NEWS
The Challenge of H-1B Visas In our Dallas Immigration Law practice, we are frequently asked the question, “How can I get a work visa?” Technically, there is no such thing as a general visa to work in the US. Each visa type is for a specific purpose, such as studying (F-1, M-1, J-1), tourism (B-2), to get married (K-1) or employment within certain limitations (E-1, E-2, L-1). H-1B is one of the visas that allows…
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Perhaps it would make sense for the U.S. government to implement, regulate and enforce immigration law through one agency. Unfortunately, that is not the reality. Even though it is just one statute (Title 8 USC – The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)), multiple government agencies are involved in the process, often with concurrent jurisdiction and conflicting policies and objectives. The result is a quagmire of regulation and disparate results that can be difficult and frustrating…
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Introduction and History of the I-601A There are situations in which a person with a US citizen or permanent resident relative can be sponsored for permanent residence but cannot obtain that permanent resident status here in the US. If a person who has been sponsored for permanent residence by a family member has lived in the US without legal status, in some situations that person must leave the US to become a permanent resident through…
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What is a visa? When most people hear that word, they think it is a person’s permission to be in a country. The Definition of a Visa Under U.S. Immigration Law Under U.S. immigration law, “visa” is a technical term that refers to a document stamped into a person’s passport that allows the person to seek admission into the United States for a specific purpose. Visas are obtained through the Department of State (DOS) at…
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The term green card is used frequently in the United States, but I often wonder how many people actually know what it means. Green card is a colloquialism for what is technically called lawful permanent resident or LPR status in U.S. immigration law. A person holding LPR status has the right to permanently reside in the United States, to work anywhere he or she chooses, and to seek entry into the United States after international…
Read MoreSeveral hundred undocumented immigrants will soon be calling a camp and conference center near Waxahachie home. Nearly 500 unaccompanied children will begin arriving at the Lakeview Camp as early as tomorrow. Ellis County is abuzz with the news. “I had no idea what was going on,” says Tal Sanders. “I got information that there’s refugees coming! I was very worried to begin with. But, the more I’m learning and finding out—that’s not the case at…
Read MorePresident Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration is running out of time, and the state of Texas is taking advantage of that fact. The state asked the U.S. Supreme Court for more time to file court papers in its dispute with the federal government regarding the president’s deportation relief programs. Should Texas get its way, the ruling may be delayed until after Obama leaves office. Texas, along with twenty-six Republican-governed states, sued in an attempt…
Read MoreNearly 100 immigrant women have gone on a hunger strike in an attempt to be granted release from the Hutto, Texas detention center. Their efforts are aimed at drawing attention to the challenging living conditions at the facility. The strike began with twenty-seven women on October 28th. According to Cristina Parker of Grassroots Leadership, an organization that advocates for the release of detained immigrants, the women are mostly from Mexico and Central America and are…
Read MoreFederal immigration reform has taken a back seat as lawmakers turn their attention to next year’s election, budget matters and partisanship. However, communities around the country refuse the let the issue fall to the wayside, with an estimated 11 million people lacking immigration documents, controversially calling the United States home. They continue to live in ambiguity, uncertain of their fate. Immigration reform advocates banded together on Tuesday to announce that they have garnered support from…
Read MorePope Francis’ message to Congress Wednesday urged politicians to see immigrants as people, to see their faces and hear their stories. This message rang true for Jessica Azua, who was leading a protest that afternoon in an attempt to convince Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to reconsider his stance on an immigration-related lawsuit in which his state has taken the lead. “We want to take this message to Gregg Abbott to appeal to his faith and…
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