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 rights of undocumented immigrants who may come into contact with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during home visits, workplace raids and public…
A non resident alien who marries a U.S. citizen or has a U.S. citizen child who turns 21, or a parent who becomes a U.S. citizen before the alien turns 21, can adjust status and obtain a green card. For this to happen, one essential requirement is the entry to the U.S. “with inspection”, i.e.,…
An important study conducted at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia showed that people who sleep less tend to weigh heavier than those who sleep more. The clinical investigation, which included 1,000 subjects, reported that “total sleep time decreased as the body mass index (a measure of weight based on height) increased.” Whether…
If I could, I would look into the hearts of soldiers and try to know their stories. Why are they fighting? Who will tell them (if the reasons exist) who is going to kill them, or who they’re going to kill? To understand a soldier’s life is to find out what he’s looking for —…
ESTATE and gift tax basics • Form 706 must be filed: 1) To elect portability regardless of the size of estate, to transfer deceased spouse unused exemption (DSUE) to surviving spouse; 2) Gross estate plus adjusted taxable gifts and specific gift exemption valued in excess of $5,490,000 if death take place in 2017 or $5,450,000…
SOME years ago, I was asked to create an ad campaign to debunk the argument that a non-smoking section in restaurants and other public places could spare non-smokers from the hazards of second-hand smoke. I depicted a public swimming pool where someone urinated at one end of the pool, causing all the swimmers to jump…
Amid his historic 35 percent approval rating and an ongoing investigation into his alleged conspiracy with Russia to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, President Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on Friday, April 7 in Syria without seeking Congressional approval, following news reports about Syria dictator Bashar Al-Assad slaughtering innocent civilians using chemical…
“MAY the virtues of kindness and benevolence that Christ exemplified serve as our inspiration to aid in the plight of our less fortunate fellowmen. Let the story of crucifixion challenge us to remain persevering in our struggle for a better life and a stronger society,” said President Rodrigo Duterte in his Holy Week message to…
LAS VEGAS – On this heated and dry day in April, the whole city is breathing and heaving like a tired beast. On the strip that controls all the luxurious hotels, cursing motorists are melting down encased in a steeled impotence, trapped in a horrendous gridlock. But come hell or high water, people flock here…
ARE you ready for Holy Week? Are you ready to enter deeply into the mysteries of our faith–the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ? Are your hearts open to the graces of renewed faith and the outpouring of God’s mercy and love in the image of water and blood that flowed out…
(Part 2 of 2) HERE are some more misconceptions about bankruptcy that we did not discuss last week: 1. Will I lose my house? Normally, debtors get to keep their residence as long as their equity in the house does not exceed the applicable homestead exemption. If the equity of the house is within the…
Q: I WORK as a “team member” in the service industry in Los Angeles. Before we clock-in for our shift, we are required to attend a “huddle,” or a meeting where we discuss events during prior shifts, our assignments, etc. These “huddles” last 15 to 20 minutes every day. Should we be paid for these…
QUESTION: I know that Trump issued a second executive order. What is happening with this one? Answer: The District Judge in Hawaii has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. In other words, that judge has ruled that the brief Temporary Restraining Order is now converted to a Preliminary Injunction, and therefore, is both nationwide and…
ARE your debts keeping you up at night? Are you always worried about money? Are you barely surviving and can’t even keep up with minimum payments on your credit cards? Do you wish to reduce or eliminate your debts but don’t even know where to start? If you are searching for debt reduction solutions, you…
by Florencio Sunga Mallari, Sr. IN March 2008, my life took a big turn when I moved to the United States from the Philippines. I was full of hope as I stepped off the plane in Los Angeles. The warm air reminded me of home, but that familiarity quickly disappeared as I found myself in…
AFTER more than a year of contentious debate over who should succeed the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia in the Supreme Court, the Senate on Friday, April 7 confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Neil M. Gorsuch, with a vote of 54 to 45. The battle culminated in the Democrats’ filibuster of Gorsuch’s nomination, with Democrats…
After a very contentious election last year, I am hopeful that we can set aside the partisan bickering that has plagued the halls of government throughout our great nation. In order to stimulate and facilitate honest dialogue and discourse, we must continue to support trusted sources for news information, programming and entertainment that only public…
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…
In the realm of the art world, realism has been accurately considered the highest form of painting creativity due to the proximity of the art work to the original appearance of its subject. The Renaissance period, understandably, gave birth to such painting style and Hellenistic Greek sculptures. A multi-faceted Filipino artist, Angelo Antonio Maristela, has…
For Christians, Holy Week is definitely a very sacred time of the year. Starting on Palm Sunday onto Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday; it is a time to reflect on Jesus Christ’s journey to the Cross — beginning with his entry into Jerusalem, his lonely trek from the Upper Room through Gethsamane,…
Easter is the Sunday that marks the end of the Holy Week and is greatly influenced by the Christian faith as it reminds believers to remember the sacrifice of the Son of God. Others think of it as a time of celebration with Easter eggs, bunnies and peeps. So to celebrate, here are a few…
In a country where Roman Catholics make up 81 percent of the population, it is no surprise that Filipinos have numerous traditional events during Holy Week. In the early days, these traditions and practices religiously for people to reflect on their sins and the sacrifice Jesus Christ has made. However, the onset of modern technology…
DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I overstayed my visa, and am now out of status (TNT). I’m living in California, and want to visit my relatives on the East Coast. I’m afraid of flying, because they have immigration officers at the airport, and I’m concerned they will just pick me up at the airport and deport me…
AT the National Federation of Filipino American Associations Region 10 Regional Empowerment Conference in National City on March 25, 2017, I was asked this question: There are many in our community who are non-US citizens who are in fear of deportation. May you clarify for us what it means to be in deportation? What would…
ABOUT 25 percent of physicians practicing in the United States graduated from foreign medical schools who had their internship/medical/surgical residency training in the U.S. More than 22,000 of them are from the Philippines. For an objective evidence-based reply to that question, I am reprinting below, verbatim, the Tusgawa Harvard study published in the British Medical…
There is a memory of loss that fall provokes, like feeding the earth’s exhaustion, satisfaction and weariness, making us wonder. How we deal with all the other endings in our lives or facing up to what’s been and now gone? How do we mend the wear and tear of our lives? The last image I…
“SOME people in the Trump campaign may end up in jail,” revealed Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro in a CNN interview on Tuesday, April 4. The congressman’s declaration comes after more classified information was presented to the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into the allegations that the Trump campaign and Russia conspired to meddle in the 2016…
FOR a country that has been branded with the “worst airport in the world” tag in 2011 and 2013, the last thing it needs is another reason to inconvenience its travelers. Last year, a survey released by “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports” ranked the Philippines’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in fifth place. Complaints…
AD maiorem Dei gloriam, the Latin motto of the Jesuits which means “For the greater Glory of God,” is a phrase that we often use to express our motive when we serve other people. It’s a phrase that some celebrities even use to convey their gratitude to God for their achievements. It’s a saying that…
IF I had a penny for every time I would tell myself and others that ‘mothers know best,’ I’d probably be very rich now. Truth of the matter is: we have so much to learn and emulate from mothers in general. Whether from your biological mother or a woman playing a motherly role in your…
