MH SUB I - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Attorney
• Immigration

Jose Ignacio Silva is an Associate Attorney at Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A. He practices exclusively in all areas of immigration and nationality law, including family-, employment- and humanitarian-based petitions; waivers and inadmissibility issues; and naturalization. Jose has experience working with individuals seeking adjustment of status, citizenship, professional employment, as well as provisional waivers for unlawful presence. As the son of two immigrants from Latin America, Jose first discovered his passion for immigration law while completing his undergraduate studies at Villanova University, where he assisted clients with humanitarian-based applications as a volunteer interpreter for law students at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law's immigration clinic. He then attended the University of Miami School of Law, where he further developed his understanding of immigration law. While in law school, Jose served as a law clerk at Catholic Charities Legal Services, where he assisted staff attorneys in the preparation of asylum applications for unaccompanied minors, among others, by conducting legal research, investigating adverse country conditions impacting particularly vulnerable social groups, and interpreting for Spanish-speaking clients at their asylum interviews. He also collaborated with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Louisiana office on a project geared towards the conditional release of individuals inhumanely detained in holding centers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jose graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in May 2021, receiving distinctions for his commitment to pro bono work serving disadvantaged communities across Miami. Jose is admitted to practice law in the state of Florida and is a member of the Florida Bar Association. Jose is fluent in English and Spanish. Education • University of Miami School of Law, J.D., 2021 • Villanova University, B.A., 2017

Job Titles:

• Junior Partner at Rifkin & Fox

Juan Carlos Freire is a Junior Partner at Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A. Mr. Freire has over 18 years of experience in the areas of employment-based nonimmigrant petitions, family-based immigrant petitions, and removal proceedings. He has practiced before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), representing clients in removal proceedings with regard to asylum requests, bond motions, 212(c) and 212(i) applications, adjustment of status to permanent residence applications, cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, and other forms of relief. He has extensive experience filing Mandamus actions in federal court to compel USCIS and other federal agencies to issue decisions on delayed naturalization and permanent residence applications and also counsels employers regarding their compliance with U.S. immigration laws. Mr. Freire is a St. Thomas University School of Law graduate and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from City College City University of New York. He was admitted to practice in the State of Florida and before the Southern District of Florida in 2000. He has been a member of the Florida Bar Association since 2000. Mr. Freire serves as the Florida Bar Liaison for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Mr. Freire is fluent in Spanish.

Job Titles:

• Managing Partner
• Expert

Larry has served as an expert witness in Immigration Law in both Federal and State Courts. Larry has been interviewed by many leading publications including the Miami Herald regarding matters involving U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law. A noted author and lecturer in matters involving U.S. Immigration and Nationality, Larry has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades by the Florida Bar for his publications and for his participation in seminars/webinars on behalf of the Bar in the area of U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law. Additionally, Larry has co-authored publications on consular processing for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). These publications are used by immigration lawyers as reference texts with regard to consular processing.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Immigration Law Consultant

Tammy has been a frequent immigration law consultant on the Today Show and Morning Show. She has served as immigration legal consultant to NBC, ABC, CBS, CNBC, FOX and MSNBC. An author and frequent lecturer on all areas of immigration law nationally and internationally, Tammy has served as a legal expert on a number of occasions in federal court, state court, and in Florida Bar disciplinary proceedings. Tammy has served on the Florida Bar's Certification Committee for Immigration and Nationality Law (where she has written and graded Florida Bar Certification exams) and is certified by the Florida Bar in Immigration and Nationality Law. She is Past President of the South Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers' Association (AILA), and current President of the Latin America and Caribbean Chapter of AILA. Tammy has served on the Board of Governors of AILA National for over 20 years, where she was a member of AILA's EB-5 committee and currently serves on AILA's Business Litigation committee. Tammy has been the recipient of three AILA Presidential Awards for advocacy on behalf of immigrants. In 2009 and 2015, Tammy was awarded the highest award given by the South Florida Chapter of American Immigration Lawyers Association.