70% of People Detained in Recent ICE Raids Were "Non-Targets"

At the end of July, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 650 people during a four-day operation that targeted individuals who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border as unaccompanied alien children (UACs) and family units.

According to a recent report from TIME, only 193 of the 650 people detained in this second iteration of Operation Border Guardian/Border Resolve were the actual targets of the raids. The other 457 (about 70 percent) were “non-targets,” essentially meaning that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Basically, they were “low hanging fruit.”

According to an ICE spokesperson, certain categories of removable aliens were not considered amenable to arrest under the Obama administration, but now, ICE agents have been instructed to deport anyone who is in the country illegally. Some of the people who were detained in the recent raids just happened to be visiting family members when ICE agents were there, and many of them were eligible for DACA.

If you or a member of your family is facing deportation proceedings, or if you would like to change your immigration status, contact Kuck Immigration Partners. Charles Kuck is an immigration attorney in Atlanta who will evaluate your situation, answer your questions, and explain how he will help you achieve your immigration goals. Call 404-816-8611 today to schedule a consultation.

Deportations of Non-Criminal Undocumented Immigrants Have Increased 2%

According to deportation statistics from ICE, deportations of non-criminal undocumented immigrants have increased from 42 percent in 2016 to 44 percent so far in fiscal year 2017. However, according to a report from Politico, the overall deportation rate has dropped slightly. This is more a function of how many people are deported from the border, than the interior enforcement, which has clearly increased dramatically.

More than 240,000 people were removed by ICE in fiscal year 2016, but in fiscal year 2012, more than 409,000 people were removed. However, the report pointed out that the drop in deportations does not necessarily mean that immigration enforcement is easing up; on the contrary, removal orders and arrest rates have increased significantly under the Trump administration. One primary cause of the lower removal rate is that the courts are backlogged with more than 600,000 cases.

ICE Agents Have Discretion When Choosing Whether to Detain a Non-Target

Although ICE agents have been instructed to detain anyone who is in the country illegally, they do have discretion when choosing whether or not to detain a non-target. For instance, if there are children present during an ICE raid, or in certain other situations, agents might decide not to take non-targets, like single mothers, into custody.

If you or a loved one is facing deportation proceedings or if you are worried that the recent immigration crackdown will affect your family, contact Kuck Immigration Partners. Charles Kuck is an immigration lawyer in Atlanta who understands what is at stake, and he and his dedicated staff immigration attorneys will compassionately represent your interests. Call 404-816-8611 today to schedule a consultation.

If You Are An Immigrant (even a US Citizen), Here Are 9 Things You Should Know

Are you a Naturalized U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, Visa Holder, or an Undocumented Immigrant? We recommend you take the following steps to protect yourself in our current version of America. The last couple of weeks have reminded immigrants, even naturalized U.S. citizens, that they were not born in the United States. Our office has received countless phone calls, emails, and social media messages from people worrying about what their family’s future in the United States holds. Most people want to know what they can do now to protect themselves from what promises to be a wave of anti-immigration activity by the federal government. Trump's Executive Order on Interior Enforcement has some provisions that should make most Americans shiver. We recommend the following actions for each of the following groups: Naturalized U.S. citizens. In particular if you have a foreign accent, and you are traveling within 100 miles of any US Border (including the oceans

Seven Reasons Why the Georgia Legislature Should Repeal HB-87

Recently the Alabama Attorney General called on the Alabama State Legislature to repeal parts of Alabama's horrid anti-immigration law ( HB 56), because of the "unintended" consequences of the bill (frankly, what happened was not unintended). Because of the similarity between the two laws, Georgia's Speaker of the House, David Ralston was asked whether Georgia Legislature would repeal part or all of HB 87, Georgia own anti-immigration law. HB 87 has caused almost a half a billion dollars in damage to the Georgia economy (along with untold suffering in Georgia's immigrant communities) without any noted or reported positive effect. Speaker Ralston plainly stated that the Georgia Legislature would NOT do anything to repeal HB 87 . While it understandable why a politician would not admit that a pet bill he shepherded and pushed through the state legislature was simply bad law, it is also clear that Speaker Ralston is facing a challenge on his RIGHT in th

U.S. Recognizes Five-year Extensions of Venezuelan Passport

Venezuelans received welcome news this last month when the National Assembly published a decree signed by Interim President Juan Guaido on May 21, to extend the validity of Venezuelan passports for an additional five years past their printed date of expiration. The U.S. Department of State issued a statement ,recognizing this extension for visa issuance and consular process. They also stated that Customs and Border Patrol would recognize this decree. Obtaining a valid Venezuelan passport has been a difficult, if not impossible, task that has been a source of much concern for those seeking visas to the U.S. or have pending applications for immigration benefits. This decree will allow those currently holding a Venezuelan passport that has expired to automatically add 5 years of validity from the expiration date. While this statement can provide much needed assurance, we recommend that Venezuelans who are currently applying for an immigration benefit, including travel to the U.S. w

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