Raymond G. Lahoud

Member | New York

Raymond G. Lahoud, Chair of the firm’s Immigration Law Practice, focuses exclusively on the area of immigration law and deportation defense for individuals, families, small to large domestic and multinational businesses and corporations, employers, international employees, investors, students, professors, researchers, skilled professionals, athletes, and entertainers, in every type of immigration or deportation defense matter—whether domestic or foreign. While Ray’s immigration practice is global in reach, with service to individuals and organizations across the United States and beyond, he is located primarily at the firm’s three globally-linked offices: New York, New York; Bridgewater, New Jersey; and Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Ray’s immigration practice is broad, ranging from areas of corporate and employment immigration and related compliance to immigration litigation before agencies and courts across the United States, for corporations and individuals alike. His experience includes immigrant and non-immigrant visas, visa overstays, immigrants who entered without inspection or authorization, EB-5 investor visas (serving investors, regional centers, and project developers), citizenship and naturalization claims, deportation and removal litigation at the immigration court and all appellate levels, E Visas, E-3 Visas, H-1B Visas, H-2B Visas, L Visas, O Visas, P Visas, Q Visas, R Visas, TN Visas, Exceptional Ability Immigrant Visas, Extraordinary Ability Immigrant Visas, Physician and Nursing Visas, K-1 Visas, K-3 Visas, Multinational Manager/Executive Immigrant Visas, Outstanding Professor/Researcher Immigrant Visas, PERM Labor Certification, Family Petitions, Adjustment of Status, Marriage Petitions, Asylum, VAWA applications, and Immigration Waivers, such as the Visa Waiver Program, National Interest Waivers, Hardship Waivers, and J Waivers.

Ray’s corporate immigration practice includes representing businesses of all sizes, in all corporate immigration and employer immigration compliance matters. He has served nearly every industry, including healthcare, education (community colleges, colleges, universities, students, professors, and researchers), manufacturing, global and domestic employment/talent recruitment, warehousing and distribution, pharmaceutical, economic development, local, county, and state government agencies, non-profit, religious, real estate development and EB-5 investor financing, information technology, marketing, entertainment, and sports. Ray’s corporate immigration and employer immigration compliance practice includes all non-immigrant and immigrant visas, recruitment of international talent and students, and consular processing, as well as Form I-9 and Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division compliance. Further, he has litigated corporate immigration matters before the Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division, the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative bodies and agencies, the State Department, the United States Court of Appeals for International Trade, the Customs & Border Protection review board, and federal appellate courts—seeking review of employer immigration compliance and other immigrant and non-immigrant visa issues.

Ray’s immigration litigation practice includes deportation defense of thousands of individuals, at the Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Administrative Appeals Office, and federal district and circuit courts. In state and federal trial and appellate courts, he seeks post-conviction relief for the underlying crime that led to the removal proceedings, and serves as immigration counsel to non-citizens accused of removable crimes. Ray’s ability to understand each interaction of criminal law with immigration law has made him a leading expert on issues of “crimigration” before state and federal courts reviewing post-conviction relief claims.

As Chair of the Immigration Practice Group, Ray oversees a leading team of immigration attorneys, immigration review compliance experts, employer immigration auditors, and paralegals and legal assistants with extensive and continuing immigration law training and significant practice experience.

Ray has received numerous accolades. He has been awarded the Empire State Pro Bono Counsel Award each year since 2012, has been selected as Lead Counsel, received the Martindale-Hubbell Platinum Client Champion Award, and has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star, ranked as a Top Rated Immigration Attorney in the New York Metro Area. EB5 Investors, the leading online portal, conference series, and magazine for investors, developers, and EB-5 professionals, has named Ray one of the “Top 5 Rising Stars” nationally. He was also named one of the 40 young professionals from the Greater Lehigh Valley as the Lehigh Valley Business 2017 Forty Under 40 for his commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and the community.

In law school, Ray earned Dean’s List, received CALI awards in many courses, and worked on the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal. He was actively involved in additional programs and other organizations including the Barristers’ Counsel, ABA Law Student Division, ACLU at GULC, Catholic Student Association, and the Innocence Project, and worked for the Honorable Joanne Seybert, Federal District Court Judge for the Eastern District of New York.

At Lehigh, Ray was Editor of The Lehigh Review, earned Dean’s List, was named a President’s Scholar, was inducted into Phi Beta Delta, and received, among other awards, the Williams Award, Treen Scholarship, and Littner Scholarship.

He served as a United States Congressional Page under then-Congressman Ray LaHood (R-IL), and was a legislative aide to State Senator Lisa Boscola (D-PA).

Ray Lahoud to be Interviewed for Montclair State University’s Live Broadcast

Raymond Lahoud to Present I-9 Compliance Seminar for Employers

JD Supra recognizes Norris McLaughlin Attorneys in 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards

Raymond Lahoud to Present for Keller Williams Realty

Raymond Lahoud to Present on Immigration Law and the Real Estate Industry

Raymond Lahoud to Present at New York Immigration and Asylum Law Conference

Raymond Lahoud to Present Immigration Law for Lehigh County Paralegal Association

Ray Lahoud to Present on Family Immigration

Raymond Lahoud to Present “Immigration in the United States” at Penn State Lehigh Valley

Norris McLaughlin Attorneys to Speak at Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo

Norris McLaughlin to Present EB-5 Financing Program for GLVR

Raymond Lahoud to Speak at East Stroudsburg University

Norris McLaughlin to Present I-9 Compliance Seminars for Employers

Norris McLaughlin Sponsors 2018 Cultural Festivals

Raymond Lahoud Named Chair of American Immigration Lawyers Association ICE Worksite Enforcement Committee

Raymond Lahoud to Be a Panelist for the 2018 EB-5 Convention Los Angeles

Raymond Lahoud a Panelist for HCCLV’s Immigration and Business Forum

Raymond Lahoud a Panelist at U.S. Immigration Law: Basics & Beyond

Raymond Lahoud Interviewed by New Jersey Business Magazine

Raymond Lahoud Accepted to NAFSA’s Trainer Corps

Raymond Lahoud Recognized as JD Supra Top Immigration Author

Raymond Lahoud Spoke to Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS

JD Supra Recognizes Norris McLaughlin, P.A. in “2018 Readers’ Choice Awards”

Raymond Lahoud Presents on Form I-9 Requirements

Raymond Lahoud to Present Immigration Law and its Reach into Nearly Every Other Practice Area

Raymond Lahoud to Judge NYU 2018 National Immigration Law Competition

Chair of NMM Immigration Law Practice Raymond Lahoud Speaks on Asylum

Raymond Lahoud Named Top 5 Rising Stars Nationally by EB5 Investors

Ray Lahoud to Speak on Form I-9 for Somerset County Business Partnership

Ray Lahoud Receives Martindale-Hubbell Platinum Client Champion Award

Raymond Lahoud Honored as NYSBA Empire State Counsel®

Raymond Lahoud Featured in Metropolitan Corporate Counsel

Norris McLaughlin, P.A. Welcomes New Immigration Attorneys

“Focus: Immigration” Live Broadcast, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, April 10, 2019
“The Intersection of Immigration and Real Estate,” Keller Williams Realty, Moorestown, NJ, March 20, 2019
“Introduction to Asylum Law,” 2019 New York Asylum and Immigration Law Conference, New York Law School, New York, NY, March 8, 2019
“The Intersection of Immigration and Real Estate,” Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, White Plains, NY, March 7, 2019
“A Confusing Immigration System: Facts, Myths, & Effects on Your Practice, What You Need to Know,” Bar Association of Lehigh County, Allentown, PA, February 26, 2019
“Seeking Family Immigration Benefits in Immigration Court,” NJICLE/NJSBA, New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, NJ, January 23, 2019
“Immigration in the United States,” Penn State Lehigh Valley Campus, PA, December 7, 2018
“The (Hidden) Lucrative Intersections of Immigration Law and the Real Estate Industry,” Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo, Atlantic City, NJ, December 5, 2018
“Best Practices for ICE Audits When It Comes to Form I-9,” Norris McLaughlin, Bridgewater, NJ, November 13, 2018
“How to Handle Form I-9 When Hiring and After,” Norris McLaughlin, Bridgewater, NJ, October 19, 2018
East Stroudsburg University’s 2018 Constitution Day, ESU Science and Technology Center, East Stroudsburg, PA, September 18, 2018
“A Deep Dive Into ‘At Risk’: How does USCIS interpret ‘risk’ and how should it? What are the practical implications?,” EB-5 Investor Magazine Annual Convention, Los Angeles, CA, July 24, 2018
“2018 U.S. Immigration Law: Basics & Beyond,” NJICLE/NJSBA, New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, NJ, June 27, 2018
“U.S. Visa and Entry Process for Students and Scholars,” Pennsylvania Convention Center, PA, May 28, 2018
“Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Instructional Seminar,” Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, PA, April 13, 2018
“The Future of Immigration Law – How it Will Affect the Real Estate Industry,” Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS, PA, March 16, 2018
2018 New York Asylum and Immigration Conference, New York Law School, NY, February 23, 2018
“Immigration Law and its Reach into Nearly Every Other Practice Area: What You Need to Know,” Bar Association of Lehigh County, PA, February 9, 2018
2018 National Immigration Law Competition (ILC), New York University School of Law Moot Court Board, NYU, February 2, 2018
“Immigration Law and its Reach into Nearly Every Other Practice Area: What You Need to Know,” Lehigh County Paralegal Association, Bar Association of Lehigh County, Allentown, February 2, 2018
“Understanding Asylum and Refugee Law,” New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education in cooperation with the NJSBA Immigration Law Section, Best Western Robert Treat Hotel, Newark, NJ, January 30, 2018
“Labor & Employment Year In Review,” Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Bridgewater, NJ, December 7, 2017
“Form I-9: Completing, Common Mistakes, Employer Compliance, and Increasing Fines and Enforcement,” Somerset County Business Partnership Human Resources Roundtable Group, November 15, 2017
“Employers Beware: ICE is Cracking Down on I-9 Compliance,” Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Bridgewater, NJ, October 20, 2017
“Employers Beware: ICE is Cracking Down on I-9 Compliance,” Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Bridgewater, NJ, September 22, 2017
“Immigration 101,” Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Allentown, PA, May 10, 2017

Asan v. United States of America, 907 F.Supp.2d 426 (S.D.N.Y. 2012)
Bautista v. Sabol, 862 F. Supp. 375 (M.D.P.A. 2012)
Bautista v. Attorney General, 744 F. 3d 54 (3d 2014)
Frias-Camilo v. Attorney General, No. 15-3773 (3d 2016)
Javier v. Attorney General, Nos. 15-2781 and 15-3068 (3d 2016)
Asan v. United States, No. 13-179 (2d Cir. 2014)
Matter of Bautista, 25 I&N 616 (BIA 2011)
Woods v. Sabol, No. 14-CV-998 (M.D.P.A. 2014)
Plamen Ivkov Ayvazov v. Attorney General of the United States, Nos.: 14-4151, 15-1658, 15-3069 (3d Cir. 2016)

Raymond G. Lahoud was selected to the 2016 Rising Stars Super Lawyers list. The Super Lawyers List is issued by Thompson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Raymond G. Lahoud has earned the Martindale-Hubbell Platinum Client Champion award. A description of the selection methodology can be found here.

Raymond G. Lahoud was selected to the JD Supra 2018 Readers Choice Awards list. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Raymond G. Lahoud was selected to the JD Supra 2019 Readers Choice Awards list. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Areas of Practice
- Immigration
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center
  - J.D., 2009
- Lehigh University
  - B.A., English, summa cum laude, 2006
Bar Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court
  - Southern District of New York
  - Northern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals
  - Second Circuit
  - Third Circuit
  - Fourth Circuit
  - Fifth Circuit
  - Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Services
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
- U.S. Tax Court
- Executive Office for Immigration Review
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- New York County Lawyers Association
- New York City Bar Association
- The International Bar Association
  - War Crimes Committee
  - Immigration and Nationality Law Committee
  - North American Regional Forum
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
  - Chair, New Jersey Chapter ICE Worksite Enforcement Committee
- National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
- Association of Corporate Counsel’s Compliance and Ethics Committee
- Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), US State Department, Bureau of Diplomatic Security
  - Representative Member, Latin American Regional Council
  - Country Council Member – Israel
  - Country Council Member – Lebanon
- Invest In the USA (IIUSA)
- NAFSA: Association of International Educators Trainer Corps

Raymond G. Lahoud

Member | New York

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