NEWS
We have watched the recent horrific and heart-wrenching news and images of desperate refugees fleeing from the Taliban in Afghanistan. This painful and distressing scene is amplified because family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, some currently in the morass of the U.S. immigration process, remain in Afghanistan today. Regrettably, the U.S. immigration system has failed to protect the families of our Afghani neighbors, but there is hope. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration…
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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 fees for any petition you want to file. Your Dallas immigration attorney can also help you determine the fees for…
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After 9 years of having the DACA program in place, a federal judge has chosen now as the right time to determine that when it was put in place 2 presidents ago, the rules were not properly followed in starting the program. Frankly, it’s inexplicable. If this were an issue, it should have come up at the time it was instituted, not now. That being said, it is what it is at this point, and…
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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 a visa for a certain immigration status seeks to change that status to another nonimmigrant status. One example of a…
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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 the priorities of their caseloads and dockets. In the 2018 decision matter of Castro-Tum, the US Attorney General issued a…
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Each year across the globe, thousands of people must flee their homes due to persecution and fear. The United States allows those who fear return to their native countries to apply for asylum. If granted asylum, a beneficiary can stay in the U.S. permanently, building a life free from the threat of violence or retaliation. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, asylum can be sought if persecution stems from a person’s race, religion, nationality, political…
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Adjustment of status is the process a non-U.S. citizen can use when they have a valid U.S. visa and want to apply for lawful permanent resident status without leaving the country. Approval of an application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is required to attain an Adjustment of Status to legally remain in the country under a different, more permanent status. When you’re a lawful permanent resident, you’ll have a green card. For…
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If you are not currently in the United States and, therefore, not qualified to apply for an adjustment of status, an immigrant visa application presented to the U.S. consulate in your location is the best course of action. An approved visa petition with a current priority date is needed to start the process. What is Consular Processing? Consular processing occurs when a person who wants to immigrate to the United States goes to a U.S.…
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Obtaining a green card, which signifies your lawful permanent residence in the United States, comes with a number of benefits. It’s not the right choice for everyone, though. With a green card, you can live or work anywhere in the United States. You’re allowed to change jobs as often as you’d like (or not have a job at all), and you can move from state to state without restriction. A green card is also the…
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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 come to the US fleeing from the violence and abuse they have to endure in their home countries. Restrictions on…
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