Hector A. Chichoni

Partner

Hector A. Chichoni is a partner in the Immigration and Naturalization practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Mr. Chichoni focuses on U.S. immigration and nationality law, representing both corporate and individual clients, including healthcare organizations, Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, universities, and professionals such as doctors, professors, researchers, and students. He handles international matters and business transactions and has represented clients in a variety of cases before the U.S. Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU). Mr. Chichoni’s practice encompasses the entire range of immigration compliance including I-9 audits, worksite visits, unexpected raids or other types of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement actions, Department of Justice (DOJ) Immigrant and Employee Right (IER) Section anti-discrimination reviews/investigations, U.S. Labor Department employment-related immigration charges, US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), Fraud Detection and National Security site visits (FDNS) and E-Verify monitoring and compliance review. Mr. Chichoni has represented employers before the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) focusing on cases involving employer sanctions, document fraud, and unfair employment practices related to immigration. With the increasing scrutiny from federal agencies, Mr. Chichoni represent employers across industries with I-9 and E-Verify compliance, helping them to recognize and remediate mistakes in the process, as well as in practice, as well as identifying areas of non-compliance and then designing compliance programs to ensure that I-9 regulations are met in a manner consistent with the resources and needs of each business.

With extensive experience in large, complex corporate immigration matters, Mr. Chichoni has managed cases with potential impacts exceeding millions of dollars. He assists clients with immigration audits, and visa procurement (both nonimmigrant and immigrant), and advises non-U.S. companies on establishing U.S. operations for the transfer of key executives, managers, and specialists. Additionally, he counsels U.S. and international businesses, educational institutions, and non-profits on U.S. visa options related to business, employment, and investment. Mr. Chichoni guides investors and their families through all stages of the immigration process, from adjustment of status and immigrant visa processing to consular interview preparation and source-of-funds documentation.

Mr. Chichoni has served as lead counsel for immigration and employment verification during major acquisitions, mergers, and corporate reorganizations. He has provided pro bono representation for foreign nationals detained at ICE Processing Service Centers. He also serves as lead immigration counsel for international corporate clients, assisting employees with obtaining foreign visas and work authorization for assignments both in and outside the U.S. In addition, he has trained in-house legal teams on preparing petitions for the temporary admission of foreign nationals, educated the press on accurate reporting of immigration issues, and advised universities on the fundamental research exception as it applies to foreign students, researchers, and professors. Mr. Chichoni has also developed policies and procedures to help employers ensure compliance with U.S. immigration laws while addressing export licensing issues and federal anti-discrimination provisions.

In his leadership role, Mr. Chichoni served as the National Immigration Counsel for ALTA (Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association), a trade association for airlines in Latin America, and for RBA (Retail Bakers of America), which represents retail bakers and affiliated industries across the U.S.

A recognized thought leader in immigration law, Mr. Chichoni is frequently invited to speak at both U.S. and international conferences and has been quoted in numerous media outlets on issues relating to immigration and international law.

Experience

Representative Experience

Obtained a decision from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ombudsman and Chief Counsel reversing an improper rejection of an H-1B petition and resulting in an immediate re-processing of the petition.
Served as lead immigration counsel to individuals in matters before immigration trial judges and file briefs before the Board of Immigration Appeals and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Administrative Appeals Office.
Served as lead immigration counsel for international corporate clients. Obtain foreign visas and work authorizations for employees assigned inside and outside of the United States.
Counseled U.S. and international businesses, educational institutions and nonprofit entities regarding temporary and permanent business- , employment- and investment-related U.S. visas.
Served as lead counsel for immigration and employment-verification issues during large acquisitions, mergers and corporate reorganizations.
Served as pro bono lead immigration counsel on immigration-related matters in U.S. immigration court and before the Board of Immigration Appeals on behalf of foreign nationals detained at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) service processing centers.
Counseled non-U.S. companies establishing U.S. operations for the transfer of key executives, managers and specialists into the United States.
Assisted foreign nationals in obtaining U.S. citizenship.
Processed deemed export licenses with the U.S. Department of Commerce to authorize release of controlled technology while coordinating applicable visas for foreign nationals.
Advised universities and other organizations on the fundamental research exemption to export-control regulations and its applicability to the activities of foreign graduate students, researchers, visiting professors and others.
Developed systems, procedures and policies in accordance with U.S. immigration laws for employers to provide screening mechanisms for new hires with export-licensing issues while complying with federal antidiscrimination provisions.
Represented employers in connection with I-9 compliance and work-site enforcement actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Assisted with streamlining companies’ internal processes for the transfer of employees, including U.S. Exchange Visitor Program and blanket L visa and H-2B visa programs.
Trained in-house legal personnel in preparing applications and petitions for the temporary admission of foreign nationals.
Represented one of the largest children’s hospitals in the United States in obtaining nonimmigrant and immigrant visas for doctors and researchers of extraordinary and exceptional ability.
Handled crossovers between immigration and export-control matters to avoid corporate liabilities that could lead to governmental audits and fines.
Served as lead immigration counsel in advising and defending a large national corporate client during immigration audits from legacy INS.
Handled large, complex corporate immigration matters exceeding millions of dollars in potential impact.
Handled large employment verification audits and processes to ensure full compliance with applicable laws and policies within budget and business processes.
Developed I-9 corporate policy development, compliance, and training for corporate clients.
Handled E-Verify Implementation for corporate clients.
Handled for corporate clients the Electronic I-9 System Review, Government Contractor I-9 Compliance and Risk Management, I-9 and E-Verify Internal Auditing
Handled Social Security No–Match letter guidance for corporate clients.
Handled government audits and investigations while assisting navigate agency demands for documents and provide targeted guidance for site visits.
Handled negotiations with government agencies regarding liability and fine mitigation.

Past and Present Professional and Community Involvement

American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member
Council on Education in Management
- Member, Editorial Team
Reuben Clark Law Society
- Founder and Chair, Miami Chapter
- Chair and Chair-Elect, Cincinnati Chapter
NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Member
National Lawyers Guild, Member
- National Immigration Law Project
National Foreign Trade Council, Member
- Visa Working Group
The College of the State Bar of Texas, Member
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Member
Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce, Member
Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Member
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cincinnati, Board Member

Representative Speaking Engagements

Featured Speaker, “Diversity & Inclusion in the Workforce – Immigration Law Updates for HR Leaders,” HR Miami, April 10, 2025
Speaker, “Immigration and Civil Rights in the US,” Hispanic National Bar Association (“HNBA”) Annual Conference, March 2023
Roundtable Host, “NAFTA Update: What Effects Will the Current Political Climate in the U.S. Have on the Trade Agreement?” United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Inter-American Chapter Briefing, Miami, Florida, September 29, 2016
Co-Chair, 6th Annual South Florida’s Premier Labor & Employment Law Conference, Miami, Florida, August 18-19, 2016
Roundtable Organizer, “Practical Aspects of Doing Business in Mexico and the U.S.,” United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Inter-American Chapter Briefing, Miami, Florida, May 4, 2016
Speaker, “Cuba—In Plain English: What U.S. Businesses Need to Know,” Miami, Florida, January 14, 2016
Co-Chair, 5th Annual South Florida’s Premier Labor & Employment Law Conference, Miami, Florida, August 6-7, 2015
Speaker, “U.S. Immigration Law and The Diversity Visa Program for FY2014,” Café Caracol, October 14, 2013
Speaker, “Immigration Legal Update,” South Florida’s 2nd Annual Premier Labor & Employment Law Conference, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 20-21, 2012
Speaker, “New I-9 Hurdles: Internal Audits, Investigations, Enforcement, and Penalties,” Hospitality Human Resources Association, Orlando, September 17-18, 2012
Speaker, “Business Immigration Issues,” Miami Immigration Court, August 1, 2012
Speaker, “New ICE & I-9 Enforcement Challenges,” Advanced Employment Issues Symposium Western Conference, Las Vegas, November 18, 2011
Speaker, “Immigration Law Update,” The Seminar Group’s South Florida Premier Labor and Employment Law Conference, Miami, Florida, September 22, 2011
Speaker, “New ICE & I-9 Enforcement Challenges,” Advanced Employment Issues Symposium Eastern Conference, Nashville, October 7, 2011

Awards

Recognitions

Lawdragon, “100 Leading Immigration Lawyers,” 2023-2025
Daily Business Review, “Distinguished Leader,” Florida Legal Awards, 2021
U.S. News and World Report, “The Best Lawyers in America®,” Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2018
Legal 500, “Leading Lawyers,” Immigration, 2015
Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Publications

In the News

Featured, “What High-Net-Worth Individuals Must Know About The Trump Gold And Platinum Cards,” Financial Advisor, November 7, 2025
Quoted, “Punching In: Ongoing Shutdown Starts to Hit Foreign Hiring” Bloomberg Law, October 20, 2025
Quoted, “Top Immigration Policies To Track In The 2nd Half Of 2025,” Law360, July 30, 2025
Quoted, “Can Trump Persuade Rich Foreigners to Spend $5M for ‘Gold Card’ Visa?” Newsweek, February 28, 2025
Quoted, “How To Avoid Immigration Pitfalls Of ‘No-Match’ Letters,” Law360, May 24, 2019
Quoted, “Employment Authorization Delays Leave Businesses In Lurch,” Law360, March 26, 2019
Quoted, “Immigration Attys Ride Out Limited Service In Shutdown Slog,” Law360, January 18, 2019
Quoted, “Business Immigration’s Uncertain Path Post-Travel Ban Ruling,” Munsch Hardt, June 29, 2018
Quoted, “Attorneys Gird For Potential End Of H-4 Holders’ Ability To Work,” Law360, May 7, 2018
Quoted, “Attorneys Brace For More Scrutiny Of H-1B Visa Applications,” Law360, February 7, 2018
Quoted, “Trump Establishes Immigrant, Visitor Vetting Center,” Law360, February 6, 2018
Quoted, “Trump’s Immigration Road Map Has Attys Scrambling,” Law360, January 26, 2018
Quoted in, “South Florida Companies Hoping to Preserve Cuba gains Await New
Trump Rules,” Sun-Sentinel, June 9, 2017
Quoted in, “Will Trump’s Immigration Policies Wreck the Construction Industry?’, The
Real Deal, April 4, 2017
Quoted in “Miami panelists try to sort out the real deal on NAFTA,” Miami Herald, September 29, 2016
Quoted, “Q&A With Cozen O’Connor’s Nelsy Gomez,” Law360, April 2, 2015