Category: Immigration

ON June 27, 2013, the US the Senate passed its version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) by a resounding 68-32 vote.  S. 744, or the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and…

Question: Can you describe what the landmark case of the Supreme Court has issued and ruled? Answer: In short, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that DOMA is unconstitutional,…

Recently, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) ruled that a child could receive a green card through a step parent’s petition, even if the child’s natural parent is not eligible…

ON Wednesday, June 26, 2013, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in Windsor v. US, which ruled that the Federal DOMA, passed in 1996, is unconstitutional.   The decision,…

QUESTION: I got into a minor criminal situation and now I am very afraid that I will be placed into deportation proceedings. What can I do? Answer: There are several…

June 26, 2013 is a historic day for gay and lesbian couples. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, and…

THE debate over the United States economy and dearth of high-tech workers has spotlighted the H-1B professional working visa in the press.  Nonetheless, Congress has been slow to respond in…

ON June 10, 2013, Commissioner Martin R. Gladstein of Department 2 of the Valencia, California Court, ordered restitution payment as in a civil judgment, pursuant to Penal Code Section 1202.4(i)….

Right now, the full Senate has begun debating on the new immigration reform proposal which was approved and forwarded by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is expected that senators will…

Aliens who commit drug offenses may become inadmissible or deportable. Inadmissibility means that an alien is ineligible to receive a visa or he cannot be admitted into the U.S. based…

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…

ON June 11, 2013, President Obama pushed the US Congress to send him a bill by fall providing for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), just as the full US Senate began…

DRIVING under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or narcotics is a serious threat to public safety. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 1.4 million drivers were…

Question: I was ordered deported, but ICE is not deporting me. Can you let me know what is going on with this situation? Answer: You are probably on an order…

There are only so many immigrant visas available (or allocated) for your country each year.   Many people under petition are confused and mystified about the priority date on their petition,…

Question: I have to escape my country. I don’t know what to do. I want to go to the United States and try to get help. What can I do?…

The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) provides “age-out” protection for certain children who turned 21 while waiting for their green card or immigrant visa. For children of non-citizens (such as…

THE US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit recently joined the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit  and reversed its previous decision in De Osorio et. al…

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…

AS OF  March 4, 2013 certain immigrant visa applicants who are the spouses, children and parents of US citizens (“immediate relatives”), who have been unlawfully present in the United States,…

With all the trouble immigrants go through to obtain their lawful permanent residence (LPR), you would be surprised to find out that some immigrants abandon their LPR status, in most…

Question: I am married to a US Citizen and I want to adjust to that of a Lawful Permanent Resident. What can I do? Answer: Are you inside the US?…

I know of many cases where a child was a derivative beneficiary of the parent’s family or employment-based petition. The parent was able to adjust status, and lock in the…

ALTHOUGH the Bipartisan “Gang of Eight” Senators has introduced The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, S.744, the Bill is still undergoing considerable “mark-ups” as it is debated…

Question: I am married to a U.S. Citizen and I want to adjust to that of a Lawful Permanent Resident. What can I do? Answer: Are you inside the U.S.?…

We’re continuing our discussions on the interesting proposals under the bipartisan senate bill on immigration reform, S.744, entitled the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act”. Last time, we…

In an unpublished opinion, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) stated that the hardship suffered by an “applicant’s domestic partner of 17 years” could be taken into account when evaluating “extreme…