Attorney Profiles

VERONICA S. VILLEGAS, Partner - Ms. Villegas was selected while still in law school and hired by the Department of Justice to serve as an Honor Law School Graduate, where she worked as a Trial Attorney/Assistant District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Later, INS was re-named the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (or ICE, Department of Homeland Security), and she became a founding member, litigating a wide variety of cases before the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals. She further worked with the U.S. Attorney's office in handling cases before the Federal District Court.

As a former INS/ USICE attorney, Ms. Villegas brings unique knowledge to the law firm’s practice, and is intimately aware of ICE procedures and policies. She excels in criminal immigration waiver cases, as well as complex removal and border issues. The firm relies on her expertise at interviews before the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) for adjustment of status (“green card”), naturalization and asylum appointments, as well as waivers before the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Ms. Villegas is a frequent speaker on immigration issues at community information meetings organized by local Los Angeles area school districts. She also has been invited to tour the U.S. Consulate at Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where she met consulate officials and observed consulate procedure first-hand.

Ms. Villegas manages the West Covina branch office for Hill, Piibe & Villegas.