Houston immigration attorney faces scrutiny from former employee amid felony charges

A former employee of Houston immigration attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra is questioning his handling of immigration cases as the attorney faces pending felony charges in Texas and Florida while representing clients tied to a high-profile ICE shooting case.

Balderas-Ibarra represents Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego and Daniel Tirado Pantoja, two men who were inside a van with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo when an ICE agent shot and killed Salgado Araujo in Houston earlier this year.

Former paralegal Tinamari Hernandez told KPRC 2 that she joined Balderas-Ibarra's office believing they shared a commitment to helping immigrants navigate the legal system.

"I was excited because I thought he and I had the same passion for our immigrant community," Hernandez told the station. "I aligned with a lot of his beliefs or what he was putting out there."

Hernandez, who said she has worked in immigration law for nearly 20 years, said she became concerned after helping clients prepare for immigration interviews and hearings. According to Hernandez, some clients appeared unfamiliar with information included in petitions filed on their behalf.

"When I started seeing the confusion and reading the petitions back to them, their reaction was a huge red flag to me," Hernandez said.

She said some clients told her they had not provided certain information included in filings or were unaware that specific petitions had been submitted.

Hernandez also alleged that Balderas-Ibarra delegated substantial portions of case preparation to office staff and avoided interactions with clients who were upset or seeking answers about difficult cases.

"He would avoid them if he knew they were upset or difficult, and he would ask his staff to handle them," Hernandez said.

KPRC 2 reported that it contacted Balderas-Ibarra by phone and email regarding the allegations but did not receive a response. Calls to his cellphone reportedly reached an automated message stating that the user was not accepting calls.

Balderas-Ibarra is also facing felony criminal charges in two states. In Harris County, prosecutors have charged him in a felony assault case, and he is expected to appear in court next week.

In Seminole County, Florida, authorities charged him with false imprisonment and domestic battery stemming from a December 2025 incident involving a woman with whom he had previously been in a relationship.

The allegations emerge during heightened immigration enforcement activity across the Houston region, where thousands of residents depend on private immigration attorneys to manage complex federal cases and court deadlines.

The State Bar of Texas allows clients to file grievances against attorneys they believe have violated professional obligations or mishandled legal matters.