We all know that the nation’s immigrant detention system is a mess. This consists of a collection of public and private facilities that have been widely criticized in recent years, including in two lawsuits that alleged poor conditions in a San Diego detention center. Also, abuse of detainees as well…
California taxpayers need to cover higher fees of private lawyers, who are hired by the state as the Attorney General’s Office doesn’t have the staff to handle all of the cases internally. In some instances, the state has employed outside counsel at hourly rates that reach $450 even while most…
These are fun and hot summer days for us Immigration lawyers filing H1B cases. As employers are starting to hire again, we are faced with the challenges of the new Labor Condition Application System, iCert. The Labor Condition Application is a document which must be certified by the US Department…
Immigration Reform is getting delayed. The legislation, which was expected to be passed within 100 days of the swearing in of President Barack Obama. Immigration reform activists disappointed that the Obama administration has not given immigration top billing, are trying to push the same off the back burner by pressing…
USCIS has reminded all applicants for Adjustment of Status, Asylum, Legalization and Temporary Protected Status to obtain an Advance Parole (AP) document before traveling abroad. AP allows an applicant to re-enter the U.S. after traveling abroad. In order to obtain Advance Parole, individuals must file Form I-131, Application for Travel…
Recently I came across a Blog published by a Consular Officer, Calling a Spade a Spade, in it you can find tips and humor about Consular life and dealing with applicants. In this post the officer suggests a list of things which should not be done at the interview window.…
The USCIS California Service Center is in the process of identifying all pending Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications in the EB-5 category based on the pilot program, and all non-Minister Religious Worker I-485s. All applicants with pending AOS application and for a non-minister Religious Worker in the EB-5 category can…
After several years of investigations and further scrutiny, the R1 visa is back in the Premium Processing category under certain strict conditions. Only those petitioners who have successfully passed an on-site inspection are eligible to use Premium Processing Service. Premium Processing Service is only available for R-1 nonimmigrant religious worker…
The analysis of census data from both the U.S. and Mexican governments, being released Wednesday by the Pew Hispanic Center, highlights the impact of the economic downturn on Mexican immigrants, many of whom enter the United States illegally. The study found that immigrants arriving from Mexico fell by 249,000 from…
We all know that Asylum is a tough relief to get and one must fit a very strict set of legal standards. Mostly political or related cases. But now the Obama Administration opened the door to a new policy. The government has opened the way for foreign women who are…