Master powerful federal litigation strategies to break through endless agency backlogs, hold the government accountable, and force timely decisions on stalled immigration cases.
Unreasonable delays in immigration adjudications have become one of the most active areas of federal immigration litigation. Employment petitions, adjustment applications, naturalization filings and consular processing cases frequently stall for years, leaving clients with limited administrative recourse.
Federal district court actions under 28 U.S.C. § 1361 (Mandamus) and the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. § 706) have emerged as powerful tools to compel agency action. Yet these cases raise complex jurisdictional, strategic and evidentiary issues, including the scope of consular non-reviewability, the TRAC factors governing unreasonable delay, and sovereign immunity limitations.
This program provides a litigation-focused examination of mandamus and APA delay actions. It analyzes pleading standards, government defenses, venue considerations and settlement dynamics, offering practical insight into when these cases succeed—and when they do not.
Board Certified Immigration Attorney/Law Firm Owner
Ruby L. Powers is the founder of Powers Law Group, P.C., a Houston-based, full-service immigration law firm and is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law. Ruby is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Leadership Houston, and American Leadership Forum. Ruby is the child of an immigrant and married to an immigrant. Their family consists of two enthusiastic children and together they enjoy traveling to the US National Parks (20 down, 43 more to go) and playing board games. Ruby also enjoys gardening, traveling, scuba diving, and reading. Regardless of her role, she dedicates her life to empowering and advocating for others. Ruby is an author; frequent national and international speaker; and media resource on topics of immigration law, policy, and law practice management. Her knowledge and advocacy efforts have made her a go-to source for The Washington Post and The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and BBC World News amongst others. With nearly 20 years of firsthand experience, her full-service immigration law firm focuses on immigration law including family– and employment-based immigration, investment visas, asylum, deportation, and waivers of inadmissibility. Ruby regularly presents and teaches courses on immigration. Her firm has represented individuals from over 35 countries seeking asylum in the United States. She works with various nonprofit organizations as a board member of Mobile Pathways and an active volunteer with Casa Juan Diego. In 2022, her firm collaborated with a local nonprofit to provide asylum legal services and be of counsel to the growing Afghan community. She authored the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) book, Build and Manage Your Successful Immigration Law Practice (Without Losing Your Mind). In 2020, she provided law practice management consulting services through her company, Powers Strategy Group, LLC. Further sharing her expertise, Ruby is an Adjunct Professor for South Texas College of Law Houston teaching Law Office Management to law students, and a business instructor for Houston Community College teaching entrepreneurship to Spanish-speaking business owners. Ruby served on the City of Houston’s Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission and chaired AILA’s law practice management committee. She also served as vice-chair of both AILA’s media advocacy committee and the State Bar of Texas’ Laws Relating to Immigration and Nationality, and she volunteers as a consulting attorney for the Mexican Consulate in Houston. She recently began leading her family’s nonprofit, Rancho Altamira Christian Center. From volunteering on campaigns to running for office herself, Ruby has always been an advocate for others. In 2020, she ran for Texas State Representative for Texas District 134 with a focus on improving access to health care and education, fighting for public safety by reducing gun violence, promoting sensible immigration policies, and combating climate change. Ruby has been honored by receiving the Houston Business Journal, Women Who Mean Business, Outstanding Leader in Law, and Most Admired CEO Awards and the Texas Democratic Women – Houston Rising Star Award. In 2017, she was one of two out of 17,000 members to receive the AILA Advocacy Award. Powers was mentioned in the 28th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, Selected as Top-Rated Immigration Lawyer by Super Lawyers in 2022.
