Atty. Nicolas M. Caraquel – or Nick to most of his friends – was a former child vendor in a bus terminal somewhere in Davao Oriental but is now one of the top immigration lawyers in New York.
Licensed to practice law in both jurisdictions of the Philippines and the State of New York, he has helped a lot of people who dream of living or working in the United States a reality (family and employment-based petitions), not only for Filipinos but other nationalities as well.
“US immigration issues are close to the hearts and minds of most Filipinos,” Atty. Caraquel explained why he has chosen to be an immigration lawyer. “I went through it, and I realized this is the area where I can help most Filipinos and where I can excel the most since I am one of them.”
Since he has experienced it, Atty. Caraquel can relate the struggles, the destitutions, and uncertainties of the clients. “I can provide them true legal and effective service at reasonable cost and with a heart,” he said. “It’s not all about money. I explore ways to find solutions to their problems when I believe they have a chance of approval. If I believe there is no hope for their cases, I honestly tell them that, too.”
Some may consider being an immigration lawyer in the United States is a tedious job compared to those engaged in criminal cases. But he described it as an exciting profession in the “sense of having to help someone involving issues that’s life changing for them.”
The negative side of the job is when his clients think that once he accepts their cases, “it is equal to approval,” he smirked. That’s not always the case. Each case must go through all the process yet.
Atty. Caraquel finds waiver cases as the most challenging to handle. “They involve fraud, criminality or unlawful presence,” he explained. “Once you accept these cases, the clients believe you also took from them the emotional, psychological and mental stress they have. You become their hope to solve their problems.”
Cases, however, differ and so each case may take months or years before it is considered close. “Waiver cases usually take more than a year while fiancée is four to five months. If a spouse, the case takes about nine months,” he said.
According to him, he generally doesn’t ask about some requirements for people who contact him for consultations. “I just want to know more about their circumstances,” he said. “Cases with prior denials, criminality, or fraud, I ask for notices of denial or request for evidence from immigration agencies.”
Now an American citizen, Atty. Caraquel was honored as one of the 11 Pamana ng Pilipino awardees in 2018. He received the medal personally from then President Rodrigo R. Duterte during the awarding ceremony at the Malacañang.
“A sought-after immigration lawyer based in New York who broke out of poverty through his determination and hard work. He assists in facilitating the family reunification process among Filipinos in the United States,” the press statement said of his citation.
On poverty, he said that it can be a source of motivation in itself. “You can become creative in finding ways to get out of poverty,” he said.
“Do not look at poverty as a reason or excuse to stop dreaming big then work hard to make those dreams a reality,” Atty. Caraquel summarized his secret of success. “I know it is not easy; there are times that you will feel like giving up. When that time comes, seek something or talk to someone who inspires you, when the burden gets tougher kneel down and pray. Rest if you may, but don’t give up. Chase that dream and have faith!”
Atty. Caraquel believes in prayer. He agrees with what the Bible says that what is impossible to man is possible to God, who is just a prayer away.
“All my life,” he said, “I am guided by prayers in every major decision I make. It’s a trait I learned from my mother. I always ask for God’s sign to give me confidence that the decisions I make are aligned with His.”
Nick grew up in San Isidro, Davao Oriental, in a family with seven children. “My father earns a living as a barber. My mother was once a seamstress turned businesswoman. My family taught me the value of hard work, prayer, faith and determination to find ways to get out of poverty,” he says in an exclusive interview.
The family was in abject poverty that when he was in third grade, his parents requested him to stop going to school. To help both ends meet, they asked him to help them by selling banana cues in the bus terminal. He was saddened; he wanted to continue his studies, but he had no choice. “I prayed that someday I would understand God’s reason why He allowed it,” he said.
Nick, who believes in education, was able to finish elementary school. And it came to pass that when he was graduating from high school, the government offered for the first time the State Scholarship Program (SSP) to poor but deserving students in private schools. He took the qualifying exams and was awarded as one of the 13 SSP scholars in the country, representing Davao Region.
The scholarship was his ticket to enroll at the Ateneo de Davao University, where he took BS Industrial Engineering. “I felt like I didn’t have to study much with numbers. It’s embedded in my system,” he explained why he took the course. “I thought that being an engineer would put me in a better position to financially support my parents and younger sister’s education.”
After graduation, he worked in one of the world’s top food manufacturing companies and was assigned to Cagayan de Oro City. However, his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer beckoned. With the money he saved, he decided to fulfill his dream. He pursued law at Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan) and passed the bar in 2003.
On why he became a lawyer, he explained: “Generally, people look down on people who were economically challenged. We have the tendency to judge that they have no hope, especially in the province.”
Atty. Caraquel saw that through his mother’s experience. “I cannot forget how my mother tried to encourage me while she herself was hopeless. Oftentimes, I saw her in a state of malayo ang tingin wala namang tinatanaw. I wondered what she was thinking. Was it the hardship, the hopelessness or the treatment of some people around her?
“That significantly influenced me in dreaming to become a lawyer – to defend my family if someone mistreats them, to uplift their spirit so that we can rise from poverty and to financially support my family.”
After passing the board exam, he worked for a company, and it was just a matter of time before he was promoted and assigned to the headquarters in Makati. But after 10 years of lawyering in the country, he had enough and went to the United States.
This was in 2007. “I needed a vacation to relieve me from work stress,” he admitted. “I was a victim of corporate politics after working for 10 years. I asked for a month’s vacation. While waiting for my flight, the thought of me wanting to become a US immigration attorney came up,” he recalled.
Three weeks after his arrival, he asked his friends to pray for him with a specific request. He recalled: “If God has better plans for me in America, Nestle USA will call my friends’ landline the following Monday at 9 am.”
True enough, at 9 in the morning that Monday, the phone rang, and the company called. He was hired.
In 2012, Nick decided to work as a full-fledged lawyer in New York City. With only three weeks approved vacation from his work, he concentrated on 13 out of 21 subjects for the 2-day New York bar examinations. The first day was the toughest; it had the NY Bar five essay questions.
Before he left the hotel, he asked God to give him at least one topic he could focus on. Should that selected topic be one of those that will come out, he assumed that with God’s guidance, he would pass the bar exam. Out of nowhere, someone whispered in his ears to concentrate on libel and defamation.
The 100-multiple choice federal law portion and the first two essay questions were covered in the morning session. The afternoon session started with the third essay question and lo and behold the topic was — hold your breath! — about libel and defamation. It was then that he knew he would pass the bar exam. And he did.
A few months later, Nick was in a quandary whether he would stay in the US or be back in the Philippines, although deep inside him, he wanted to stay. Again, he prayed asking that if his plans aligned with His plan for him, he would receive his American citizenship notification on or before April 2 (Thursday). And, yes, it happened as he had requested.
Although he is now an American citizen, he still considers himself a Filipino by heart. In fact, he comes home at least once a year. His time here is always divided into work (80%) and community time (20%).
It is still work as he has an office in Davao City. He usually meets his staff and gives them instructions and other matters regarding immigration. The remaining time is spent with his family in San Isidro in Davao Oriental.
His coming home usually falls during the Christmas season. The reason: he gives Christmas gifts to senior citizens in his hometown, his way of appreciating the people who witnessed him as a young boy and the place where he grew up in poverty.
Atty. Nick Mabale Caraquel, please take a bow!
