Q. What did we do in Tijuana? A. We volunteered with Al Otro Lado. Alina did “intake” talking with people who had numbers in a very long line to seek asylum. She was one of 6-9 people doing 30-minute interviews. As an immigration lawyer, I went over the interview notes, asked people to summarize their stories, […]
Volunteering with Potential Asylum-Seekers in Tijuana Read More »
Yes, we could focus on all of the negative news surrounding immigration – from the recent government shutdown over the wall to legislation (that failed) to take away children’s rights to apply for asylum if they were born in Central America to the decline of service at USCIS…but not today. Sometimes I get tired of
Optimism in Difficult Times Read More »
Happy New Year! We’ve talked before about USCIS and how their customer service has declined over the past year or so…and the trend continues for 2019, sadly. Starting on February 4, 2019, you will not be able to self-schedule an InfoPass appointment in Atlanta. Instead, you will need to call the National Customer Service Center (1-800-375-5283), explain your problem,
The End of InfoPass at USCIS Atlanta Field Office Read More »
I can’t believe we got through October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the start of the new Fiscal Year for U visas – and I didn’t mention U visas at all! Better late than never – there’s been some news on the status front. Increased Filings In 2009 USCIS received only 4,102 U applications for the
What’s New with U? Read More »
Every few days, it seems like the President announces some crazy idea to change our immigration laws and policies. In just the past two weeks, he’s said he wants to get rid of the 14th Amendment that guarantees US citizenship to every individual born in the United States. He’s also said that he wants to make people who enter the
Staying Away From the Rumors Read More »
Last week, our local USCIS liaison committee received troubling news. Our quarterly liaison meetings are canceled moving forward and our AILA emails will all be ignored from this point forward. This is yet another example of how this administration and its policies are turning USCIS away from service, taking away transparency, and I have to
The End of the Liaison Era Read More »
This past Saturday, I had the honor of presenting on Immigration Law Updates for the State Bar of Georgia. When I look at all the policy changes, memos, and court decisions that impact our work and our clients’ lives, it’s really incredible to see how the Trump Administration is hurting every area of immigration law.
The Last Few Months: Immigration Court Read More »
The Atlanta USCIS Field Office has just issued a new InfoPass/Walk-In policy. A huge thank you to our local USCIS liaison committee for this information. The I-551 stamp is the “green card” stamp that shows someone has lawful status but awaiting process on a new document. It’s often needed for renewing a driver’s license. However, starting
New InfoPass Policy in Atlanta Starting September 4th Read More »
It’s been a roller coaster for all immigrants lately, but no one has had to endure more ups and downs than DACA recipients. When AG Sessions announced the end of the program last September, people filed renewals as quickly as possible to meet an early October deadline. We then waited for Congress to take up the cause, but
DACA: The Roller Coaster Ride and Waiting Continues Read More »
Late last week, USCIS issued yet another policy memo that tells officers how they should perform their job. Late last month, officers were instructed to issue Notices to Appear and initiate deportation proceedings for most cases that they denied – negating decades of policy that allowed immigrants a chance to leave voluntarily or find another path to
More Bad News on the USCIS Front: New Policy Memo Demands Perfection Read More »
