Building the American Dream For Today and for Generations to Come.
Veronica Cardenas, Esq.
Veronica Cardenas, Esq. is an award-winning immigration attorney, entrepreneur, and first-generation Latina committed to bringing humanity back to immigration law. As the daughter of Colombian and Peruvian immigrants, she knows firsthand the resilience and challenges that define the immigrant experience. Her personal journey fuels her passion for advocating for immigrant families and mentoring attorneys who share her vision of a more just and compassionate immigration system.
As the founder of Cardenas Immigration Law, Veronica provides strategic, human-centered legal representation to individuals and families fighting for their right to remain in the U.S. She also leads Humanigration, a mentorship platform training immigration attorneys to approach their work with expertise and empathy.
A recognized thought leader and media contributor, Veronica has been featured in Business Insider, HuffPost, The Hill, ABC, MSNBC, and more. Her work has earned her multiple awards, cementing her reputation as a trailblazing advocate and entrepreneur in immigration law.
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Veronica Background
Veronica’s path to immigration advocacy began in the federal government, where she served for nearly 13 years as an Assistant Chief Counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In this role, she advised DHS stakeholders, trained prosecutors, and collaborated with key agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and New Jersey. She also worked closely with the Department of State, Department of Labor, USCIS, and CBP, handling complex federal and administrative immigration matters.
Despite her success, Veronica became increasingly disillusioned with the system’s deep injustices. Witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of immigration policies, she made the bold decision to resign in 2023 and dedicate herself entirely to defending and empowering immigrants.
Now, through Cardenas Immigration Law and Humanigration, Veronica is committed to reshaping the immigration system through advocacy, mentorship, and education—ensuring every immigrant’s story is heard, valued, and celebrated.
My Story: Between Two Worlds
My parents immigrated to America from Colombia and Peru, and while I was born here, I always felt caught between two worlds—not fully Latina, not fully American. But I was determined to break barriers. I became the first in my family to graduate from college, then law school, and eventually joined the U.S. Federal Government as a lawyer.
For most of my life, I felt pressure to pick a side, as if loyalty to one community meant betraying the other. As the daughter of immigrants, I chose America—a decision that felt like an obligation, a way to thank my parents for the greatest gift they gave me: U.S. citizenship.
When I became a prosecutor for ICE in 2010, I saw it as my greatest achievement. But behind that title, I was hiding—hiding from my family’s own immigration story, from the reality my mother once faced when she pleaded for protection after being arrested for crossing into the U.S. illegally. I thought that distancing myself from that truth would somehow protect me. But in reality, it was a prison of my own making.
A Broken System & A Defining Moment
Working under the Trump administration felt like an assault on my soul. The system didn’t understand the non-citizens who needed America’s protection, nor did non-citizens understand the system they were trapped in. I watched as judges deported men, women, and children without fairness or justice. And with each case, I saw glimpses of my own family’s beginnings.
The scales of justice weren’t just tipped—they were shattered. And I could no longer be part of it. I resigned from the Department of Homeland Security with no job, no plan—just the certainty that I was meant for something more.
The Birth of Humanigration: A Human Approach to Immigration
Humanigration was born out of a simple but powerful idea: immigration is not just about policies—it’s about people. It’s about reshaping the narrative, breaking the stigma, and celebrating every immigration story.
I still carry the unseen scars of my family’s immigration journey, but I now wear them with pride. My parents were our family's trailblazers, and now it’s my mission to empower attorneys and immigrants with knowledge, confidence, and the tools to navigate the system with dignity.
My hope for you is this: That you approach your immigration journey with confidence, that you understand what to expect every step of the way, and that you never forget—every immigration story is worth celebrating.
