Marco Balducci

I have been practicing immigration law for 10 years, and it has been a true privilege to work in this field and to serve my clients. I am often in awe at their courage, resourcefulness, and resilience, people who love this country so much that they will literally put their lives on the line to get here. I encounter many heroes among my clients.

Since going into private practice, I have continued defending individuals from deportation, assisting asylum applicants, representing immigrant victims of crime and domestic violence, and appellate work. I have also broadened my practice to include family immigration, federal litigation, and representation of immigrant artists and nonprofits.

I am a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and from 2008 to 2010 I served as AILA’s liaison to the New Orleans Field Office of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Additionally, I work with Tulane University’s legal services program, TULAP, to provide free legal advice and low cost representation to current Tulane University staff, students, and faculty. I’m also currently the AILA liaison to the New Orleans Asylum Sub-Office, a position I’ve had for over two years. Given my background with immigrant survivors of crime, I’ve taken a particular interest in issues affecting immigrant survivors of crimes and their ability to safely access law enforcement and social services. I have given numerous presentations on this topic to audiences including immigration practitioners, prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim advocates.

I’m licensed to practice law in Louisiana and California (inactive in California). I earned my B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1999 and my J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2006.

At Pelton + Balducci, we believe in the idea of the United States as a nation of immigrants, as a country that is enriched and strengthened by the presence and contributions of diverse communities. At the same time, however, our history has shown that immigrants are vulnerable. Our mission, therefore, is to be advocates and allies for immigrants, and support the effort to continue the rich tradition of immigrant contributions to the U.S.

On a more immediate level, we recognize how much is at stake in each immigration case. Being able to remain in the U.S. often determines whether or not our clients can remain with their families, continue their careers, or live in safety. We understand that these are high stakes, and we work hard to protect them.