Fabiana Zangara is an immigration lawyer who lives and works in New York, where she is founding partner of the law firm Zaca Law, with offices in Miami and Los Angeles. Born and formed in Italy, graduated from Sapienza in Rome, he built his career in the United States, becoming a reference point for companies, professionals and individuals who face the complexity of the American immigration system. Speaking to the microphones of New York, in the podcast Portraits led by Claudio Brachino, Avv. Zangara told his personal and professional path, reflecting on the meaning of the “American dream” and the challenges that accompany the life of those who choose to start over the ocean.
“Everything began at the Wisdom of Rome, where I graduated in jurisprudence. My initial goal was to become a magistrate in Italy, I had no great American dreams. Then I received an award as an excellent degree and I won a scholarship for the United States, a full scholarship. From there began my true American path”.
In the United States, Fabiana studied at Cardozo School of Law, where he met “one of the biggest immigration lawyers, who became my mentor. He was the one who conveyed my passion for this matter, and from that meeting my career was born”.
Today Avv. Zangara is leading an international study. “My study is called Zaca Law. I’m the founder and I run it. We have offices in New York, Miami and Los Angeles, but we assist customers in all the United States and in different countries of the world, because immigration is federal matter”.
Its activities range from assistance to multinationals and startups to family or border immigration cases: “I like to say that my work is to help people realize their dreams, because immigration is not just about documents and bureaucracy: it has a profound impact on people’s lives”.
But there are difficult times. “We are a full service immigration signature, so we face all immigration areas, even the most complex. Today the sector lives a delicate moment, marked by continuous regulatory changes that create instability and uncertainty. However, I still believe that America remains the land of dreams and opportunities. Here meritocracy still has a real value: If you have talent and determination, you can build a future.”.
Compared to the European perception of a more closed and selective America, Fabiana invites not to be deceived by appearances. “It is true that waiting times are longer and that some government taxes have increased, but numbers do not show great differences compared to the past. The real problem is media terror powered by social media: Many share negative or partial experiences, creating a chain of disinformation and fear. America remains a land of migrants and its rules, although strict, are based on principles of law and opportunity”.
Fabiana Zangara also speaks of the Italian community in New York, which has changed deeply. “Once the Italians tended to remain closed in their own communities. Today they are fully incorporated into the American fabric, part of a multicultural and welcoming society. In New York we really feel at home”.
She herself, after years of experience, says she has found a balance: “America is a country of great opportunities, but also very different culturally from us. I took some time, but today I feel at home. I bring with me the values and roots of my country, but I am grateful to this land that has given me opportunities for growth that elsewhere I would not have had”.
The bond with Italy remains strong, not only for the origins but also for the family: “I have an Italian family. My husband is Italian, even if we met in America, and we have lived here for many years. We are an Italian family to all effects, but with an American life”.
Soon Fabiana Zangara will tell these experiences about New York: “I will focus on immigration issues. We will tell stories of immigrants, but also criticality and solutions. It will be a space dedicated to people and their experiences”.
Looking at Italy across the ocean: “Italy is a wonderful country, with a huge potential that often fails to value. I see it through the companies I assist: Italian realities that work in innovation and bring here talent and vision.
What I miss most in Italy is the depth of human relations. In the United States relationships are often more business-oriented, less personal. The authenticity of Italian relations remains unique”. However, the balance sheet of its experience is positive: “I never thought of becoming an immigration lawyer. It happened by chance, but today I love my work because it has a concrete impact on people’s lives”.
And to those who dream of leaving for America, Fabiana Zangara launches a clear and honest message: “I would say that America is really the land of opportunities, but also of fatigue and compromises. It is a choice that requires courage, adaptation and determination. Living away from home involves renunces, but it can also open unthinkable horizons. Each person must find his own balance, his own way of living this compromise. But when we succeed, satisfaction is immense.”.
L’articolo Fabiana Zangara: «America is the land of opportunities, but also of compromises» comes from IlNewyorkese.
