De Castro Foden
Immigration Attorneys

About

We are a purpose driven practice.

History

Founded June 1980 as a general practice, founder Maria Luisa de Castro Foden started with one file cabinet for divorces, one for criminal cases, real estate, and one small drawer in a cabinet for immigration petitions. Slowly, but surely, that one immigration file drawer grew to a cabinet, then two, then three, and eventually became the sole focus of the bustling law firm that we have today.

Immigration laws and policies have a broad and tremendous impact on individuals, families, businesses, our economy, and our country. Truly, we are driven to help people achieve their dreams and goals, and to advocate on their behalf. We are proud to contribute to the immigrant fabric of American life, and to fully extract the benefit of laws and privileges available to immigrants and nonimmigrants under the Immigration and Nationality Act. As we lead clients toward what we aim to be a positive and successful immigration process, our work exudes the mantra of love what you do.

 

Guiding Principles

Three considerations guide how we craft a strategy for your case:

  • Time. Many times, there are multiple ways to arrive at a desired result. We present your options and make recommendations to you based on how long each option will take from start to finish;

  • Cost. We choose the most cost effective process as balanced against the time that process will take; and

  • Presentation. We choose a strategy that best suits our client’s goals and is an accurate representation of who they are.

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Attorneys

 

MARIA LUISA DE CASTRO FODEN

Attorney Maria Luisa de Castro Foden is a tenacious attorney with unparalleled experience in immigration law. Her intensity, analytical agility and ardent personality defines our practice, and sets the pace for a style of lawyering that is uniquely ours.

Born in Chile, she immigrated to the United States 1967 as a foreign student to Douglas College, Rutgers University in New Jersey. When she received her Juris Doctor, she was the first Hispanic woman to graduate from the University of Connecticut School of Law. A pioneer in action, her reputation draws people to seek our advice from all over the country.

In 2019, the Connecticut Law Tribune recognized Maria Luisa de Castro Foden’s contributions as an immigration attorney with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the Connecticut bar and the U.S. District Court of Connecticut.

 
 
 

MARY DE CASTRO FODEN

Attorney Mary Foden leads litigation at De Castro Foden, and has extensive experience in cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, adjustment of status, immigrant and nonimmigrant work and investor visas. In removal defense, where everything is on the line, her skillful and stalwart advocacy, compassion and professionalism is a relief to the client and family.

Mary has been rated by her peers as a Super Lawyer since 2014, and as a “Top Attorney” by New England’s Outstanding Young Lawyers. Precedent Decision: Matter of Ferreira, 26 I&N 415 (BIA 2014). See also the Board’s important decision in Adela Nolasco Santiago, A205 497 497 (BIA May 3, 2017).

Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the bars of Connecticut and New York, U.S. District Court of Connecticut, Colorado District Court, Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

 
 
 

edwin d. colon

Attorney Edwin Colon represents clients in asylum, family immigration, citizenship waivers of inadmissibility, and appeals. Perpetually an “on-his-feet” attorney, Edwin is nationally renown for his passionate defense of immigrant children. To that end, he collaborated with the Connecticut Probate Court Administration in drafting and securing Connecticut law which codified the federal SIJS language established path for residency to countless immigrant minors as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ). He has trained and mentored over100 immigration practitioners, from major law firms to solo practitioners, throughout the United States on SIJ.

Edwin has received numerous accolades for his outstanding skill and contributions: James W. Cooper Fellow, CT Bar Foundation, 2018, Distinguished Leader in the Law, CT Law Tribune, 2017, Top 50 Latino Leaders in Connecticut, LUPA, 2014 and 2015, New Leaders in the Law, CT Law Tribune, 2013, and Recognition as a Social Work Educator, National Association of Social Workers, CT-Chapter, 2009. In addition to his legal work, Edwin has held teaching positions and serves on numerous boards in furtherance of social justice.

Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the bars of Connecticut and New York, and the U.S. District Court of Connecticut.

 
 

MICHAEL W. STRAUS

As Senior Counsel, Michael brings 40 years of distinguished experience as an immigration judge and senior USCIS official to our clients in the private practice. Michael served as an Immigration Judge in the Hartford Immigration Court from 2000 until his honorable retirement in 2025. Prior to his appointment as an Immigration Judge, he served as counsel to the Chief Immigration Judge from March 1997 to August 2000. From 1993 to March 1997, he was a senior adjudications officer and acting branch chief for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in Washington, DC. He also worked in the private sector as an attorney from 1988 to 1993. Judge Straus served as an attorney for the INS in Los Angeles, California, from 1985 to 1988.

Juris Doctor, Washington University School of Law. Admitted to the California bar and District of Connecticut.

 
 

JON-MARC LARUE ZITZKAT

A second-generation immigration practitioner, Jon-Marc has developed expertise in a wide array of employment-based and family-based immigration matters, including temporary nonimmigrant visa petitions (H-1B, O, P, L, R, and E-1, E-2, and E-3), permanent visa petitions (EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3), Labor Certification (PERM), adjustment of status, and appeals.

Jon-Marc leads the firm’s employment-based practice, in both temporary visa and permanent residency contexts. Jon-Marc has also successfully represented clients in waiver applications and various interviews before USCIS, including naturalization and asylum.

Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the Connecticut bar.

NATALIE CASANOVA

Attorney Natalie Casanova represents clients in a broad range of humanitarian immigration matters, including asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status, U visas for victims of crime, T visas for victims of human trafficking, and relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for survivors of domestic violence. Of Peruvian and Mexican descent, Natalie has a strong personal connection to the Hispanic community and was drawn to immigration law while working with immigrants through the UConn Asylum and Human Rights Clinic. That experience awakened a passion for defending immigrants and inspired her to use her legal education to serve and protect immigrant families and others in vulnerable circumstances. Natalie approaches each case with compassion, careful attention to detail, and an understanding of the profound impact that an immigration case can have on an individual and their family. She is a caring and zealous advocate who is committed to ensuring that her clients are heard, their rights are protected, and their cases are presented with the diligence and attention they deserve.

Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the Connecticut Bar. Liaison to the Connecticut Assembly for the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association.