The Empowered Immigrant

Our Founding Attorney, Otis Landerholm, shares his overview of the current immigration landscape, from what's changed to who's being affected the most, and what it means for families navigating the system in 2026. Listen to real client cases and how our firm has handled them, as we keep fighting for your American Dream.

Few people understand the immigration system from as many angles as Elisa Brasil. Born in the Azores, raised in a Bay Area immigrant community, and now Senior Associate Attorney at Landerholm Immigration, Elisa has sat on both sides of the table: as an attorney litigating hundreds of complex cases, and as an immigration judge in San Francisco, where she presided over more than a thousand hearings. In this episode, Elisa gives us a rare look inside the immigration courtroom, from the perspective of someone who has made the very decisions applicants fear most. She talks with us about what judges are really evaluating during a hearing, the most common mistakes she's seen time and again, and how to prepare, both legally and mentally, to walk into court with confidence. With over a decade representing clients in asylum, adjustment of status, naturalization, and cancellation of removal cases, and two years watching those same cases from the bench, Elisa shares the kind of advice only someone with her background can offer. If you have an upcoming hearing, or simply want to understand how the system really works, this episode is for you.