Supreme Court rules in favor of Trump’s travel ban
Asian American community reacts to the decision to allow the so-called “Muslim ban” THE Trump administration scored a major victory on Tuesday, June 26, when the Supreme Court decided to…
Category: Immigration
Covering the week’s most noteworthy immigration news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Trump calls for stripping right to due process for undocumented immigrants
Amid the crisis at the border after the began separating (and then reuniting) families at the border, President Donald Trump publicly advocated the denial of due process to undocumented immigrants crossing…
Do I have community property interest in a house which my spouse acquired before our marriage?
GENERALLY, in California, property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets under…
AC 21: Changing the employer of your employment-based green card application
DEAR Attorney Tan, I have an approved I-140 immigrant petition which was filed by Company A on my behalf. Company A would like to employ me as a bookkeeper. …
Do I have community property interest in a house which my spouse acquired before our marriage?
GENERALLY, in California, property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets under…
1 in 5 immigrant children detained during ‘zero tolerance’ border policy are under 13
by Shefali Luthra and Marisa Taylor The Trump administration has detained 2,322 children 12 years old or younger amid its border crackdown, a Department of Health and Human Services official…
Confusion ensues at the US border following Trump’s executive order
FLOTUS visits Texas detention center, sparks outrage over “insensitive” jacket choice AFTER President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week to seize separating families seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico…
Trump signs executive order to keep migrant families together
President reverses highly criticized practice in his ‘zero-tolerance policy’ AFTER weeks of heart-rendering coverage of children being separated from their parents at the border, President Donald Trump signed an executive…
Attorney general sessions getting tougher on asylum applicants
In a recent ruling, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ruled that women who were victims of domestic violence, and people fleeing gang violence in their home country, are not eligible for…
California divorce: Frequently Asked Questions
I just moved to California last month, and I’d like to file for divorce. Can I file now? To file for divorce in the State of California, the person filing…
Trump administration separating families at the border, more than 2,000 children detained
President lied about enforcing existing federal policy predating his administration that mandates family separation In McAllen, Texas, immigrant children at the U.S.-Mexico are being detained in 30’ x 30’ chain link enclosures…
Sen. Richard Lara, education leaders praise investments in legal help for immigrant students
SACRAMENTO – Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) joined education leaders to praise budget investments that support immigrant students in California’s public colleges and universities. The budget includes $21 million in…
Permanent residence for crewmen
DEAR Attorney Tan, I entered the US in 1998 as a crewman. I have recently married a US citizen and would like to get a green card. However, I have…
Can I enforce a form I-864 affidavit of support in divorce proceedings?
THE Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires that US Citizens sponsoring an alien for legal permanent residency execute an immigration form I-864 Affidavit of Support. This…
AG Sessions restricts domestic abuse, gang violence victims from gaining asylum
Attorney General Jeff Sessions this week has left thousands of domestic abuse and gang violence victims at a near dead end by invalidating asylum protections they relied on for entering…
USCIS to start denaturalizing and deporting people who obtained citizenship by fraud
THE USCIS announced it will start a task force of several dozen lawyers and immigration officers to start reviewing cases of immigrants who obtained U.S. citizenship through fraud, such as…
What to do if ICE comes to your home, workplace or public space
ON April 10, 2017, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) released a “Know Your Rights Handouts” available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese to inform the public about the…
AC 21: Changing the employer of your employment-based green card application
DEAR Attorney Tan, I have an approved I-140 immigrant petition which was filed by Company A on my behalf. Company A would like to employ me as a bookkeeper. …
Does the creation of a revocable living trust, during the marriage, transmute separate property to community property?
DIVORCING couples may have established revocable living trust for estate planning pusposes during their marriage which was funded primarily with assets acquired by one spouse prior to the marriage. The…
What is a fixed marriage?
If a person is ever caught in a fixed marriage (married solely to obtain immigration benefits), the consequences (or punishment) could be severe. A fixed marriage finding by the USCIS…
Petitioning children of your spouse from a previous marriage
A STEPPARENT may file an immigrant petition for a stepchild even without the stepparent having to legally adopt the stepchild. However, before a stepparent may be able to file an…
What is a fixed marriage
IF a person is ever caught in a fixed marriage (married solely to obtain immigration benefits), the consequences (or punishment) could be severe. A fixed marriage finding by the USCIS…
Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases
UNDER Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions (2011) 52 C.4th 541, the California Supreme Court ruled that persons who are injured and who are pursuing a personal injury claim cannot…
4 ways filing for divorce can benefit your immigration case
COUPLES get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law…
DNA testing to establish family relationships
IN the Philippines, establishing family relationships can sometimes be extremely complex. A child may be born and then “given” to a relative, such as a childless aunt. A simulated birth…
California divorce
SOMETIMES, divorce happens. The following seeks to address or clarify some common misconceptions about divorce. “What if my husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce?” or “My husband/wife does…
USCIS tightens policy on student and exchange visitor violators
THE USCIS issued another Policy Memorandum on May 10, 2018, that imposes significant restrictions to F and M students, as well as J exchange visitors, who violate their status. The…
Residing removal/ deportation order to allow for adjustment status
“ A typical scenarion involves a person who entered the US years ago on a B-2 tourist visa, overstayed and was ordered removed by the Immigration Court.” WE have all…
Reinstating a deceased petitioner’s family-based petition
IT is very common for beneficiaries of family based petition to wait many years before their petition’s priority date becomes current. This is usually the case with US Citizen parent…
Trump doubles down on MS-13 during immigration roundtable
For the second time in his presidency, President Donald Trump made way to Long Island on Wednesday, May 23 to convene a roundtable for tougher immigration laws. Central to the…