the middle and you're like, you have to relay the bad news or that you don't have any news on their status. You're like, listen, I'm on your team. I'm fighting for you. So, you just have to trust me that I'm doing the best I can, but you're limited. Your hands are tied. You're still dealing with a third party.

I always have to say on my consultations, we're dealing with a third party we have no control over, >> right? >> So, you have to be really upfront and realistic with clients, but I love the ones that do trust that are very have their documents all aligned and just great communicators. How important is um a grasp of the English language? Um, not so like everyone's pretty much like can like write an email, have basic conversation. Like like I said, a lot of my clients are Iranian. Um, you know, I've never had an issue with language.

Even I have clients from Iran like reaching out to me like we manage we manage through um you know voice messages like if I can't write in Farsy voice messages through WhatsApp >> um then there's I they may on their end be using Google translate but there has to be a basis for like if I'm working for someone abroad they have to have internet access and you do have to know English like and that's part of the like you say government uh main language should be English that's kind of like my mentality is Like if you're going to come here, you're going to have to know English.

I can't bend over for your language. You got to start assimilating to this language, >> right? >> And if you can't, it's going to be a little more difficult in all aspects of your life if you come here. So, it's kind of like a starter packet in a sense. It's like, you know, >> so is most of the language barrier between the the client and the attorney. Uh because what I was thinking was at what point in time in the process are they dealing with the state? >> So, it's mainly client attorney just to really understand things like where they're coming from.

um like for example when they're sending me documents and Iranian documents everything has to be certified translation in English to submit to the government. So that's not an issue. It's just that they're communicating by um luckily with technology like if they're calling me I'm not understanding a certain term I want to make sure I understand it then you know we'll do voice message and I can understand that or you know Google translate but pretty much I've had an issue understanding somebody from somewhere else.

Yeah. >> So I'm going to try and skip the $100 fee again. If my uncle happens to be listening to my podcast in Iran. >> Hi uncle. >> Dadd if he's listening in Iran and he's like okay I want to let's say I got all the facts completely wrong. He has never applied. He wants to apply. He goes to is it begirylaw.com? >> Yes begylaw.com. Um, you can find you can there's I have a contact form on there that you can contact me and I would email you back or you can call my office. There's my office phone number. And the most important information I need is your email because that's majority of how I keep communications by clients.

With my Iranian clients in Iran, we use WhatsApp a lot just for communications. But anything like documented, anything status-wise, anything about the case, I like to do by email. So you can always refer back to what we discussed and make sure we're all on the same page and we're checking off the checklist. >> And so um yes, so they can call me, we can do like initial consultation. I've done consultation through um WhatsApp video call or FaceTime or even a Zoom. And once we meet each other, then after that, we really don't have to really meet each other.

It's just back and forth document, you know, exchange. >> Going back to the logistics of payment, do you have like a credit? How does somebody from Iran actually pay you? >> Yeah. So that gets a little tricky because of the whole like US Iran sanctions and how you do business with one another. So it's very tricky. My thing is that for now until I figured things out a little bit more is usually it's usually an extended family member, someone here in the US family member in Iran. So I always say, do you have someone in the US that can pay my fee, pay it, and then you guys figure out how you're paying each other?

>> Pretty much. And there's so many like difficult >> Yeah. >> issues that come along with this. >> It is. And you you It's a fine line between these two countries. >> Yeah. >> So you're it's trying to figure that out. Like it makes it limited in some ways, but it's only happened maybe a couple times where some clients didn't know anybody here in the US. I'm like, you know, I haven't built up to that point where I can figure out how to make that transfer. You know, you always go through a third party, but it's just the logistics of it.

Was it worth it? Well, I don't know enough about what the immigration process looks like to ask any follow-up questions on that. So, I'm going to pivot and ask, have you been involved in um any situations where you have an immigration client that was involved in an auto accident and how that affected their claim? >> Not an auto accident. I do have like more criminal attorneys calling to see how to ple a case, how that would affect them in their immigration, which is very important. But we do have to um regarding auto the main thing is so any interaction with a police like in immigration you're going to have to bring that up whether it's expuned if it's been sealed you still have to bring it up in immigration documents at one point another.

So maybe not an auto act not so much an auto accident but of course like speeding tickets DUIs are huge and that's a killer of a case like that can kill your prospects. You have to be very careful with that. And then more of the more like marijuana possession and criminal stuff that can follow you and harm your future applications. But auto accident per se, unfortunately, no. >> If so, you haven't had a case where they're they were involved in an auto accident. Not at fault. It's not like they were a DUI driver.

They they were rearended from behind, but rear ended from behind. It's typically where you get rear ended. Uh but they didn't have status. You you haven't had direct? No, I haven't had direct of that type of case, but I've I've heard in other aspects where the ones who are not driving with licenses, like they get pulled over because of a broken tail light and that's when they get taken to detention. Yeah. >> They realize they're undocumented at that point. So, if you are in a car accident, you don't have any status at that point when the police comes, then they can find out you're undocumented.

Then that causes trouble later on. That could be an issue on on when they're going through like the immigration with dealing with USCIS >> dealing with USCIS. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Um I was sort of setting you up to talk about my experience. Um we have had several clients that were undocumented that were afraid uh that something would happen. Um usually the insurance companies will ask for when they're settling a case. Again, these are people that were not at fault. they're just happen to be driving or they're crossing the street and they get hit.

>> Usually insurance companies when they settle a case want social security numbers and clients are aware of that and they freak out. >> When we have and this is very common place. This isn't something unique to our firm. It's not because we did anything with the insurance company. The insurance companies also know these are all civil matters. >> So there's no issue again not talking about DUI drivers or speedy driver. This is the person that was victimized. This is an not at fault individual. no effect on their settlement.

>> Oh, good. Yeah, that's good to I didn't know that. That's good to know. >> Yeah, they can bring a claim they have. We actually had um the family members of someone that was deceased >> unfortunately. He was a pedestrian struck by a moving vehicle and there's a 2-year statute of limitations to bring a claim. >> Okay. >> I found out about the case about 30 days prior to the statute of limitations. >> Oh, wow. >> Passing. It's always the last minute cases. >> Yeah. >> Well, the the thing was that the family members all knew, but they were afraid that the It was like >> So, >> somebody else would get He's passed.

>> Yeah. >> But they were afraid that somebody else would get in trouble. >> I assured them that they wouldn't. And we had already prepped the lawsuit. Uh but we sent out an offer of settlement to the insurance company. It was pretty large policy limits on that one particular vehicle. We had the lawsuit drafted, sent an offer of settlement. They knew in the offer of settlement, we said that we've got the lawsuit ready to go. They knew that they were going to have to end up in court and there might be additional exposure cuz the the driver was at fault.

And they popped the policy and in a matter of 30 days, we had a pretty significant check for that family. >> Oh wow. >> It was like the last gift that >> their grandfather >> had left for them. So >> that's good to know. I didn't know that. You know, there's just so much vastness how immigration affects other areas of law and that's good to know. So if someone does come up to me because there is that fear factor of exposure and you just, you know, I'm so into the my area of law that it's good to know how others are how affect them in other areas.

>> Yeah. Well, historically it's been they're protected because again they're technically they're victims. >> Yeah. Um, and there are certain jurisdictions that are actually they they've got statutes uh on the books where it prohibits law enforcement. I if that a pedestrian is hit and they go to the hospital, law enforcement is prohibited from providing any sort of immigration status to ICE on that individual. >> Yeah. >> I don't in full transparency, I don't know what that's going to look like. >> I haven't moving into the future.

I've heard it's not really that, you know, unfortunately there's a lot more communication happening. Yeah. The hospitals. Yeah. >> But I don't I'm not sure 100% but I've heard. Yeah. >> It we're just not in uh normal times right now. >> Yeah. >> Well, it's uh uncertain. It's a little a lot of changes going on and again a lot of use of executive orders which I you know this isn't a political podcast but I I find it ironic that the the conservative party has always been about states rights >> and it seems like they're wielding federal power exponentially more than I remember in my lifetime.

And you know, again, I don't care one way or the other. Just the sheer fact of exercising concentrating power in one federal area as opposed to letting the states sort of figure a lot of these things out on their own. >> Yeah. >> Uh that was something that was appealing to me about the Conservative party and it doesn't seem to be the case anymore. And I >> can't help but feel like the irony is lost on conservative voters right now. I hope they they think about that. I just saw I'm getting off track, but I got to say it.

>> Yeah. I saw that there was an executive order that uh prohibited the burning of the American flag. >> Yeah. >> Which I don't want to burn the American flag. I respect the American flag. I don't think you should burn the American flag, but I do think that it it makes you fundamentally American that you have the right to do that. >> Yeah. >> If you so choose to. That's what being an American is. >> Yeah. >> As a matter of fact, when I was talking about the official language, you said we're a melting pot.

I think that America is unique from other countries because well the indigenous people are few and uh few and far between. >> I know >> where we are today in 2025. I think what makes you an American is is in between your ears. Your ideology >> um how you treat your neighbors, the belief system that you have. Uh, I think that something as simple as littering or returning a shopping cart is would really make a true American. And I say that because when you take that kind of action, when you don't litter or you pick up litter that you see that you didn't drop, when you put your shopping cart, grocery cart back, it shows inherently that you have a tie to that community.

And I think that's another reason why I would prefer that >> I feel guilty for the times I haven't put my shopping cart back. >> Don't don't let me catch you. I will I won't assault people, but I'll I'll I'll mention it. I will shame people. >> The biggest reason I feel like people that are here already should be documented is because when they're not documented, they have no ties to here. So they treat the land poorly. >> Yeah. They don't because they don't feel like they belong to it. Uh they always have a backup.

They're going to come here and make money and leave even. And I'm forget like the undocumented but other people the way this is my own personal paradigm of of the world. I feel like if you give people >> uh that want it, right? Not everyone wants it, but if the people that want it, >> you give them a reason to be tied to the land, I think that it makes life better for the rest of us. Mhm. >> That's me on the soap box. Let me ask you one uh more question before we we get into the tail end of it. Are there any common legal challenges uh that immigrants face when that that you're you've had experience with or something rather that our listeners may have never thought about >> once they arrive in the US?

>> Yeah. This is more for awareness but I think a lot of people don't realize is so a lot of the cases that I handle are like marriage based bringing somebody from abroad coming to the US like 90day fiance or they get married abroad and they apply for their spouse to come to the US um a lot of these relationships you know they don't know each other too well how I mean like you could be married for some 20 years and still don't know them >> right >> you know so let alone these short distance long distance marriages right um my tidbit is there are some there are protections for immigrants especially spouses that do come and they enter into they what they didn't realize an abusive relationship >> and so there are rights and protections for them.

So for example there is the vowa for victims of um violence. It could be for men, it could be for women. It doesn't have to be physical violence. It could be financial abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse. um that when you get a green card through the spouse to get either a condition, if you've been married less than two years, you get a two-year green card. If you've been married longer, you get a 10-year green card. When you get the two-year green card, you have to reapply to remove the conditions to show that marriage was real to get a 10-year green card.

So, usually it's these two-year green cards. They've been married less than two years, they come here. Um, when you remove the conditions of the two years, usually majority of times people are still happily married and you show that it was a real relationship and it's still continuing on. But what a lot of immigrants don't realize is you don't always have to have that spouse to help you get to the next level. There are resources and there are waiverss if you are victim of domestic violence because there are people out there, there bad people out there where they'll sponsor somebody here, dangle them, hey, I have your access to your green card.

I'm going to give it to you if you don't do this for me. And you know that's just wrong. That's not fair. That's not human. So there are resources I think people don't realize. One, if you're a victim of domestic violence, there's a whole process you can petition without the need of the spouse. And then if there's a conditional green card where you were married for less than two years, and you you can still remove it based on divorce, based on battery, or based on extreme hardship that if you were to be sent back to your home country, you'll suffer extreme hardship.

So there are recourses that you are not tied to the bone to the person who sponsored you. >> Wow, that's really interesting. Did I hear you correctly? Violence Against Women's Act, VAWA, >> is not just for women. Men have protection under that. >> Yes. And that's the thing. So that's a lot of and you know there's people believe there's like shame into or not, but no, men just as well. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Will you come back? >> I've seen it. Was interesting. Yeah. Men getting beaten, >> getting taken advantage of, harassed.

Yeah. Threatened. >> I'd love to have you on and watch an episode of 90Day Fiance. >> You know what? I have never watched one of those episodes. >> You're joking. >> Cuz I know. It's like this is not real. I do need to sit down and watch it. I do. I need to see what the hype is. >> It is quite entertaining, >> especially the ones that do marry and move forward. I I would love I'm interested to see that. I can't believe that I am admitting in public that I've watched this. Uh, but yeah, there's a couple, I forget the girl's name, but the guy is Gino, and Gino always wears a hat.

He's lo I think he's lost his hair or something. >> And when I say always wears a hat, I mean, they've got scenes where he's in the shower and he's got a fedora on. >> It's >> Wow. >> As far Yeah. As far as junk food TV goes, one of the best. >> Thank you so much for coming on. I'd like for you to share with our listeners. I know that you do uh an annual or semianual donation drive. Can you tell us about that and how we can uh participate? >> I really appreciate that. So, one of my passion is like I love doing my work that is still work, but my passion is the more the humanity side of it.

um for about 15 years or so I've gotten to know there's nonprofit organizations here in Georgia because in the US I think there's like five or six major cities that accept refugees and Atlanta Clarkson Georgia and that's near Atlanta near Stone Mountain is the main center where refugees are resettled. So that when they come in, there's these nonprofit organizations, multiple here in the US that are signed are given grants to help them assimilate like provide them temporary housing, es um English as a second language classes, learning to drive.

All these classes get them on their two feet, but they only could do for a certain short amount of time. Provide these families here. These families are coming in. These refugees family are uprooted from their life. You know, they don't want to be here. They want to be back home, but they they're in war or, you know, natural disaster, something. So, they come with like a suitcase. And this could be a family of like 10. They could be a family of four to ranging to 10. I've seen that come into these itty bitty like apartments, they come with nothing.

So, these nonprofits based on whatever financial grants they can get, they help supply as much as they can, but to like for example, I think it's like three months assistance. It's not like all free money. Everyone's like, "Oh, why?" You know, they get free money to get free apartments. I was like, "No, they're kind of loan that and then they're in charge of it." But can you imagine going to a new country and then figuring out how you don't know the language, you don't have a job, and now you have to pay rent.

>> Yeah. >> And so it's scary. It's a lot. So these nonprofits help assist with that with donations and grants and so forth. When I would work with these organizations, um, I would see the part where after they were left off and they're still not acclimated. They still don't have any. they have all these kids. They need like just the basic stuff. Like detergent's expensive, like all these heavy things like home products are expensive. So what I would do, I knew a lot of people from the different organizations and I would do an annual um refugee donation drive as my part to give back.

You know, we're all blessed in so many ways. We each have something to give in one way or the other. You know, this is my way of being able to give back that I would do these donation drives where I would collect for my community. And you know, I have an amazing community of followers and my Instagram, people that I've known, grew up here, from all over, people I've met and I haven't met. I would just post about this donation drive where I would collect monetary donations and I'll collect the monetary donations and people who haven't even met me, like, you know, who follow me and stuff, they they sense that trust in me and, you know, what I do and I have a record of what I've done.

They'll sub, you know, send me monetary donations. I'll use because I know how it is when you donate to big organizations. You're like, where's my money going to? >> Is it going to the admin? Is it going to this the management? And I know that feeling. I get like where's my money going to? So I my >> word and my guarantee to my donors are 100% of your donations that you sent to me. I take it 100% use. I personally purchase all the items. I personally bag all the items and I personally deliver to the door.

It doesn't go to the organizations. It just goes through me. I just get the list of clienteleels from them who needs help the most. What kind of help? So, I've done like back in the day I did like a bike drive. Oh my god, that was my favorite. But that was the hardest because there's only so many bikes you could fit in your in your SUV. But I would donate these to the refugee childrens who are in these apartment complexes. They don't have TV. They don't have toys. They have nothing. They're stuck inside these homes that are dark.

And you give them a bike and you felt like you give them wings. They're out there playing outside just happy golucky and so humbles you like the simplicity of life. >> So I did that which I loved. I hope I could do that at some point again. But that's the thing as I've gotten bigger over the years. I've been needing more help because I'm getting physically older. I'm like I physically can't lift all these Costco boxes anymore by myself. So I like recruited my boys until they can help me if they're available.

And I always ask for volunteers like anyone to help me out. And so amazing volunteers help me with the shopping, help me with the putting the bags, help me deliver it like because we have cars full, going to apartment, apartment, apartment. So I've been doing it for 15 years. I've done hygiens, I've done bike donations, and I added on um the last I didn't do it last year, I think it was two years ago, a coat drive because once again, they come here, they have nothing. They're not prepared for the weather here.

If they're coming like from Syria or somewhere warm or from Africa, it's all hot. They're not used to the weather here. So I do coat drive. And the reason I do monetary donations is like everyone do um donate you stuff. Nothing against it. You have to realize these people are still human beings. They like to have something new and fresh. That feeling when you get something new like a present, you know? >> Yeah. >> Um there's room for people that want stuff, but like new and fresh and you just you just it makes you feel more human in a sense.

And that you know they some have pride like some of these refugees are lawyers back in hometown. and other Uber drivers. So, you know, they have a sense of pride. So, you just want to give them that feeling like these kids love it when they still have a coat with a tag on it or, you know, they could pick a coat. >> Yeah. >> So, that's what I do to give them that little glimmer of happiness for a brief moment if I can. That's beautiful. >> So, I've done the coat drives, but yeah. So, I do that every year.

I try to do two years like a hygiene drive and the coat drive. >> It's what I physically can try to do like to the best, but it's just the donors I make. And I always tell them it's not me. It's not me doing it. I'm just the middleman connecting the nonprofits, clients to the donors who always say they want to help. And I'm like, I'm just that middleman. So, whatever is done is it's your good grace. It's your blessing that you're sharing. I'm just helping being the transporter of it. So, I don't take, you know, saying it's my donation drive.

It's my donors that make it happen. >> That's beautiful. And you are manifesting all of that. You're being the the not to get religious, a tool of God. >> Oh, I hope so. like you know we're all so blessed and I and I that's teach to my kids. I was like it's hard to sometimes want to give your little allowance money or whatever but listen that little bit that's the test that hardness of giving it comes back 10fold. It comes back 10fold. >> I absolutely agree. I think that it's even if you feel like you don't have something to give I I think it's a a Persian the the Toro nature in us.

even when you don't have something to give and you still give. It's you find a way to give and you get so much back. And I don't mean that in terms of an ROI, but just like the yeah the feeling of the universe and the >> and I believe in karma. You give out and it comes back. It may not come back in that way, but comes back in life. And I've seen it and it's just >> and it's true. So it's like you here's that opportunity but and everyone doesn't have to be monetary. Like some they don't have time like it's funny the last time I actually like maybe people may not be comfortable because I have new followers.

they're being new to this donation. They don't know who I am. Maybe let me do an Amazon list and they could purchase it. It'd be shipped to me. They purch whatever they want, however much they want to spend. Like even a Starbucks coffee can get like a detergent chip for a family of like six, you know, for a month. And that's what I try to emphasize. It's just like give up one of your coffees or two of your coffees. >> But so I did a Amazon list. It was funny. It it felt harder for some people like can I just give you the money?

Can I just give you the money by it yourself? I'm like okay sure that that's easier for me because then I can calculate how many for how much to give and so I've tried to we to see what's works best with everybody who feels comfortable because it you know a lot of people may not know me but it's been amazing like the trust and you know and I and I try to be as transparent every step I go through this is where your money this is what we purchased for you like this is what you guys this is how many families we're able to help >> you're going over above and beyond and you you know our firm's tagline is we take care of you.

Uh the purpose of the podcast is to provide information to take care of listeners. You exhibit that in your daily life. So >> yeah, I try. Kudos to you. >> Thank you. That that brings happiness to my soul. So >> I love it. >> I wanted to practice as much for as I could with you. >> So I think we're on the same level. >> I really really appreciate your time. I would love to have you back on again in the future. Uh we're going to have all of your links on uh below the video and on the audio portion of the podcast.

So if like I've said with other guests if a guest appears on this podcast, they believe in the we take care of you ethos. So feel free to reach out. Look, you're going to get taken care of for a consultation fee of $150. So do not push back on that. Um, but I'm sure any information that you need, Nisheen will be more than happy to help you out. Mom, my number one listener, I know you listen to this. Please share this with Dadan. >> We'll bring D here one day. >> Love you, Mom. Uh, all your listeners, please like, comment, share, and subscribe if you haven't.

And I'll see you next week. Take care, everybody. >> Thank you.