Immigration Insights - Lal Legal Blog
The Laken Riley Act Passes: What It Means for Immigration Enforcement and Public Safety
In a landmark decision, Congress passed the Laken Riley Act, which is expected to be signed into law by President Trump. The bill is a controversial piece of legislation named in honor of the 22-year-old nursing student whose tragic death sparked national debates about immigration enforcement and public safety. The bill, which cleared its final hurdles this week, aims to tighten immigration laws and address concerns about crimes committed by undocumented individuals. Here’s what you need to know about the law and its potential impacts.
Trump Revokes Protections for 600,000 Venezuelans
The Trump administration has reversed a decision by President Joe Biden that extended deportation protections (temporary protected status) for over 600,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. The decision to revoke the 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which was put in place due to ongoing crisis in Venezuela, was made public on Tuesday.
Trump’s Executive Orders Reshape U.S. Policy
On January 20 and 21, 2025, President Trump signed multiple executive orders impacting U.S. immigration policies. These orders introduce new measures on visa issuance, birthright
Federal Judge Ends Keeping Families Together Program
A federal judge in Texas has struck down the Biden administration’s “Keeping Families Together” program, a policy that would have allowed undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to remain in the country while adjusting status. Ultimately, despite the claims of the states who sued to stop this policy, it is the American public, including the hundreds of thousands of families impacted by this decision, who will bear the human and social costs of this decision.
Post-Election Blues – What To Do Now?
There’s a silver-lining here for immigration advocates. We have always known that the Democrats will not liberate us–they have the same anti-immigrant policies sans the rhetoric. The Biden Administration has continuously tried to curtail the right to seek asylum. We have organized and resisted anti-immigrant policies before, and we will continue to do so. We will no longer be alone and scream into the void as the next President comes for our clients and our families. Trump’s victory should galvanize people who cannot look away from the very real violence that they will unleash on women, immigrants, the LGBTQIA community, and many more people.
New Benefit: TPS for Lebanon
Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced new actions to provide temporary immigration reprieve to eligible Lebanese nationals currently in the United States and allowing them the
New Benefit: DED for Lebanon
On July 26, 2024, President Joseph Biden issued a Memorandum on the Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Lebanese Nationals to the secretaries of state and homeland security authorizing DED and employment authorization for 18 months for eligible Lebanese nationals.
Keeping Families Together Parole-In-Place Resources
On June 18, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a key step toward fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to promoting family unity in the immigration system. On Aug. 19, 2024, DHS implemented Keeping Families Together, a process for certain noncitizen spouses and noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens to request parole in place under existing statutory authority.
Biden Parole In Place Program Begins August 19, 2024
USCIS is not currently accepting applications under this process. Applications will be available and accepted for filing starting Aug. 19, 2024. More information about eligibility and the application process will be published in a forthcoming Federal Register notice.