The Biden Administration’s new Family Unity Program begins Monday August 19, 2024, called Keeping Families Together. The official notice takes place Monday August 19th, but the Biden Administration has already provided filing guidelines on Friday August 16, 2024. Eligibility The program announced in June will allow undocumented spouses and stepchildren of US citizens to obtain… Read more »
The Biden Administration will announce tomorrow a program to allow undocumented immigrants married to US citizens to avoid the long and arduous process of getting a green card abroad with a waiver. They can file for parole status in the US – referred to as “parole in place.” If approved, it would give them parole… Read more »
Introduction Are you trying to get your permanent residence or “green card” from USCIS based on marriage or an engagement to a US citizen? USCIS is very good about telling you what to file with your Adjustment of Status Application (Form I-485), but they are not very specific about what you can use to support… Read more »
In B.C. (Before Coronovirus), USCIS and the US Department of State were permitted after litigation favored the Trump Administration in January 2020, to proceed with their much expanded application of the “public charge” rule. The new rules take effect for both agencies on February 24, 2020. The essence of the rule has remained the same… Read more »
On August 2, 2017, Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA) introduced a new comprehensive immigration reform bill — Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy (RAISE) Act. The plan was endorsed by President Trump on the same day. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) summarizes the highlights of this immigration reform bill: Aims… Read more »
On June 23, 2016, the Supreme Court resulted in a tie vote 4-4 on whether to allow the Obama Administration’s “Immigration Plan” to be implemented. Announced in November 2014 – and also referred to as Executive Action on Immigration or Deferred Action for Parent Accountability (DAPA), the decision was heart-breaking for about 5 million undocumented… Read more »
The Supreme Court will hear a legal challenge from a coalition of 26 states that alleges President Obama abused his authority when he took executive action on immigration. Obama, frustrated with a defiant Republican-led Congress, created a program through executive action in November 2014 that would allow up to 5 million illegal immigrants—including so-called “dreamers”… Read more »
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals today delivered a not-so-surprising blow to the Obama Administration’s effort to widen the Deferred Action program announced in November 2014, almost a year ago. In a 2-1 decision, the Court held the executive order was unconstitutional. The executive orders created a new Deferred Action program called Deferred Action for… Read more »
Implementation of President Obama’s 2014 executive action on immigration remains on the back burner as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans hears arguments over the legality of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). Created through executive action by Mr. Obama in November 2014, DACA… Read more »
Since the announcement by President Obama on November 20, 2014 of his Executive Action on Immigration, a few updates are warranted as we head into the holidays and new year with hopeful expectations on how these new initiatives will be rolled out. First, BEWARE of attorneys or attorney-like individuals who can promise to do something… Read more »
On November 20, 2014 President Obama announced several executive action remedies for many immigration problems facing the United States and our broken immigration system. According to the White House, the “Immigration Accountability Executive Actions will help secure the border, hold nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants accountable, and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules.”… Read more »
In a prime-time address to the nation on Thursday, President Obama described his plan to, and reasoning for, taking executive action on immigration—a move preceded by a six-year war-of-words with congressional Republicans that sets up a power struggle once the GOP takes full control of Congress next year. Obama’s plan will protect up to five… Read more »
The midterm elections, resulting in the dominance of the Republican party in Congress, left it up in the air in terms of President Obama’s prior promises to ‘do something’ on immigration reform this year. However, recent press reports over the past few days are indicating a move in this direction, despite threats from Republicans of… Read more »
The Supreme Court of the United States will hear arguments in October in the case of Kerry v. Din, which pits the Department of State and its ability to unilaterally deny an alien spouse visa against Fauzia Din and her constitutionally protected marriage and family life rights. Din is a United States citizen who was… Read more »
A huge decision this week by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to deny certiorari (review) by several lower court rulings regarding the legality of same-sex marriage means that all 10th Circuit states, including Colorado, must abide by a recent decision by a panel of 10th Circuit judges that same sex-couples have “the… Read more »