Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S.

3 11, 2012

Battered Spouses and Immigration

By |2012-11-03T09:06:33-05:00November 3rd, 2012|Categories: Conditional Permanent Residence Based on Marriage, Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Family-Based Immigration Law, Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S., Removal / Deportation Proceedings and Court Hearings|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Published: November 3, 2012 The battered spouse, whether a man or woman, is a protected class in the world of immigration law. Sensing that foreign nationals who marry U.S. citizens or residents can become vulnerable to the U.S. spouse’s physical or extreme mental abuse, Congress enacted a variety of laws aimed at protecting these foreign nationals. These laws create avenues for the foreign national to obtain U.S. resident status, no matter the cooperation or support of the abusive U.S. citizen. The avenues are available in the following contexts: I-360, Battered Spouse Self Petition (for those not yet issued a green card): […]

23 10, 2012

Romney Says He’ll Mess With DACA, But Not DACA Applicants

By |2012-10-23T08:52:54-05:00October 23rd, 2012|Categories: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Published: October 23, 2012 Just when it seems I have a grasp of where presidential candidate Mitt Romney stands when it comes to immigration policy, he contorts to a new position. According to statements made by him in recent weeks, including during presidential debates, Mitt Romney would do away with the current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which allows certain undocumented immigrants who arrived here as children to obtain a 2 year deferred action status and employment authorization document. But, Romney also stated he would not undo any 2 year deferred action approvals issued for applicants, or take adverse, […]

13 10, 2012

DACA Applications (For DREAMERS) are Getting Approved!

By |2012-10-13T08:03:21-05:00October 13th, 2012|Categories: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|Tags: , , , , , , |

Published: October 13, 2012 As of October 12, 2012, a total of almost 180,000 applications have been received by U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The vast majority of applicants have been scheduled for, or have completed, their biometric fingerprinting process. Importantly, more than 4,500 applicants have been approved and issued 2 year deferred action status notices and 2 year employment authorization documents. These numbers and milestones are consistent with developments our office has seen with our clients’ applications, with clients we filed for within a week of August 15, 2012 – DACA’s launch date – now receiving DHS approvals. Accordingly, processing […]

17 09, 2012

More Than 80,000 Applications Received Under Obama’s New DACA Program

By |2012-09-17T08:36:08-05:00September 17th, 2012|Categories: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S.|Tags: , , , |

Published: September 17, 2012 According to a recent press release, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Citizenship and Immigration Services has received more than 80,000 requests under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in its first month. Of the 82,361 applications received, 63,717 applicants have been scheduled for biometrics (fingerprinting) and 29 decisions (purportedly, some approvals) have been issued. No one knows for sure, but total processing time for the all-important employment authorization document – the essential prize of the DACA program – is expected to be somewhere within a 90-180 day period. PUBLISHED September 17, 2012 – “IMMIGRATION […]

16 08, 2012

Excitement and Confusion Reign as Obama’s Deferred Action Program is Implemented

By |2012-08-16T15:51:19-05:00August 16th, 2012|Categories: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), DHS / Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., General, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Uncategorized, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Published: August 16, 2012 Excitement and Confusion Reign as Obama’s Deferred Action Program is Implemented Is this complicated? Could I end up in removal proceedings if I apply? Will my family end up in removal proceedings? Will a filing under the new program disqualify me from a green card through my pending family based petition? How long will it take for me to get my work permit? These are but a few of the dozens of questions raised by clients in the weeks immediately following the unveiling of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Most recently, on August 14, […]

6 08, 2012

Information Trickling In for Obama’s “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” Program –

By |2012-08-06T08:24:31-05:00August 6th, 2012|Categories: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Removal / Deportation Proceedings and Court Hearings, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|Tags: , , , |

Published: August 6, 2012 In the past week, the Obama Administration announced it will implement its “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” or “DACA” program on August 15, 2012. That’s the program that will allow certain undocumented young adults who arrived in the U.S. prior to turning 16 to apply for a 2 year employment authorization, and a grant of temporary “Deferred Action” status. Last week’s news release provides more details on the program requirements and answers the most common questions on the minds of prospective applicants. Below is a review of the program’s basic requirements and a discussion of the most […]

3 07, 2012

US Supreme Court Strikes Down Most of Arizona’s Controversial Immigration Law

By |2012-07-03T10:24:36-05:00July 3rd, 2012|Categories: DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), DHS / Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Immigration and Criminal Law / Detainees, Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S., Removal / Deportation Proceedings and Court Hearings, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|Tags: , , , , |

Published: July 3, 2012 To address the various issues presented by the hundreds of thousands of undocumented individuals living in their state, including the security of their state’s border with Mexico and the drain on state coffers, the State of Arizona took the extraordinary step of enacting a state law criminalizing violations of U.S. immigration law. Specifically, the Arizona law was designed to empower state law enforcement agencies with the authority to arrest and criminally prosecute immigration law violators present in their state, with violators turned over to federal authorities for the initiation of removal proceedings after serving a state sentence. […]

18 06, 2012

Obama’s Brilliant Political Move: Employment Authorization – although Not Green Cards – for Qualified Undocumented Young Adults

By |2012-06-18T21:15:16-05:00June 18th, 2012|Categories: Amnesty for Immigrants in the U.S., Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S., U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|Tags: , |

Published: June 18, 2012 The “DREAM Act” Inspired Program In A Nutshell: Young adults who: A) have completed high school, their G.E.D. or were honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces, B) have lived in the U.S. for more than 5 years, C) have no significant criminal records and D) are under the age of 30…..…… will now have an opportunity to remain in the U.S. and obtain an employment authorization document, thanks to a new executive directive announced by President Obama last week.  Intake procedures and processing logistics have yet to be implemented, but it appears the launch of this program […]

9 03, 2012

Green Cards and US Citizenship: DHS/CIS Continues Its Rapid Pace of Processing

By |2012-03-09T09:47:25-06:00March 9th, 2012|Categories: Citizenship / Naturalization and the N-400 Application, Conditional Permanent Residence Based on Marriage, DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Green Cards, Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S.|Tags: , , , , , |

Published: March 9, 2012 U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Citizenship and Immigration Services continues to do its job with efficiency and speed when it comes to processing Applications for Naturalization (N-400) and Applications for Adjustment of Status (green card – I-485) based on marriage to a U.S. citizen, or other family or employment immigrant category with current visa availability. Immigration interviews, at least through CIS Chicago, are being scheduled with lightning speed, and card production for approvable permanent resident applicants, and oath ceremonies for approvable U.S. citizenship applicants follow within just a week or two of the interview. In my 20+ years […]

22 08, 2011

Mercy for Non-Criminals Facing Deportation

By |2011-08-22T16:00:18-05:00August 22nd, 2011|Categories: Amnesty for Immigrants in the U.S., Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Removal / Deportation Proceedings and Court Hearings, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation|Tags: , |

Published:  August 22, 2011 It made a splash, a big splash, even a misunderstood splash (as is common with splashes in immigration law).  Last week, the Obama Administration delivered the news that it would be re-prioritizing its immigration enforcement efforts, starting with a review of 300,000 removal (deportation) cases pending on the immigration court docket and consideration of “administrative closure” for the cases of non-criminals.  Administrative closure effectively, and indefinitely, puts a halt to the deportation process.  Furthermore, an individual benefiting from administrative closure mercy will be eligible to obtain an Employment Authorization Document. This announcement offers hope to many in […]

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