Kathleen Campbell Walker is internationally recognized as a thought leader and for the breadth of her experience in immigration law and policy. She is a problem solver for complex and difficult immigration challenges in business immigration, compliance, audits, cross-border issues, admissions, waivers, worksite enforcement, and consular processing. Her industry related experience includes: manufacturing, healthcare, food and drink producers, academic institutions, technology, financial services, entertainment, investors, mining, pharmaceuticals, retail, sports, transportation, government, agriculture, physicians, equestrians, and utilities.
Ms. Walker is a former national president and general counsel of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) as well as a member of its Board of Governors. She has served as a national chairperson of a variety of AILA committees, including for the Department of State, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service worksite compliance, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. She has also testified on immigration law and policy before U.S. congressional committees and state legislative committees.
Education & Credentials
Education
The University of Texas School of Law
J.D., 1985Texas Tech University
B.A., 1982- Summa cum Laude
Bar Admission
Spoken Languages
- French
- Spanish
Acknowledgements
- Chambers Global Guide, Immigration: Business, 2024
- Lawdragon Corporate Employment Lawyers
- Top 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers in America
- Chambers Global Guide
- Immigration: Business, 2021
- National Law Journal
- Immigration Trailblazer, 2020
- Distinguished Alumus, College of Arts and Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2017
- Recipient of the AILA Founder’s Award which is given to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy, 2014
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
- Star Individual, Business Immigration
- Martindale-Hubbell®
- AV/Preeminent® Immigration Rating
- AV/Preeminent® Judicial Rating
- Who’s Who Legal
- Thought Leader and Global Leader Corporate Immigration
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Immigration, 1991-2023
- Texas Super Lawyers®
- Immigration, 2003-2021
- Texas Lawyer Magazine
- One of Five “Go To” Lawyers in the State of Texas for Immigration Law, 2008
- Texas Lawyer for Immigration Law
- Extraordinary Woman in Texas Law, 2008
- Selected to serve on the Council of Foreign Relations Independent Task Force on U.S. Immigration Policy, which was chaired by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former White House Chief of Staff Thomas F. (Mack) McLarty, 2008
Prominent Assignments
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Multiple worksite compliance audit responses submitted to Homeland Security Investigations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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Multiple E-2 visa registrations and transfers of global management personnel.
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Strategies for international assignments during COVID-19 pandemic and associated presidential proclamations and executive orders.
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L-1 blanket amendments and multiple L-1 transfers of essential managers and executives.
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O-1 Extraordinary ability petitions for emerging industries.
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SEVIS compliance issues for public university.
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Foreign Residence waivers for international medical graduates.
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Healthcare personnel critical transfers.
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Cross-border essential personnel admissions.
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National interest exceptions for admission.
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J-1 foreign medical graduate licensure issues.
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E-Verify related merger and compliance issues.
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Trusted Traveler program denials.
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Labor certification audits.
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Compliance issues as to reductions in force and modifications to employment terms for visa holders.
Professional Involvement
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
- International Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
- College of the State Bar of Texas
- El Paso Bar Association
Community Involvement
- Prior Chair of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce
- Prior President of the El Paso Foreign Trade Association – Main project was the creation of the first Dedicated Commuter Lane in Texas.
- Prior Public Board Member of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers
Court Admissions
- U.S. Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Publications/Presentations
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Author, “Trade Nafta (TN) Visa Holders Are NOT Free Agents – Spotting the Unauthorized Nonimmigrant for Form I-9 Compliance,” Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights & Issues Blog, December 2023
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Author, "Form I-9 Remote Flexibility Ends July 31, 2023 – 5 Things to Keep in Mind,” Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, February 2023
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Author, "Immigration Healthcare Cures for Physicians - A Quixotic Venture?" Healthcare Michigan, July 2022
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Speaker, "Issues Facing Students Who Win the H-1B Lottery and Those Who Don't," American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Conference, June 2022
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Co-Author, "How to Overcome a TN Denial: Understanding the Soft Skills Required to Seek Redress in the Absence of a Formal Appeals Process," American Immigration Lawyers Association USMCA Toolbox 2022 edition, April 2022
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Panelist, "Hot Topics in Business Immigration," American Immigration Lawyers Association - Texas Chapter, Spring Conference: En la Frontera, April 2022
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Author, "Form I-9 Alert - USCIS Designates I-94s with New Admission Codes For E and L Spouses as List C Documents... What?," Dickinson Wright Industry Alert, March 2022
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Speaker, "Hot Topics: Breaking News and Emerging Trends," American Immigration Lawyers Association, Border Issues Virtual Conference, March 2022
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Author, "Form I-9 Update – L and E Nonimmigrant Spouses Eligible for Work Without Employment Authorization Document – Really?," Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, February 2022
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Co-Presenter, "State Department/Consular Affairs Update," Practicing Law Institute, 54th Annual Immigration and Naturalization Institute, December 2021
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Author, "U.S. Land Border Reopens to Non-Essential Vaccinated Travelers November 8," Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, November 2021
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Panelist, "Consular Processing Post Pandemic," 45th Annual Conference on Immigration and Nationality Law, University of Texas School of Law, October 2021
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Panelist, "Ask the Experts," 45th Annual Conference on Immigration and Nationality Law, University of Texas School of Law, October 2021
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Author, "COVID-19 Vaccinations Lead to November 8 Reopening of U.S. to Foreign Travelers and Land Border Restriction Modifications," Dickinson Wright Immigration Issues and Insights Blog, October 2021
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Panelist, "Consular Processing vs. Adjustment of Status in Employment-Based Cases," American Immigration Lawyers Association's Fall Conference and Webcast: Athletics, Culture, Entertainment, and Science, October 2021
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Co-Author, “Department of State Extends NIE Validity Providing Relief for Travelers,” Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog Post, August 2021
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Author, “A Call for Rational Immigration Reforms to Address Critical Healthcare Shortages,” Healthcare Michigan, July 2021
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Panelist, “USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC at One Year,” CUSBA & AmCham Toronto, July 2021
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Author, “USCIS June Policy Alert Trio Provides Some Love to Beleaguered Applicants,” Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, June 2021
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Author, “President Proclamation 10052 Times Out: Now What for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants?,” Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, April 2021
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Speaker at the State Bar of Texas Annual Conference – Advanced Immigration Law – “Ethical Dilemma” – Webcast (Feb. 2021)
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Featured speaker at the 53st Annual PLI Immigration & Naturalization Symposium – Department of State Update (Dec. 2020)
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Featured speaker at the 44th Annual Conference on Immigration and Nationality Law – Consular Processing Disruption in 2020 -Overview and Strategies (Oct. 2020)
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Speaker at the State Bar of Texas Annual Conference – Advanced Immigration Law – “Adjustment of Status v. Consular Processing” – Houston (Feb. 2020).
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Speaker at the 52nd Annual Immigration & Naturalization Institute – “Consular Update” – New York (Dec. 2019).
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Speaker at the AILA University Video Roundtable Discussion on Business Immigration (December 2019).
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Featured speaker at the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)/Japanese Business Society of Detroit (JBSD) Legal Seminar in Livonia, Michigan – Buy American Hire American Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration (August 2019).
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Speaker at the 2019 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Conference in Park City, Utah - Worksite Compliance and Enforcement Task (September 2019).
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Speaker, Hot Topics in Immigration Law, Advanced Immigration Law, State Bar of Texas (Jan. 2019).
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Speaker for a Live Webinar for AILA, “The Ins and Outs of Lawful Admission” (Nov. 2018).
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Speaker at Fall 2018 AILA Conference on Nonimmigrant Visa Waivers: Overcoming Inadmissibility Obstacles and Delays – London, UK (Oct. 2018).
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Speaker at 2018 AILA Annual Conference – Dealing with the Worst Bureaucracy: When Red Tape Hinders Good-Faith Efforts to Normalize Status – San Francisco, CA. (June 2018).
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Speaker at UT Austin Advanced Immigration Law Course Conference – Pushing the Envelope on Immigration Reform by Presidential Fiat and H-1B 2018 Worries Checklist -- Houston, Texas (Feb. 2018).
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Speaker at 50th Annual Immigration and Naturalization Institute 2017 PLI Conference – State Department/Consular Affairs Update – New York, New York (Dec. 2017).
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Contributing Author – Independent Task Force Report No. 63 on U.S. Immigration Policy published by the Council on Foreign Relations.
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Contributing Author- Immigration Practice under NAFTA and Other Free Trade Agreements published by AILA.