Tag Archives: immigration reform

What Does President Obama’s Immigration Reform Mean to YOU?

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President Obama’s immigration reform has created more immigration options for millions of undocumented individuals in the U.S. while promising to keep Americans safer.

  • Parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (of any age) who have been continuously present since 1/1/10, and who pass background checks and pay taxes, will be eligible to apply for deferred action, which will be granted for a 3-year period.
  • Parents of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are not eligible for the above relief, however the DACA program itself will be expanded.  The program guidelines will be revised to eliminate the age cap, and to change the date that continuous presence must have started to 1/1/10.
  • Individuals with an approved employment-based immigrant petition who are caught in the quota backlogs to file for adjustment of status will be advanced to permit them to obtain the benefits of a pending adjustment.
  • New reforms also promise to aid job-creating entrepreneurs gain access legal means to enter and operate in the U.S
  • To make the best use of limited ICE resources, newly outlined enforcement priorities will focus on security measures to keep suspected terrorists, convicted felons (including aggravated felonies), convicted gang members, out of the United States.  Additionally, close attention will be paid to people apprehended at the border, people convicted of serious or multiple misdemeanors, and very recent entrants.

Stay Tuned! President Obama to Address the Nation on Immigration Reform!

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Two years ago, President Obama set forth the guiding principles that should lead immigration reform.  Although the Senate passed a bipartisan bill more than 500 days ago, the country has been waiting, and waiting… and waiting…  for House Republicans to vote.  The time has come for the President to issue executive actions and address some of the problems plaguing the immigration system.

Tomorrow night, President Obama will present new immigration law reforms instituted by his executive actions.  There are high hopes that these executive actions will finally help fix our broken immigration system.

You can watch the President live tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/Live.

It Doesn’t Matter Where You Live in the United States!   If You and Your Same Sex Spouse were Married in a State that Recognizes Same Sex Marriage, You Can Petition for Your Spouse’s Green Card!

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You and your same sex spouse may be currently living in a state that does not recognize the validity of your marriage.  USCIS evaluates the marriage of any U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident petitioner, based on the laws of the State or place where the marriage took place.  As long as the State, territory or foreign country that performed the marriage recognizes the marriage, then it is valid for U.S. immigration law.  An individual may live in a State that does not accept gay marriages as legal and still file for his or her noncitizen spouse.  Immigration laws can be tricky to navigate; if you need assistance, call or email Your Immigration Angel for your free initial consultation.

Lawful Permanent Resident? You can Bring your Spouse and Child(ren) to the U.S.!

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family immigration

As a lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States, you are allowed to live in the United States indefinitely even if you are still a foreign national.  Permanent residency also entitles you to work in the United States and to travel in and out of the United States without seeking additional visas or permissions.  However, what is usually most important to many LPRs is the ability to petition for a foreign spouse or child(ren) to be granted permanent residency through a green card.  You can petition for your spouse and children and there are always green cards available, because they are immediate relatives!  For more information on petitioning for your spouse and child(ren), contact Your Immigration Angel today!

The Violence Against Women Act: Helping Undocumented Immigrants Suffering from Domestic Abuse

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abused woman

The Violence Against Women Act or VAWA, provides wide-ranging support and comprehensive immigration law benefits for victims of domestic violence.  VAWA has also provided a foundation for federal financial support, as well as additional guidance for state and local law initiatives.  There has been significant progress in addressing the domestic violence crimes against immigrants.  However, many abused immigrant men and women are unsure of their rights.  If you or someone you know is being abused or thinks they are being abused and is an immigrant, please, feel free to contact Your Immigration Angel for a free consultation today.

 

Good Immigration News! Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program Soon to be Implemented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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haitian immigrants

It will come as a relief to many that a new Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP) Program will be implemented in early 2015.  Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas has said that “The rebuilding and development of a safe and economically strong Haiti is a priority for the United States.  [The] program promotes a fundamental underlying goal of our immigration system – family reunification.  It also supports broader U.S. goals for Haiti’s reconstruction and development by providing the opportunity for certain eligible Haitians to safely and legally immigrate sooner to the United States.”   Indeed, under this program, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will offer certain eligible Haitian beneficiaries of already approved family-based immigrant visa petitions, who are currently in Haiti, an opportunity to come to the United States up to approximately two years before their immigrant visa priority dates become current.

Is BIG Immigration Reform Around the Corner?  Actions Speak Louder Than Words! 

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Passport immigration stamp

Although President Obama has yet to issue any statements or take official actions on immigration reform, it seems very likely that the government is gearing up ahead of a new immigration initiative.  On October 6, 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) drafted a request for bids from potential vendors  for supplies “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.”  These vendors specifically must be capable of handling a scenario of 9 million ID cards issued in one year.  The agency seeks to buy the materials need to construct both Permanent Residency Cards (PRC) aka “Green Cards,” and Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) cards, also used for the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) program instituted by President Obama in 2012.  The proposal request indicates that the agency will need a minimum of four million cards per year.  However, a “surge” predicted in 2016 would mean the agency would need an additional five million cards – more than double the baseline annual amount for a total of 9 million.

It is rather telling that the proposal request also states that: “The guaranteed minimum for each ordering period is 4,000,000 cards. The estimated maximum for the entire contract is 34,000,000 cards.”  These actions tend to indicate that immigration reform is coming, and in a substantial way! Stay tuned…

A Nation of Immigrants

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“Immigration policy should be generous; it should be fair; it should be flexible. With such a policy we can turn to the world, and to our own past, with clean hands and a clear conscience.”

–John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants