Our Team
Raziel Amed Argueta, Managing Partner
Raziel Argueta is a Partner of Law Offices of Argueta & Gomez, LLP, where he focuses exclusively on United States immigration law. His practice is devoted to representing individuals and families before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration Courts nationwide, and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Raziel's passion for immigration law is deeply personal. His family fled Guatemala during the country's civil war in search of safety and opportunity in the United States. That experience shaped his commitment to helping families navigate one of the most complex areas of American law.
Raziel graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2016 before earning his Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 2018. During law school, he gained significant courtroom experience through Drake's Criminal Defense Clinic and Advanced Criminal Defense Clinic, representing clients charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses.
Since entering private practice, Raziel has built an extensive litigation practice representing clients in removal proceedings. He has appeared in well over 100 Master Calendar Hearings, represented clients in more than 40 Individual (Merits) Hearings, and prepared hundreds of clients and witnesses for testimony before both USCIS and the Immigration Courts. He has also represented clients in dozens of USCIS interviews, including affirmative asylum interviews, adjustment of status interviews, naturalization interviews, and marriage-based cases.
Raziel regularly litigates complex asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture, Cancellation of Removal, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), VAWA, U visas, family-based immigration, waivers of inadmissibility, and adjustment of status cases. His experience includes obtaining grants of asylum, winning Cancellation of Removal for deserving clients, securing difficult waivers of inadmissibility, and obtaining lawful permanent residence for individuals facing significant immigration and criminal law obstacles.
He has successfully represented clients in matters involving allegations of false claims to U.S. citizenship, alien smuggling, prior removal orders, unlawful presence, criminal convictions, and other complex grounds of inadmissibility. He has also persuaded Immigration Judges to reopen removal proceedings, rescind in absentia removal orders, and terminate proceedings where the law and evidence warranted such relief.
Known for his meticulous preparation, Raziel spends significant time working with clients and witnesses before interviews and hearings to ensure they understand the legal process and are prepared to clearly present their stories. He believes that thorough preparation is one of the most important factors in achieving successful outcomes.
As a native Spanish speaker, Raziel communicates directly with the vast majority of his clients in their first language, helping them understand difficult legal issues while providing honest, compassionate, and practical advice throughout every stage of their case.
Outside of his legal practice, Raziel proudly serves as an officer in the Iowa Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery Regiment. He deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), where he served honorably alongside fellow Soldiers in a combat theater. In recognition of his leadership and meritorious service during the deployment, Raziel was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. The discipline, resilience, and commitment to mission instilled through his military service continue to shape his approach to the practice of law. Whether leading Soldiers overseas or advocating for clients in the courtroom, Raziel believes that preparation, integrity, and unwavering dedication are essential to accomplishing the mission.
Whether appearing before USCIS, an Immigration Judge, or the Board of Immigration Appeals, Raziel is committed to providing strategic advocacy, meticulous preparation, and relentless representation for every individual and family he serves.
Julio C. Gomez, Managing Partner
Julio Gomez is a partner at Law Offices of Argueta & Gomez, LLP, where his practice focuses primarily on criminal defense and family law, while also assisting clients with select immigration matters. Known for his strategic advocacy and relentless preparation, Julio has built a reputation for standing beside his clients when they are facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Originally from El Paso, Texas, Julio earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2015 before receiving his Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 2018. While at Drake, he participated in the Criminal Defense Clinic, representing clients charged with offenses ranging from simple misdemeanors to felony-level crimes. He also served as Vice President of the Hispanic/Latino Law Student Association (HLLSA), reflecting his longstanding commitment to serving Iowa's Spanish-speaking community.
Since entering private practice, Julio has represented clients charged with offenses ranging from simple misdemeanors to some of the most serious felony charges under Iowa law, including Class B, Class C, and Class D felonies. He has successfully negotiated favorable resolutions in numerous complex criminal cases, obtaining dismissals, reduced charges, and significantly reduced sentences for clients facing life-changing consequences. Among his most notable representations was defending a client charged with First-Degree Murder, ultimately securing a negotiated resolution that dramatically reduced his client's sentencing exposure and provided an opportunity for eventual parole.
Julio is an experienced courtroom advocate who regularly appears in district courts throughout Iowa. His criminal defense practice includes preliminary hearings, bond hearings, pretrial conferences, evidentiary hearings, depositions, suppression litigation, plea negotiations, sentencing hearings, probation matters, and post-conviction advocacy. He believes that meticulous preparation and aggressive litigation often produce the strongest outcomes for his clients, whether through negotiation or courtroom advocacy.
In addition to his criminal defense practice, Julio represents clients in a wide variety of family law matters, including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, modifications, and other domestic relations disputes. He has successfully represented clients through contested hearings and trials involving some of the most important issues families face.
Although his primary focus is criminal and family law, Julio also assists the firm's immigration practice by representing detained immigrants, handling select removal matters, and assisting with complex immigration cases when needed. His understanding of the intersection between criminal law and immigration law allows him to advise clients on the potential immigration consequences of criminal charges and convictions.
Fluent in both English and Spanish, Julio is committed to ensuring that every client understands the legal process and feels confident that their case is receiving the attention it deserves. He approaches every matter with professionalism, honesty, and the belief that every client deserves a strong advocate willing to fight for the best possible outcome.