Furqan Sunny Azhar

Furqan’s legal practice is devoted entirely to Immigration and Nationality Law. His practice includes the representation of companies seeking visas for their employees, and the defense of aliens in federal immigration courts across the country. He frequently speaks on legal topics, has testified in criminal court as an expert witness and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Immigration Law at Dallas College. From 2012 to 2014, he was the AILA TX/OK/NM Chapter Consumer Protection/UPL Coordinator. In September of 2019, the Dallas Bar Association’s Immigration Law Section awarded Furqan the Immigration Excellence Award.

Furqan has successfully argued on appeal two published decisions, one by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and the other by the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO).

In the precedent setting case of Matter of Quilantan, 25 I&N Dec. 285 (BIA 2010), the BIA found that “an alien who physically presents herself for questioning and makes no knowing false claim to citizenship is ‘inspected,’ even though she volunteers no information and is asked no questions by the immigration authorities, and that such an alien…” has “made a lawful entry into the United States after inspection and authorization by an immigration officer.” Furqan’s victory was a powerful ruling that allows aliens to be able to adjust their status to that of lawful permanent resident even when they have not received thorough questioning at the border.

On April 18, 2017, President Trump signed the Buy American and Hire American Executive Order, which sought to create higher wages for U.S. workers. As a result, USCIS began denying H-1B applications that were filed under a “Level 1” wage rate. In the first positive decision issued by the AAO since the Executive Order, USCIS reversed the denial of an H-1B visa petition finding that Furqan’s client properly used a Level 1 wage for the job of a Geotechnical Engineer in Training (EIT), and that the H-1B visa petition adhered with the correct, five-step procedure for determining the appropriate wage level for the job. Matter of B-C-, Inc. (Jan 25, 2018). This was another powerful ruling that clarified for USCIS that a level 1 wage does not automatically disqualify an H-1B employer from establishing that the position offered is a specialty occupation.

In 2010, one of Furqan’s clients dubbed him their “E-attorney,” and he has been known to wear that moniker as a badge of honor. In fact, legend has it that Furqan often times starts responding to client E-mails before the client has even hit the “Send” button. When Furqan is not spending time with his wife and two daughters, he can usually be found overly obsessing about sports or managing his sports brand, DART Sports.