When Emine Sahin Karakaslioglu arrived in the United States a decade ago, practicing law was the last thing on her mind. She had already spent five years managing her own law office in Istanbul, but the move to New York came under different circumstances. To secure an E-2 investor visa, she and her husband purchased a restaurant. Her plan was simple: leave law behind and build a new life in business.

But fate had other plans. One afternoon, during what should have been a routine visit to the attorney who had handled her and her husband’s visa paperwork, an unexpected offer was made: would she consider working as a paralegal? At first hesitant—she had not yet begun the process of requalifying her legal credentials in the U.S.—Emine accepted. “I missed the office work,” she recalled. “I thought, let me try. And I liked it a lot.”

What followed was a balancing act: running the restaurant by day, handling legal files as a paralegal by night, and studying for her Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree at Touro Law School in Long Island. Five years later, she passed the bar exam, was sworn in as an attorney, and—just days after—opened her own law firm in New York.

“It was almost two years ago,” she said, smiling. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready to work for someone else again. So I said, let me start my own thing. And it’s been great.”

For Emine, immigration law is not just a profession—it’s a personal continuum. She has experienced the process in every role: as an immigrant applying for her own visa, as a paralegal assisting clients, and now as a practicing attorney guiding others.

“I know all these aspects,” she explained. “From the client’s eyes, from the paralegal’s desk, and now as an attorney. That gives me a different approach.”

That empathy fuels her practice. Just recently, she celebrated a client’s green card approval after an eight-year wait. “He hadn’t seen his father in all that time,” she said. “Now he finally can return home and visit. These are the moments that keep me going.”

Despite the successes, Emine is candid about the challenges. Visa interview backlogs have reached unprecedented levels. “Ten years ago, I got my E-2 interview in Istanbul within 15–20 days. Now, it’s more than eight months,” she said. “It’s killing small businesses. People invest their money, buy restaurants or shops, but can’t even be present to run them.”

She points to the shift in government resources, with budgets flowing more toward enforcement than processing. “I heard at an AILA conference that the backlog wouldn’t be solved in ten years. I thought she was exaggerating. But now, six years later, I see it’s true—it’s only getting worse.”

Her advice to prospective applicants is unflinching: transparency is everything. “Be very honest. Don’t hide information. Even with social media—list every account, even ones you don’t use. They are checking everything.”

When asked about the role of artificial intelligence in immigration, Emine struck a balanced note. She acknowledged the risks of generic AI tools but expressed optimism about specialized platforms tailored for immigration attorneys. “We use software for client intake, scheduling, even note-taking. It helps. But at the same time, it can be dangerous if you rely on the wrong sources.”

For clients navigating anxiety and uncertainty, her message is clear: do not go it alone. “Maybe in the past people thought it was just forms. But today, policies are changing all the time. Even attorneys are catching up. The safest thing is to consult with a lawyer before filing anything.”

One case, more than any other, remains etched in her memory. During the height of COVID, a client lost her husband, who had been her petitioner. The situation seemed hopeless—until Emine dug deeper. She discovered a path to reinstate the I-130 petition and secure a waiver of the financial support requirement, using the husband’s work history to qualify.

“It was pro bono,” she said quietly. “And today, she is eligible to file for her green card. I don’t know why, but that case just stayed with me. Maybe because of her loss. Maybe because it proved that even in the worst situations, there’s sometimes a way forward.”

Though she admits it is “not a great time” to be an immigration attorney, Emine remains hopeful. “We are fighting within the boundaries of law, doing everything we can for our clients. Maybe not in the near future, but I believe change will come.”

For now, she continues to guide clients with the blend of rigor, compassion, and lived experience that has defined her journey from Istanbul to New York.

“Law wasn’t my plan,” she reflected. “But I realized this is where I can help the most—touching people’s lives.”