Licensed in Idaho and focused solely on Idaho immigration cases since 2004.
Now providing services out of Meridian and Hailey.
of cases are immigration cases
of clients are from Latin America & Mexico
of staff is bilingual in English and Spanish
Services
Immigrant Visas
Our firm specializes in cases that require processing through the US Consulate in Ciudad Juarez and other consular posts abroad. If you need to depart the U.S. to become a Lawful Permanent Resident, our attorneys can assist you as we have assisted hundreds of other families in completing that process by providing you counsel before, during, and after your departure from the U.S.
Adjustment of Status
If your case can be processed inside the U.S., our attorneys will be able to advise you on how to assist you with your filing. Sometimes small things make a big difference in legal processes and if there is a way to keep your case in the U.S, we will find it.
Naturalization
Our attorneys have attended hundreds of Naturalization interviews with clients. We know exactly what the adjudicators will ask, and how they will ask it. Our attorneys will practice with you on your case and prepare to fight for you on any issue that might come up that would prevent you from becoming a U.S. Citizen.
Deportation Defense
If you are currently awaiting a Removal hearing or have been deported in the past, our attorneys can provide you with thorough, accurate and honest advice. We have been successful in researching and reopening dozens of old Removal orders and have experience litigating active deportation cases on the Boise docket since 2007.
U Visas
Have you or a loved one suffered a crime in the U.S. where you were helpful in its reporting to police? Our law firm works closely with law enforcement to get the Certification you need that is required by law and can submit your full application in order for you to receive protected status as soon as possible.
T Visas
Have you suffered serious harm in your journey to the US, in a domestic relationship, or at the workplace? Even if this occurred a long time ago and you haven’t spoken to anyone about it before, if someone forced or coerced to you to perform services of any kind, you might be eligible for a T Visa and our experienced attorneys can assist with that application.
Attorneys
Nicole Derden
Owner
Nicole has always been driven by the principals of social justice and learning a foreign language. She grew up in western Oregon and began her work with immigrants in the agricultural industry in Woodburn, Oregon, in 1998. She graduated from Carroll College with majors in Spanish and History and a minor in Catholic Theology in 2001 and went to live in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. In 2002 she moved to Idaho to attend the University of Idaho College of Law. She has been licensed with the Idaho State Bar since 2005 and has dedicated her entire legal career to the advocacy of Idaho’s immigrants.
In her free time, she enjoys exploring rural Idaho, hiking and fishing in the Wood River Valley, doing yoga, reading historical fiction, traveling the world (as much as time permits), and spending time with her husband and their four boys.
Caris Lopez
Associate
Caris became an immigration attorney because she believes everyone deserves a fair shot at building a safe and stable life. She’s passionate about helping people through what can often be a confusing and overwhelming process, and she’s committed to treating every client with respect and compassion.
Caris went to law school at the University of Idaho and has called Idaho home for the last 6 years, where she lives with her husband and their cat. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, and she’s proud to serve clients in both languages.
When she’s not working, she loves traveling, cooking new recipes, and doing puzzles.
Yvonne Franco Perez
Contract Counsel
Yvonne Franco Perez earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho College of Law with an emphasis in enterprise organization. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Political Science, with a minor in Spanish and a Masters of Public Administration from Idaho State University. Prior to law school, she served with AmeriCorps VISTA, a national service program designed specifically to fight poverty and help those in disadvantaged circumstances – dedicating her time to creating a sustainable KinCare Program for relatives raising relative children. Yvonne is admitted to the bars of Idaho and North Dakota, and dedicates her time to serving the community through her immigration law practice.
Recent Immigration News
From American Immigration Lawyers Association & National Immigration Law Center
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Advocates Win Preliminary Injunction Blocking Unlawful Deportations of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in U.S. Custody
WASHINGTON – The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today blocked the Trump administration’s plans to expel hundreds…
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NILC Statement on ORR Whistleblower Report
WASHINGTON – Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement after the New York Times…
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NILC Sues to Stop Trump’s Unlawful Expulsion of Hundreds of Guatemalan Children
WASHINGTON – The National Immigration Law Center today filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from unlawfully expelling hundreds…
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DACA Recipients Fear Losing Health Care Access, Annual Report Shows
One-third of respondents reported worsening health related to concerns about their immigration status WASHINGTON – A report published today by…
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New Poll Shows Voters Oppose Immigration Arrests in Hospitals, Clinics, Other ‘Protected Areas’
WASHINGTON — The National Immigration Law Center today released results of a poll showing voters disapprove of the Trump administration’s…
From American Immigration Council
SCOTUS Grants Review of Ninth Circuit Decision Holding Turnbacks of Asylum Seekers Unlawful
November 17, 2025
Washington (November 17, 2025) – Today, the Supreme Court granted the Trump administration’s request to review a Ninth Circuit decision that declared unlawful the U.S. government’s prior turnback policy, which the government calls “metering.” Under this policy, border officers physically blocked people from seeking asylum at ports of entry along the southern border, turning them […]
The post SCOTUS Grants Review of Ninth Circuit Decision Holding Turnbacks of Asylum Seekers Unlawful appeared first on American Immigration Council.
Lawsuit Challenges the Department of Education Over New Public Service Loan Forgiveness Rule
November 05, 2025
Washington, D.C., Nov. 4 — Four non-profit public-interest organizations filed a lawsuit today to challenge a new rule issued by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that threatens to disqualify certain employers from eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The plaintiffs in the case — Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the […]
The post Lawsuit Challenges the Department of Education Over New Public Service Loan Forgiveness Rule appeared first on American Immigration Council.
New Platform Details the Chaos Behind Family Separation
October 30, 2025
Transparency Project Offers New Insight into the First Trump Administration’s Implementation of Family Separations Oct. 30, 2025, WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, the American Immigration Council launched a platform analyzing new records about the U.S. government’s chaotic implementation of family separations during the zero-tolerance period and its aftermath. The transparency project details how the first Trump administration […]
The post New Platform Details the Chaos Behind Family Separation appeared first on American Immigration Council.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Block on Iowa’s Unconstitutional Anti-Immigrant Law
October 23, 2025
Ruling Protects Families and Upholds Constitutional Limits on State Power Oct 23, 2025, WASHINGTON DC — In a sweeping victory for immigrant communities and the rule of law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit today upheld an injunction blocking Iowa’s SF 2340. This law, Iowa’s worst-ever on immigration, would have made it […]
The post Federal Appeals Court Upholds Block on Iowa’s Unconstitutional Anti-Immigrant Law appeared first on American Immigration Council.
National Immigrant Rights Organizations Sue the Federal Government Over Withheld Records on ICE Arrests in Immigration Courts
October 15, 2025
Washington, D.C, October 15 — Today, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the American Immigration Council, and Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, demanding the release of critical records the government has unlawfully withheld about arrests at immigration courts and the dismissal of immigration cases. Read the […]
The post National Immigrant Rights Organizations Sue the Federal Government Over Withheld Records on ICE Arrests in Immigration Courts appeared first on American Immigration Council.
Legal Groups File Emergency Motion to Stop ICE from Jailing Immigrant Teens in Adult Detention
October 03, 2025
Washington, D.C, October 4 — Advocacy groups the American Immigration Council and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) filed an emergency motion on October 4, seeking to enforce a 2021 court ruling (in the Garcia Ramirez v. ICE case) that prevents ICE from illegally locking up unaccompanied immigrant children in adult detention centers once they […]
The post Legal Groups File Emergency Motion to Stop ICE from Jailing Immigrant Teens in Adult Detention appeared first on American Immigration Council.
Georgia’s Historic Worksite Raid Underscores the Chaos Fueled by Trump’s Immigration Agenda
September 05, 2025
WASHINGTON DC, Sept. 5 — On September 4, law enforcement agents from several state and federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), executed a sweeping immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in southeastern Georgia. The raid reportedly resulted in at least 475 workers detained, many of whom were South Korean nationals — including […]
The post Georgia’s Historic Worksite Raid Underscores the Chaos Fueled by Trump’s Immigration Agenda appeared first on American Immigration Council.
Nearly Half of Fortune 500 Companies in 2025 Founded by Immigrants or Their Children
August 21, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC, August 21, 2025 — A new analysis of the 2025 Fortune 500 list reveals that 46.2 percent of America’s largest companies (231 out of 500) were founded by immigrants or their children. These companies generated a staggering $8.6 trillion in revenue in fiscal year 2024 and employed over 15.4 million people worldwide, underscoring […]
The post Nearly Half of Fortune 500 Companies in 2025 Founded by Immigrants or Their Children appeared first on American Immigration Council.
New Report Reveals Devastating Impact of Trump’s Expanded Travel Ban
August 06, 2025
$715 Million in Taxes, $2.5 Billion in Spending Power at Risk WASHINGTON, DC, August 6 — A new report released today by the American Immigration Council details the sweeping economic and humanitarian toll of the Trump administration’s June 2025 travel ban, which restricts immigration from 19 countries. In 2022, nearly 300,000 people from these countries […]
The post New Report Reveals Devastating Impact of Trump’s Expanded Travel Ban appeared first on American Immigration Council.
New Report: Trump’s Second Term Ushers in Extreme Immigration Overhaul that Threatens Our Democracy
July 23, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 23, 2025 — A special report released today offers a sweeping analysis of the Trump administration’s first six months back in office, revealing an unprecedented transformation of the U.S. immigration system that strikes at the foundation of American democracy. While some voters may have supported a “tougher” approach on immigration when voting […]
The post New Report: Trump’s Second Term Ushers in Extreme Immigration Overhaul that Threatens Our Democracy appeared first on American Immigration Council.