USCIS Extends Employment Authorization Validity for Adjustment of Status Applicants
USCIS has updated its policy for Employment Authorizations granted to Applicants for Adjustment of Status to Permanent Residence. Because they are taking over a year to issue decisions on Adjustment of Status applications, they will now issue initial Employment Authorizations which are valid for 2 years instead of 1 year. This change will only affect…
Read MorePhone Scam Mimicking EOIR Phone Number
The Executive Office for Immigration Review announced today that a phone scam is “spoofing” the phone number for their offices 703-305-1247. The caller claims to represent the Court and requests personal information from the victims. The EOIR will never call individuals from this phone number and will never request personal information over the phone. Never…
Read MoreNew Guidance from the Biden Administration Concerning Removal Proceedings
The Biden Administration has overhauled the guidance for government attorneys in the Immigration Courts concerning Removal Proceedings. They have instructed the attorneys to exercise discretion on any matter involving an immigrant who arrived in the US prior to November 1, 2020. In many of these cases, it is now possible to close or dismiss the…
Read MoreWhat Immigrants Need to Know About Marijuana Use
Here in Pennsylvania medical marijuana is legal at the state level, even though recreational use remains illegal. It is easy to find medical marijuana dispensaries. This reality has led many immigrants who live and work here in the state of confusion and has even gotten them into trouble. After all, it’s hard to imagine the…
Read MoreTPS Reinstated for Haitians
On May 22, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced a new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti for 18 months. Any Haitian in the US, who can prove that they were present in the US on May 21, 2021 is eligible to apply. I encourage any Haitian interested in acquiring Temporary Protected Status…
Read MoreHow Social Media Impacts Your Immigration Case
Social media routinely trips people up in all sorts of cases, from job hunts to criminal cases. Immigration cases are absolutely no exception. You can rest assured that immigration officials absolutely do check social media accounts. Here’s what you need to know. The USCIS Has a Social Media Policy Here’s what USCIS has to say.…
Read MoreWhat Are the Most Common Defenses in Deportation Proceedings?
Few things cause as much stress for any immigrant as finding out that they’ve been targeted for deportation. Yet the news is not all bad. In most cases, deportation proceedings will not happen instantly. You have time to contact an immigration attorney who can begin launching a cancellation of removal case on your behalf. There…
Read MoreCan Immigrants Send Their Children to Public School?
Immigration can be so confusing that it’s hard to know what’s safe to do and what’s not safe to do. Fortunately, when it comes to helping children get an education, the law is very straightforward. There is no reason why you should ever have to fear bringing your kids to school. Yes, you may absolutely…
Read MoreHave You Been Waiting too Long for your Green Card?
While everyone should expect that green card processing times can take a great deal of time, the truth is some applications can fall through the cracks. If you’ve waited longer than a year for an answer, your application may be one of them. When this happens, you have the option to file what’s called a…
Read MoreHow Does a Dismissed Criminal Case Impact a Citizenship Application
“Case dismissal” is one of those terms that people use a great deal without truly understanding what it means. Misunderstanding the term, and misunderstanding exactly what USCIS is asking when they ask you if you have a criminal record, can get you into a lot of trouble when you’re trying to pursue a citizenship application.…
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