Shahid Haque dedicates his practice to helping immigrants obtain legal status in the United States and pursue all that the country has to offer. Mr. Haque assists clients with a wide variety of immigration matters, including applications with the consulates abroad and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, representing clients arrested by the Department of Homeland Security, and defending immigrants in removal proceedings in Immigration Court.
Mr. Haque has represented over a thousand immigrants and their families all across Montana, and has been in contact with over a thousand other immigrants in Montana through his advocacy efforts. He has internalized their stories, their feelings and anxieties, and is one of the few people in Montana who has a broad and clear picture of the diverse immigrant communities throughout Montana, from Glacier to Yellowstone — and in all the small communities all along the way.
Mr. Haque helps clients with a wide variety of family and employment based visas. He has won asylum for over a dozen refugees who fled from their home countries to escape torture, persecution, and death on account of their political or religious beliefs. He has also won cancellation of removal for several clients in contested deportation proceedings — one of the most difficult forms of relief to win due to its high burden of proof.
Mr. Haque believes strongly that every immigrant deserves the right to legal representation and has committed a significant portion of his practice to pro bono work for especially disadvantaged clients who cannot afford to pay for legal services. In 2009, Mr. Haque was the recipient of the Neil Haight Pro Bono Award, granted by the State Bar of Montana to the attorneys with the greatest commitment to pro bono work. Mr. Haque works with the Montana Legal Services Association, domestic violence prevention groups, and other non-profit and charitable organizations to assist disadvantaged immigrants.
Mr. Haque has advocated for immigrant rights by bringing lawsuits in state and federal court to challenge unconstitutional laws and policies that discriminate against immigrants in Montana. In 2012, he filed suit to challenge LR-121, an anti-immigrant referendum. In 2013, he filed a class action lawsuit against the Montana Highway Patrol to challenge its policy and practice of racial profiling of Latinos.
Mr. Haque is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He is also the founder and President of the Montana Immigrant Justice Alliance (“MIJA”), a statewide non-profit organization focused on immigrant justice issues. You can read about MIJA’s mission by clicking here.
From 2008-2010, Mr. Haque was appointed to serve on the Helena International Affairs Council, which is tasked with promoting the city as an international gateway and embracing the cultures and traditions of our international residents and visitors.
Mr. Haque lobbies for fair immigration policies in the Montana Legislature, and teaches training courses for immigrants and allies on immigration law, debunking myths about immigrants, knowing your rights when dealing with law enforcement, and the need for comprehensive immigration reform. In 2010, Mr. Haque trained at the Western States Center’s Community Strategic Training Initiative in Portland.
Mr. Haque earned his Juris Doctor from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, with High Honors, in 2005. During his first year in law school, he won the West Publishing Award for earning the highest GPA in his class. Mr. Haque served as Notes and Comments Editor of the Chicago-Kent Law Review, where he also published a scholarly article on labor and immigration policy. Upon graduation, he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and won the school’s Bar & Gavel Award for outstanding service to the immigrant community. During law school, Mr. Haque was an intern with the National Immigrant Justice Center. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Sociology from the University of Southern Indiana in 2001.
Prior to focusing exclusively on immigration law, Mr. Haque practiced complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts. In his commercial litigation practice, Mr. Haque defended individuals and companies in multi-district class action, consumer fraud, securities, and civil RICO litigation. Mr. Haque also practiced before administrative agencies in public service, labor, and taxation proceedings.
Mr. Haque began his career with Jenner & Block LLP and Howrey LLP in Chicago, Illinois. After relocating to Montana, Mr. Haque briefly worked with Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven, P.C. in Helena, Montana before opening the Border Crossing Law Firm in 2008.
Mr. Haque is a member of the Illinois and Montana Bars, and is admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for Montana and the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Haque represents immigrants throughout the country, and has appeared before Immigration Courts in numerous states.
Mr. Haque resides in Helena, Montana with his wife, Sandra, and their young children.