A new policy announced on August 28, 2019 states that all non-citizen children living outside of the U.S. with their parents who are stationed abroad will not be considered for acquiring citizenship. The new rule goes into effect October 29, 2019. USCIS stated the following in a policy alert: “USCIS no longer considers children […]
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New Green Card Rules will affect people receiving Public Housing, Food Stamps and other Government Assistance.
On Monday, August 12, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the final rule regarding who will be considered a “public charge” and therefore inadmissible to the U.S. pursuant to INA § 212(a)(4). While there has long been a public charge ground of inadmissibility, the new rule greatly expands the types of […]
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Parole in Place For Military Families
What is Military Parole in Place (PIP), and how can it help my family? Military parole in place (PIP) allows certain close family members of persons who have sacrificed for our Nation through their service in the U.S. military to lawfully reside in the U.S. This applies to the family of service members who are […]
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Removing the Conditions of Your Residence
Foreign nationals who have been married to their U.S. Citizen spouse for less than 2 years will be granted conditional residence, instead of permanent residence, if their request for residency based on marriage to their spouse is approved. This is a way for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to again determine that the marriage […]
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Increase in the Detention of Immigrants
En Español Under the Trump Administration, all persons in the U.S. without permission, regardless of their criminal history, connection to U.S. citizens, or lengthy residence in the country are considered priorities for detention and deportation. This marks a sharp shift away from the policy of the previous administration which prioritized criminals and threats to our […]
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DACA Is Alive and Well, Renew NOW!
On Tuesday, April 24, 2018, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s reason for ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was “arbitrary and capricious.” Judge John Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not have a valid reason […]
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Benefits of Immigration Bonds
En Español Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officials are being very aggressive in enforcing immigration laws. As a result, more and more foreign nationals are being arrested and placed in immigration detention for removal proceedings. However, in some cases, the detained individual may be eligible for a bond. A bond allows the individual to be […]
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USCIS – Mission Statement (New Policy)
En Español On February 22, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was directed to re-write its mission statement. Per the new policy, part of the change included removing the phrase “a nation of immigrants.” The following day I had the honor of attending a Naturalization Ceremony for one of our beloved paralegals. […]
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Duval County’s 287g program
As of the writing of this entry, there are only a few counties in Florida counties with a 287g agreement (can be seen here). These agreements between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement agencies are expected to increase significantly throughout Florida under the Trump administration. While pitched to localities as enhancing community […]
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