What we do

Enforcing the Affidavit of Support

Sound Immigration enforces sponsored immigrants’ rights to financial assistance from sponsors who have executed a Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. We represent clients at no upfront cost and are compensated only if we successfully recover support from the sponsor.

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Sound Immigration represents sponsored immigrants in enforcing the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support—a federal obligation that requires sponsors to provide financial support.

We do not handle general immigration work or divorce representation. Our practice is focused exclusively on federal enforcement of the Affidavit of Support on a contingency fee basis.

Our services for clients include:

Evaluating whether a valid and enforceable Affidavit of Support exists

• Determining whether the sponsor’s support obligation has been triggered

• Calculating past-due amounts and ongoing support

• Sending formal enforcement demands

• Filing and litigating federal lawsuits to enforce the Form I-864

• Seeking court judgments and orders for back payments, ongoing support and attorney fees

We represent only sponsored immigrants. We do not represent sponsors.

Our services are for sponsored immigrants

We represent sponsored immigrants who:

• Obtained lawful permanent residency through a family-based petition, often through marriage

• Are no longer receiving financial assistance from their sponsor

• Are unemployed, underemployed, or financially vulnerable

Many clients come to us during or after divorce, separation, or another major life disruption. If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, contact us for a no-cost case evaluation.

What Affidavit of Support enforcement looks like in practice

Although every case is different, most of our I-864 enforcement matters follow a predictable structure:

We confirm the existence and enforceability of the Affidavit of Support and assess whether the sponsor is currently in breach. There is no cost for case evaluations, and no obligation to work with Sound Immigration. Get started now.

Once we are retained on a new case, we send a formal demand letter to the sponsor, explaining their legal obligations and the consequences of continued non-compliance. Many cases resolve at this stage. A settlement will be reached only if our client agrees to its terms and accepts the compensation being offered by a sponsor.

If our client’s claim cannot be resolved voluntarily, we file suit in federal court to enforce the Affidavit of Support. We have represented clients from over 26 U.S. states. Attorney Gregory McLawsen is admitted to practice in numerous federal courts around the country. Where needed, we also partner with local law firms at no additional cost to our clients. We manage the litigation process for our clients and explain each step as the case moves forward.

Where a lawsuit is required, we provide full representation to our client until the claim. Most federal lawsuits ultimately result in a settlement. If that does not happen, we continue prosecuting the claim to final judgment. Depending on the case, relief ordered by the Court may include:

• Back payments for past non-compliance

• Ongoing monthly financial support

• Attorney fees and litigation costs

Not every case requires every step, but every case is evaluated with litigation in mind. Where a lawsuit is required, we provide full representation to our client until the claim is resolved.

Contingency fee representation

We represent clients in I-864 enforcement cases on a contingency fee basis.

This means:

• No upfront attorney fees

• You pay legal fees only if we recover support on your behalf

• Fees are paid from settlement funds only, not out-of-pocket by our client

• Our standard contingency fee is 40% of the amount recovered

This structure allows clients with little or no income to pursue enforcement without taking on hourly legal fees or legal debt. We accept cases only when we believe enforcement is legally viable. All fee terms are discussed clearly before representation begins, and every representation agreement is provided in writing.

Costs you may be responsible for

In many cases—particularly those resolved before litigation—clients incur little or no out-of-pocket cost. If a case proceeds to federal court, clients are responsible for out-of-pocket expenses, such as:

• Federal court filing fees

• Court reporter or transcript costs

• Travel costs to attend court hearings, if required

In a majority of our lawsuits, the federal court filing fee is the only out-of-pocket cost. Whenever possible, we seek recovery of these costs from the sponsor as part of enforcement.

Limitations and real-world considerations

Although the Affidavit of Support creates a powerful legal obligation, enforcement is subject to real-world considerations, including:

• Whether the sponsor can be located

• A sponsor’s ability to pay

• Collectability of judgments

These factors affect collection, not whether the sponsor’s obligation exists. Our contingency arrangement reflects these realities: you pay legal fees only if enforcement is successful.

What we do not handle

Sound Immigration does not:

• File immigration petitions or handle visa matters

• Represent sponsors in any capacity

• Handle divorce or family law cases

If you are a lawyer seeking expert or consulting services, please see our page for attorneys.

Affidavit of Support enforcement win with client

Get started now

If you believe your sponsor is failing to meet their obligations under the Affidavit of Support, the next step is to determine whether enforcement is legally available. Contact Sound Immigration to request a confidential, no-cost case evaluation.