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 »
A lot has happened since I last wrote. The item most people are likely curious about is the Supreme Court’s decision to allow parts of Executive Order 13780 (“Travel Ban 2.0”) to go into effect. There’s been a lot written about this already, so I won’t reinvent the wheel. (For an excellent legal analysis of
Over the past few months, USCIS has introduced a slew of new forms. It seems as though every area of immigration has been impacted – from employment to family to humanitarian. Sometimes change is good. This doesn’t appear to be one of those times. Today, we’ll focus on the new I-130 and I-130A. The I-130 is the foundation for family-based petitions.
New I-130 and I-130A Forms from USCIS Read More »
There are many different ways that non-U.S. citizens can protect themselves right now. It all starts with education, though. Be smart if you have any interaction with ICE or law enforcement. If you have a way to gain status or obtain U.S. citizenship, don’t delay in moving forward with those applications. If you have questions
How to Protect Yourself in These Uncertain Times Read More »
Although the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memos were leaked over the weekend, I didn’t want to add to the confusion by posting about something not verified. But the news is out there and as far as we can tell, these memos are already in effect. How do we know? Because people arrested for
New DHS Memos Take the Heart Out of Immigration Law Read More »
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 »
There are a lot of questions and not a lot of answers to the Executive Order issued on Friday, January 27th. What follows is not meant to be legal advice. I strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified immigration attorney if you have a specific issue you’d like to address. All processing of so-called “I
Wednesday, January 25, 2017, will go down as a dark day for our country. It is the day that religious minorities were singled out, that we turned our backs on people who need us the most, that you are guilty until proven innocent, and when the show became more important than substance. There will be
January 25, 2017: Anti-Immigrant Day January Read More »
If you filed an N-400 in the past four to six months, you probably had one of two things happen. You either had your case processed much faster than you imagined or your case seems to be moving at a glacially slow pace. If you’re in that second category, what happened? Did you do something wrong? Did
What’s Going On With My Naturalization Case? Read More »
