Immigration Legislation Introduced Into Congress

The last month has seen many new immigration bills introduced into Congress. Some of these bills look like viable steps towards improving the immigration policy of the United States – others do not invite such positive words.

Two recently introduced bills are the Legal Workforce Act and the IDEA Act of 2011.

The Legal Workforce …

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Haitian TPS Extended To Haitians Entering US After Earthquake

On May 19, 2011, the Department of Homeland Security extended Haitian Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until January 22, 2013. Those Haitians who have already obtained TPS status will most likely need to re-register for the status.

An important addition to the Haitian TPS is that TPS is now available to Haitians who entered the United …

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Second Circuit Addresses Good Faith Marriage in Hardship Waiver to I-751

Recently, the Second Circuit published a decision examining the burden of proof for determining “Good Faith Marriage” in Hardship Waiver to the I-751 waiver petition.

Immigrants who gain permanent residency through marriage to a U.S. citizen are only provided conditional permanent residency if their marriage is less than two years old. Conditional permanent residency requires …

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Premium Processing in Immigration

 

The speed of the business world and the speed of the immigration system are rarely the same. In the high-paced business world it is difficult to wait weeks or even months to receive immigration approval from the USCIS.

Acknowledging its slowness, the USCIS provides certain employment-based immigration petitioners to receive a response within 15 …

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Naturalization Ceremonies Held to Commemorate Flag Day

To commemorate flag day, the USCIS is holding naturalization ceremonies in Buffalo, New York, Baltimore & Washington, DC, among other places. The USCIS director will personally attend ceremonies at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and at Fort McHenry in Baltimore.

The naturalization ceremony is the end of a long process that immigrants must pass through …

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National Effort to Stop Immigration Fraudsters

It is saddening how often I have consultations with immigrants who have previously used a “non-lawyer expert” or “immigration specialist” who basically took the immigrant’s money and did nothing. Often these immigrants are told that they can get a green card through a “special law” or through some sort of “special connection” that the fraudster …

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Free New York Haitian TPS Redesignation Event – June 11, 2011

The immigration bar and many legal aid organizations are offering a free program to New York City Haitians who need to re-register for TPS (Temporary Protected Status).

The event, on June 11, 2011, will be hosted by the PYE Beacon, P.S. 181, at 1023 New York Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11203 and is scheduled …

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Immigration Court’s 800 Number – Check Immigration Court Status

Individuals who are in removal or deportation proceedings, or who are seeking asylum, must attend all immigration hearings or risk losing out on any possible removal defenses.

However, given the complexity of the system, individuals often find it difficult to keep track of their immigration court dates and other important immigration information. To help …

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New York Says No to Secure Communities

Last week, while I was on vacation, Governor Cuomo announced that New York State will no longer participate in the Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency’s Secure Communities Program. The New York Governor’s announcement was met by praise in the immigration community, in law enforcement, and in political circles throughout the United States (The Massachusetts governor …

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Military Families Act Gives Hope to Families of Service Members

Late last month, The Military Families Act was introduced into Congress. If successful, the act would allow for family members of Service members to become permanent residents – even if they are currently ineligible. In introducing the bill, Congress members mentioned the difficulties that immigrants have since the last major enactment of immigration law in …

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Immigrants Facing Deportation Following Plea Bargain

For many years, immigrants facing the prospect of long imprisonment have been told by criminal attorneys to accept a plea deal that would result in a lower period of imprisonment. The criminal attorneys have long thought that it is better to fight possible deportation in immigration court then to risk the possibility of a long …

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Do I Qualify for Citizenship? The First Questions to Ask

Many people ask the firm to help them become American citizens. Many are eligible – but, many are not. Many factors go into determining eligibility for naturalization – eligibility cannot be determined in a five minute conversation.

These questions will help many determine whether they are eligible for naturalization. The questions are:

Are you a …

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Iran Students Seeking F, M, J Visa Can Get Two Year, Multi Entry Visa

The Department of State has recently announced that, beginning May 20, 2011, qualifying Iranian students seeking to enter the United States on F, M, or J visas will be able to obtain two year, multi-entry visas into the United States. This is a significant change from the previous State Department position that all such students …

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Permanent Residency Worker Petitions Filed at New Address

The USCIS has recently announced that all I-140 permanent residency petitions that are not premium processed will need to be submitted to the USCIS’s Dallas Lockbox. The I-140 petition is used for immigrants who seek to gain permanent residency through employment, including EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 visa applicants.

The new address is:

USCIS Dallas Lockbox

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Dream Act Reintroduced

Following its defeat last December, the DREAM Act has been reintroduced into the Senate. The bill was re-introduced by Senators Richard Durbin, Harry Reid, and Robert Menendez.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act would allow many undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as minor children to secure a path …

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