Achieving immigration reform at the congressional level is extremely difficult. As such, most action geared towards immigration reform has been done via Executive Order. President Donald Trump has long expressed his interests in reforming our immigration policies to a more merit-based system. With the signing of his Executive Order earlier this year, he tasked four…

Earlier this year in January, President Trump signed executive orders designed to place greater focus on removal of certain immigrants that are in the country without permission. In February, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, John Kelly, issued memos detailing on how the President’s executive orders would be enforced. The memos expand the…

On April 18, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which focused on two areas of the administration’s policy: protection of American jobs (“Hire American”) and preference for U.S.-manufactured goods (“Buy American”). With regards to the protection of U.S. jobs, the order includes a section directed to the H-1B visa program. Trump has previously expressed…

Recent developments in immigration law have certainly caused a great deal of fear and worry among immigrant families. Fear can either propel to action or can immobilize and paralyze. In recent articles, it has been our goal to offer words of hope. Having correct information and knowledge should empower, and prepare those who are uncertain…

Recent executive orders signed by President Trump, have sparked widespread discussion within the immigrant community. U.S. immigration laws and policy are centerstage. Much of what is being discussed within the immigrant community, although well intentioned, can often be misguided and misleading. In this current situation, having an immigration expert educate you so you can make…

Immigration policy and enforcement continues to evolve undergoing a large shift and uncertainty abounds. Undocumented immigrants fear ICE knocking at their door and those with lawful immigration status, but who are not yet U.S. citizens, are also uncertain. Concern is understandable, and in times like this it is of the utmost importance that you have…

EDWARD, a 45 year-old married man from Manila came to the United States in 1999.  His mom and dad are U.S. citizens and filed a petition for him in December 1994.  He has been waiting 20 years for his priority date to become current so that he could adjust status in the United States.  Edward…

Investor visas are a great option for immigrant investors and their families. These visas are available both for those that are outside of the United States, and for those that are currently in the United States on a different type of visa. Two programs stand out as great options that should be considered by any…

So often, we meet with clients who come to our law firm just before a scheduled consulate interview abroad.  The clients have either done their application on their own, or maybe a friend or “document preparer” has helped them, and they believe their case is straightforward and simple.  They are all set to go, their…

CLIENTS often come in to our office with Hollywood-like ideas of what to expect at an immigration interview. They are usually surprised to hear that immigration interviews are almost completely different from what they have seen in the movies. An experienced immigration attorney will help clients to know what to expect at their immigration interview….

AMNESTY, executive orders, federal lawsuits, injunctions are words that have been tossed around frequently this year in regards to immigration.  For many immigrants, much of the information is overwhelming.  It seems like President Obama’s executive actions to aid unlawful immigrants have been met with strong opposition.  Popular items such as extending Deferred Action for Childhood…

THREE years ago President Obama made an important announcement and made clear his intent to help “Dreamers”; young people who were brought to the U.S. unlawfully by their parents. He announced his plan for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”), an executive measure that allowed him to provide certain benefits to these young people due…

JUNE 12 marked the three year anniversary for President Obama’s program to shield young people often referred to as DREAMers from deportation. During these past three years, DACA has given countless opportunities to young people who once had no ability to secure a job, attend a university, or obtain a driver’s license legally in the…

RECENTLY, I had a third year international college student do a consultation with me.  She had married her US citizen boyfriend.  She hired an “immigration consultant” referred to her by her aunt in Chinatown.  This consultant helped her complete an I-130 petition, but failed to file a green card application.  Additionally, he had filed an…

THE U-Visa program was created several years ago by Congress in order to encourage immigrant victims of criminal activity to cooperate with police and prosecutors in their investigation of the criminal offense. For years, people were frightened to come forward as victims because they feared police officials would contact immigration authorities and they would be…

Between April 1 and April 7 of this year, USCIS received a staggering 233,000 applications for H-1B visas. The downside? There are only 85,000 H-1B visas available every year, meaning that close to 150,000 people will find their applications rejected by USCIS. The H-1B application process can often seem unfair as USCIS randomly conducts a…

HUNDREDS of thousands of people are still waiting for President Obama’s DAPA and new DACA executive order to go into effect. However, many of those waiting for these programs may already qualify for different types of immigration relief. This article will cover different forms of immigration relief that individuals and families should be considering as…

Immigration scam awareness is on the rise.  You cannot Google the word “notario” without finding dozens of resources and articles about immigration fraud.  It is all too common for people to come to our office who have been the innocent victims of malicious offenses committed against them.  Undocumented residents are targeted and taken advantage of…

IN the past year, we have received countless inquiries and calls from potential clients all over the world.  Wilner & O’Reilly provides excellent immigration counsel to areas in Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside), Northern California (Sacramento) and Salt Lake City, Utah.   Clients from other regions have also retained and trusted our representation in…

For many families, tax season is the time of the year when people will have a large sum of money available to spend on things that normally would be out of financial reach.  Many families look forward to the extra cash to purchase new items for their home, take vacations, etc.  Some will use the…

Just like tax professionals across the country, here at Wilner & O’Reilly we’re getting ready for one of the busiest times of the year – this coming April. The H-1B visa cap will open on April 1, offering 85,000 individuals the chance to work legally in the United States and to pursue permanent residence. We’ve…

LAST week, a Texas federal district court Judge Andrew S. Hanen caused much uproar in the world of immigration by issuing an injunction halting the implementation of President Obama’s executive initiatives on prosecutorial discretion.  The two notable initiatives affected by the injunction were the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for…

BY now most people already know that President Obama unveiled numerous executive proposals, which will provide deportation relief to many hardworking immigrants, documented and undocumented.  The proposals are also aimed at securing our borders and ensuring that dangerous criminals are a top priority in deportation.  We expect that approximately 5 million illegal immigrants will benefit…

Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the federal district court in Brownsville, Texas, issued an injunction preventing the new expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and  Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) programs from moving forward.  Thousands of “DREAMers” planned for the start of the expanded DACA program to begin…

LAST month President Obama announced several executive actions which will provide deportation relief to many families, documented and undocumented.  The executive action will aim at securing our borders, making convicted and dangerous criminal offenders a priority for removal.  Under the new actions, hardworking and law abiding residents will be granted several benefits that will assist…

BY now most people already know that President Obama unveiled numerous executive proposals, which will provide deportation relief to many hardworking immigrants, documented and undocumented.  The proposals are also aimed at securing our borders and ensuring that dangerous criminals are a top priority in deportation.  We expect that approximately 5 million illegal immigrants will benefit…

It seems like immigration law is in the news every day recently, and we wanted to take an opportunity to keep you up to date on recent developments. In November, President Obama announced that he planned to take executive action to help millions of undocumented people living in the United States to obtain work permits…

On November 20, 2014, President Obama unveiled a number of executive proposals, which will provide deportation relief to many hardworking immigrants, documented and undocumented.  The proposals are also aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration at the border and prioritizing enforcement efforts to remove dangerous felons and individuals who pose threat to national security and…

ON November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a series of executive actions which will greatly benefit many individuals residing in the United States without proper documentation.  The main premise of the executive order is to promote family unity in the United States.  To meet this goal, President Obama has announced DAPA, which stands for “Deferred…

The November elections have come and gone.  The Republican Party has regained control of Congress.  A passage of immigration reform seems more contentious than ever.  Many immigrant advocate groups continue to urge meaningful reform in our broken immigration system.  On November 12, 2014, the Obama Administration announced that it will unveil a comprehensive immigration plan…