Olsa Alikaj-Cano

Olsa Alikaj-Cano is the principal and founder of Cano Immigration, PLLC. She practices immigration law exclusively and is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Born and raised in Albania and experiencing the complicated immigration process first hand, it was natural for her to follow the path of immigration law. Olsa attended the University of Texas at EL Paso graduating with Honors in Political Science and Linguistics. She is fluent in English, Albanian and Spanish. Passionate about human rights and international law she attended the University of Houston Law Center where she served as a student attorney at the Immigration Clinic, representing immigrants before the Executive Office of Immigration Review (the Immigration Court).

Prior to starting her own Firm, Olsa worked as a Senior Attorney and successfully lead the litigation team at one of the largest immigration Firms in the nation, Foster LLP. Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer, Top Lawyer, as one of the Top Women in Law in Immigration and in the State of Texas, she focuses her practice primarily on family-based immigration cases, asylum cases, and particularly cases involving federal litigation as well as deportation and removal defense.     

In addition to representing clients before the Executive Office of Immigration Review, Olsa has been admitted to practice before the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, the State Bar of Texas, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas and the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  

Her commitment to immigrants’ rights takes her beyond the Courts however. She is very proud of her active involvement in the community and of her pro-bono work supporting organizations such as KIND, CILA and the Tahirih Justice Center known for their tireless efforts in assisting women and children fleeing persecution from their own countries. Olsa continues to volunteer and helps mentor volunteers who assist unaccompanied minors, and asylum seekers at our borders. 

Recognized for her dedication, in 2016 Olsa was invited by the Mayor of Houston to be part of the Houston Area Council Against Human Trafficking (HACHT) a cause close to her heart. Additionally, she serves as a Board Member for UNICEF USA, Southwest Region; supporting UNICEF’s work with children worldwide and focusing her efforts on programs helping migrant children. 

She continues to be an active member and has held various leadership and liaison positions within the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA), and the AILA Texas Chapter Organization, and is a frequent speaker on their national and international conferences.  Her devotion to the immigration community has taken her to Washington D.C. joining fellow attorneys in advocating for comprehensive immigration reform, and for immigrants’ rights everywhere. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS 

• Texas Super Lawyer 2019, 2020, 2021, Selected by
  Thomson Reuters 
• Top Women in Immigration 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 as published in Texas Monthly
• Top Women Attorneys in Texas 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 as published in Texas Monthly 
• Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star 2016, 2017, 2018, Selected by Thomson Reuters 
• Houston Area Council Against Human Trafficking HACHT Task Force, Council Member 2016-2018, Invited by the Mayor of the City of Houston
• Pro Bono Attorney for the Tahirih Justice Center, Houston Texas, 2016-Present
• Pro Bono Attorney for the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas, 2020

LANGUAGES

• Albanian
• English
• Spanish