Regardless of your faith, or lack thereof, there is no disputing the global and enduring impact of Jesus’s birth. Christmas Day is a perfect time to think about Jesus as a refugee. According to the Bible (Matthew 2:1-15), King Harrod was intimidated by news of the birth of the “King of the Jews.” Since no […]
This is a tough post to write, because I generally like the Atlanta USCIS Field Office. The officers and staff are usually professional, kind, and helpful. But for the past several months, changes have been made that chill the relationship between them and their customers (clients/attorneys). Yes, there are always things that I’ll complain about – like
Limiting Access – The Cold Chill from USCIS Read More »
Oh, that pesky travel ban – The Administration keeps trying to push it through, but they keep failing. Last week, two judges (in Hawaii and Maryland) issued restraining orders against the newest travel ban from going fully into effect. What Did Travel Ban 3.0 Look Like? For the most part, the travel ban limited anyone
Every day, I receive at least one inquiry (if not five or six) from people asking when their pending cases will be decided by USCIS. I explain how people can track their cases online and also how the online data about processing times are misleading. I know people are anxious to have their cases resolved (especially
Problems with Processing Times: USCIS Data Misleading Read More »
We’ve heard a lot about “extreme vetting” for visa applicants – for those coming to the United States. It started in March with diplomatic cables sent from DC to Embassies and Consulates around the world. No one was certain what extreme vetting would look like. Visa applicants, especially immigrant visa applicants, submit copious amounts of information, including
Extreme Vetting in the Real World Read More »
The Atlanta USCIS has been suffering since January. They lost their Field Office Director and a Branch Chief to promotions and a second Branch Chief was out for medical reasons. The folks left behind did their best to continue on, but it’s been difficult. It’s rough in any organization when you lose leaders and key
Updates on the USCIS Atlanta Field Office Read More »
“Is it safe?” I’ve been asked that question a lot lately. “Is it safe for me to apply for DACA?” “Is it safe for me to go to an interview on my I-130 petition even though I have a removal order?” “Is it safe for me to move while my Naturalization application is pending?” People
About three years ago, Adele came into my office asking if we could bring her husband, Domingo, into to the United States through a family-based immigrant visa process. Domingo had been in the U.S. before but had left to take a job overseas. The only problem was that Domingo had overstayed his tourist visa by about
There’s been a lot of fear and panic in the immigrant community lately – and understandably so. For a few short paragraphs, though, let’s talk about a positive development that happened earlier this week. Then we have to return to reality with some shocking news out of Texas. First the good news… On February 14,
People ask me what I’m telling my clients right now. Below is EXACTLY what I’m telling them – it’s going out in an email tomorrow, as soon as the Spanish version is prepared. There have been a lot of changes to immigration policy over the past week and we anticipate that this is only the
What I’m Telling My Clients Read More »
