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New Guidance On DACA and Advance Parole
We have an updated FAQ available on DACA as individuals who have previously never had DACA are eligible to apply now. We also have guidance available on advance parole here, as well as travel tips for those traveling on advance parole. We’re working with local non-profits such as Grassroots Leadership to be able to fund a limited set of initial DACA applications for individuals who have never had DACA... -
Hopes and Expectations of a Biden Administration
For four long and hard years, the Trump administration has reshaped the United States immigration system through anti-immigrant executive action, proclamations, policy memos, and regulatory changes. The good news is that President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris can undo almost every change through the same mechanisms without having to go through the legislative branch. The bad news is that the newly elected administration must have the will to... -
October Surprise: USCIS Fee Increases
It’s not really the October surprise but a long time coming. Last year, the agency proposed atrocious fee increases across for various immigration applications, which are now going into effect starting October 2, 2020. Fees for adjustment of status filings (green cards) would sky-rocket from the current $1760 to around $2900 if persons want interim benefits such as work and travel authorization. Fees for filing for naturalization will increase... -
Who did Trump Ban From the United States With His New Presidential Proclamation?
Note: These Presidential proclamations impact only the issuance of visas to the United States. These proclamations do not impact anyone who is seeking a change or adjustment of status on U.S. soil. President Trump finally issued a Presidential Proclamation that had been in the rumor mills for some time. What does the new proclamation do? First, it extends the ban on certain immigrant visas until December 31, 2020. Readers... -
SCOTUS Upholds DACA, Giving Temporary Victory to Many Undocumented Immigrants
In a landmark decision today, the Supreme Court of the United States narrowly threw a lifeline to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program by holding that the Trump administration sought to end the program in an arbitrary and capricious manner. For now, DACA lives. However, the Supreme Court decision did not say that DACA is legal or that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had to keep... -
California COVID-19 Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, California is providing one-time first-come, first-serve state-funded disaster relief assistance to undocumented individuals who are ineligible for other forms of assistance, including assistance under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and pandemic unemployment benefits. Who is eligible? Eligible individuals must be able to provide information that they (1) are an undocumented adult (person over the age of 18); (2) are... -
Immigration In Pandemic Times Vol. 1, No. 3
Catch all our coverage of the news as it pertains to immigration in these pandemic times by subscribing to our feed and following our blog here. True to our analysis about the short-sightedness of immigration travel bans, several virologists have theorized that the ensuing rush of Americans trying to come back home from Europe after the Trump administration announced a ban on all travel from the continent, may be... -
Immigration In Pandemic Times Vol. 1, No. 2
See Vol. 1, No. 1 here A quick immigration news round-up this week: The United States continues to flout its international law obligations by expelling thousands of child migrants by using COVID-19 as the reason. In a unanimous opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld part of the federal anti-harboring statute that outlaws encouraging undocumented immigrants to remain in the country unlawfully. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had held... -
Immigration In Pandemic Times Vol. 1, No. 1
While we are quarantined, we plan to do quick summaries of immigration news for our clients and visitors to this site. If enough people find this useful, we may continue to do so when our physical office reopen. A quick immigration news round-up this week: A federal judge in Oregon has refused to suspend President Donald Trump’s recent presidential proclamation that put a 60-day ban on immigrant visas for... -
COVID-19 Chronicles – Immigration Options In These Times
Typically, in times of crisis and emergency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reduces enforcement efforts, and USCIS issues temporary relief measures. Given the xenophobia of the current administration, we cannot rely on them to support our recommendations to allow for automatic extension of work permits, releasing persons from ICE detention, grant a moratorium on deportations, and other common sense proposals. Below, we discuss some options that may be available to...
