Marva De Armas

Marva De Armas is an immigration attorney, former U.S. Immigration Judge, and co-founder of De Armas & De Armas Law, a Detroit-based immigration law firm representing individuals and families throughout Michigan and across the United States. A first-generation Cuban-American and native Spanish speaker, Marva understands that an immigration case is rarely just a legal matter—it can affect a person’s family, livelihood, safety, and future in the United States. She founded De Armas & De Armas Law with the goal of providing knowledgeable, accessible, and culturally competent representation to immigrant communities, particularly Spanish-speaking individuals and families navigating an increasingly complex immigration system.

Marva focuses her practice on complex immigration matters, with extensive experience in removal defense and Immigration Court proceedings. She has represented individuals in Immigration Courts throughout the country in asylum, cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, waivers, motions to reopen and reconsider, bond proceedings, and other forms of relief from removal. Her practice also includes appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, federal immigration litigation, and representation of detained individuals.

In addition to removal defense, Marva and her firm represent clients in family-based immigration matters, adjustment of status, consular processing, citizenship and naturalization, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U visas, VAWA matters, and other humanitarian forms of immigration relief. She regularly represents clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and assists individuals navigating matters involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Marva's perspective on immigration law is particularly distinctive because she has experienced the immigration system from both sides of the courtroom. After years representing immigrants in private practice, Marva was appointed to serve as a U.S. Immigration Judge. Her experience on the bench provided an additional perspective on how immigration cases are evaluated, presented, and decided. She ultimately returned to private practice, bringing that experience back to the individuals and families she represents.

Marva has practiced law since 2015 and co-founded De Armas & De Armas Law in 2020. What began as a small, family-run practice has grown into a team of attorneys and legal professionals serving immigrant communities throughout Michigan and nationwide. Despite that growth, Marva remains committed to the principle on which the firm was founded: clients deserve attorneys who understand their stories, communicate clearly with them, and are prepared to advocate aggressively when their futures are at stake.

Community service has also remained an important part of Marva's career. She has held leadership roles within Michigan's Hispanic legal community, including serving as President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Michigan, and has been involved with organizations and initiatives focused on immigration, mentorship, and access to legal services. Earlier in her career, she received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in recognition of more than 300 hours of community service.

Marva is especially passionate about representing immigrants who may otherwise struggle to access experienced legal counsel, including detained individuals, asylum seekers, children, survivors of abuse, and families facing separation. Her approach combines extensive courtroom experience, knowledge of immigration law, and a personal understanding of the immigrant experience. At De Armas & De Armas Law, Marva and her team provide representation in English and Spanish and handle immigration matters throughout the United States.