The worst mistake is thinking deportation is automatic and there is nothing left to do. That bad advice can cause someone to miss one of the few forms of relief that can stop removal and let them stay in the United States. Cancellation of removal is a defense raised in immigration court that asks a judge to cancel a person's removal and, in some cases, grant or preserve lawful status. It is not the same as getting a visa, and it is not available to everyone. Different rules apply to lawful permanent residents and to people without lawful status, and the requirements can include years of physical presence, good moral character, and proof that removal would cause exceptional hardship to certain qualifying relatives.

A lot of people assume a clean work history or U.S.-born children automatically qualifies them. It does not. This is a discretionary form of relief, which means even someone who meets the basic legal requirements can still be denied by the judge after weighing the full record.

That can matter in an injury case because immigration status often affects medical access, wage documentation, and whether someone feels safe filing a claim. A pending removal proceeding can also make it harder to gather records, attend hearings, or negotiate a settlement. In Vermont, there is no special state version of cancellation of removal; it is governed by federal immigration law and decided through the federal immigration court system, not the Vermont Department of Labor.