Immigration Reform
How Public Charge Policy Affects Immigration | Ask Garry
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, has recently implemented changes relating to the public charge rule that impact immigration cases (particularly anyone seeking admission) in the United States. This guide explains the new public charge rule, as well as how it may impact your case and whether you can provide documentation to help show…
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Applying for the H-1B Visa
If you’re like many people, you’re interested in the H-1B visa – a nonimmigrant visa that lets people work in specialty occupations or perform services of exceptional merit and ability to the U.S. Department of Defense. This guide explains applying for the H-1B visa, the electronic registration process, and everything else you need to know…
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Current USCIS Application Fees
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services periodically adjusts its application fees. Often, fee changes take place at the beginning of the next fiscal year, which begins in October. However, that’s not always the case. Because these fees are subject to change, it’s best to check with the USCIS website to determine the current filing…
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Significant Policy Shift for F-1 Change of Status Applications with USCIS
Recently, USCIS announced a major change in policy related to applications to change status from any other immigration status to F-1 student status. Change of status is a technical process managed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency of the Department of Homeland Security in which a person who came into the US on…
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Deportation News: Administrative Closure Restored
The US Attorney General has issued a decision restoring Administrative Closure as a tool for Immigration Judges to use in removal proceedings to effectively manage their dockets. With this decision, along with the recent memorandum restoring prosecutorial discretion to the ICE Office of the Chief Counsel, the deportation authorities again have the power to control…
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Hope for Victims of Crime Seeking Asylum in the US
Domestic violence and gang violence are rampant throughout the world, particularly in Central America. Governments there either don’t care, are too corrupt, or are incapable of addressing these serious issues. Women and children in particular are targets for physical and sexual abuse and marginalization and have nowhere to turn for protection from maltreatment. Often they…
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Big Changes for ICE – Prosecutorial Discretion Can Make a Difference for Many Immigrants
On May 27th, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE, released a nationwide memorandum to guide the government’s immigration attorneys on removal policies and priorities. It is one of the most progressive movements made to date under the Biden Administration to work with the immigrant community. This memo now provides a framework for the…
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President Biden and Amnesty
There has been a lot of talk about the Biden Administration providing amnesty benefits to people living in the U.S. illegally. This rumor has motivated me to write an article on the subject of amnesty and how the U.S. government system works to check the powers of the various branches of the federal government. What…
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Ask Garry: USA Political Asylum Issues – One Year Filing Deadline and Work Authorization
Many people come to the United States for the purpose of seeking protection from persecution in their countries of nationality. To pursue that protection, a person must file an I-589 Application for Political Asylum. For an application to be arguable, the applicant must be able to prove that they are at risk of being persecuted…
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Ask Garry: DACA vs Trump | What’s the Future of DACA under the Trump Administration?
Let me start by saying President Trump does not like DACA. Does that comment shock anyone? If it does, then you haven’t been paying attention. The courts have tried to check the President and give it back. The President continues fighting against it. In this article, I will review the recent events on DACA between…
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Trump Bans Work Visas for The Remainder of 2020
President Trump has issued a new executive order that prohibits visa issuance for certain classes of employment visas. The affected classes are H-1B, some categories of J-1, and L-1. The ban also includes dependent family members who could accompany the spouse with the primary visa classification, such as a spouse and unmarried minor children. The…
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