San Diego’s immigration community has been rattled by new reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is arresting individuals with no criminal history during routine green card interviews at USCIS offices—a practice that is historically unprecedented and deeply alarming. What’s Happening Starting in early November, immigration attorneys began reporting that…
Articles Posted in Green Card Holders and Criminal Convictions
USCIS Announces Tougher Policy to Evaluate the Good Moral Character Requirement for U.S. Citizenship
On Friday August 15th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new policy memorandum (PM-602-0188) increasing the scrutiny of applications for U.S. citizenship, as part of the Trump administration’s latest efforts to tighten eligibility for naturalization. Specifically, USCIS has directed immigration officers to evaluate additional factors when assessing…
Denaturalization Task Force Coming Next Year
Beginning next year, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will launch a task force located in Los Angeles, designed to identify, detect, and prosecute individuals who have fraudulently gained United States Citizenship, for example by entering into a ‘sham’ marriage to obtain permanent residence, or engaging in other…
Top 5 Reasons Your Adjustment of Status Application May Be Denied
In this post we discuss the top five most common reasons your adjustment of status application may be denied. Financial Reasons One of the requirements to receive adjustment of status in the United States is to prove that the petitioner (the U.S. Citizen or LPR spouse) has sufficient income or…
The Top 5 Things You Need to Know Before Applying for Citizenship
In this post, we share with our readers the top five things you need to know before filing for citizenship. You must be a lawful permanent resident of the United States for a required period of time to apply for citizenship In order to apply for citizenship, you must be…
Top Reasons Applicants are Denied at their Citizenship Interview
In this post, we discuss the top five reasons applicants are denied at their citizenship interview. First let’s go over some basics: In order to become a United States Citizen, you must meet the following general requirements at the time of filing your N-400 Application for Naturalization: You must…
Guide to the N-400 Application for Naturalization
The eventual goal of most immigrants, residing in the United States temporarily, is to gain United States Citizenship, and later to immigrate their immediate relatives to the United States. It is very difficult however to obtain U.S. Citizenship, and there are important requirements that must be satisfied before applying. For…
TOP 5 Challenging Questions Couples Face at the STOKES/Fraud Interview
What are the most challenging questions for couples at a STOKES/Fraud Interview? By Attorney Marie Puertollano, Esq. What happens when a US Citizen Spouse and the intending immigrant spouse fail an interview pending an application for permanent residence? Normally couples who have failed to provide sufficient documentation to an immigration…
6 FAQS: Question and Answer
You have Questions, We have your Answers. Here are answers to 6 of our Frequently Asked Questions In this blog we are answering 6 of your frequently asked questions in detail. Please remember that every case and every story is different and unique. You should not compare your situation to…
Obama’s Executive Order Looms on the Horizon
President Obama’s executive order is looming on the horizon, as part of an alleged 10 point plan the president plans to announce as early as Friday, November 21. According to a draft proposal released by a U.S. government agency, the plan may suspend removal proceedings for millions of undocumented immigrants…