Musings on Immigration

The Supreme Court issued its decision in Arizona v. United States, in a resounding defeat for the anti-immigration movement, the Court affirmatively stated that three of the four provisions in question are PREEMPTED by Federal law, and most importantly that the show me your papers provision must be NARROWLY construed and enforced in order for it to remain constitutional, essentially inviting further challenges should there be any hint of racial profiling in its enforcement. In order to enforce a show me your papers provisions, the State would have to check the immigration status of EVERY person, in EVERY stop, for EVERY crime, EVERY time. Short of doing this, racial profiling will occur, since there could be NO legitimate way to determine someones immigration status. Especially since the Supreme Court struck down the provision that that barred the Arizona from stopping people because they had a reasonable cause to believe they were undocumented. This is a KEY part of the HB 87, Se...

El Presidente Obama anuncio un cambio significante del programa previamente anunciado discreción procesal. Con efecto inmediato (aunque todavía sin un proceso de uso), cualquier persona que cumpla con los siguientes criterios pueden ser considerada para el ejercicio de discreción procesal, pueda vivir libre del temor de la deportación, puede obtener un permiso de trabajo: Si llego a los Estados Unidos antes de los dieciséis años ; Ha residido continuamente en los Estados Unidos por lo menos cinco anos anteriores del 15 de junio del 2012, y esta presente en los Estados Unidos el 15 de junio del 2012; Actualmente esta en la escuela , se ha graduado de la escuela secundaria (high school), ha obtenido un certificado general de desarrollo educacional , o ha sido veterano de la Gurdia Costera (Coast Guard) o las Fuerzas Armadas de los Estados Unidos ; No ha sido condenado por un delito grave, por un delito menor significativo , ...

President Obama announced a significant change in its previously announced prosecutorial discretion program. Effective immediately (although without a process to use yet), any person who meets the f ollowing criteria can be considered for an exercise of prosecutorial discretion, can live free of the fear of deportation, can get a work permit: came to the United States under the age of sixteen; has continuously resided in the United States for a least five years preceding June 15, 2012, and is present in the United States on June 15, 2012; is currently in school, has graduated from high school, has obtained a general education development certificate, or is an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; has not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise poses a threat to national security or public safety; and is not above the age of thirty. Here is t...

      I call these my "golden rules" for the client preparing to attend an adjustment of status interview at immigration.  They have served many of my clients well, and if you study and apply them, they will help you too. 1.      If you do not know the answer to a question the officer asks, or do not remember the answer, say that you do not know or remember – do not guess at the answer.   If you are wrong this could lead to trouble, in that the officer may think you are lying if your answer contradicts a prior answer, or the truth.   Officers will not likely hold it against you if you simply can’t remember.   Having a bad memory is not a ground for denying your application. 2.      Do not help each other answer the questions.   Without fail, typically the man in a relationship will forget an important date, place or name, and the wife will, out of frustration or anger, try to...