Unlawful Presence Part 1: What is Unlawful Presence?

Once you enter the US and overstay on a tourist visa (with a set expiry date), you start to accumulate unlawful presence.

Deporting All Illegal Aliens: How Would This Affect the US Economy?

There are a lot of critics of immigration that make comments regarding deportation of illegal aliens or undocumented immigrants. What would the economic impact be if this were to happen?

The nineth tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is to maintain a positive attitude.  A positive attitude will help you feel better and more confident - and will make a better impression on your immigration interviewer!  So make sure to practice smiling and stay positive!

I've always loved doing immigration waivers.  I enjoy getting to really know a person and their family.  I love the creativity involved in digging deep and finding ways to make the immigration case strong.

Recently, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) made a decision (unpublished) that a combination of substance abuse, emotional instability, and potential financial hardship were sufficient to constitute extreme hardship to a US Citizen (USC) spouse of a foreign national.  This prospective immigrant had "unlawful presence" - meaning staying in the US without permission.  This is something many foreign nationals have, for which they need a waiver in order to adjust their status (become a green card holder).

Children in Alabama have been made the victims of a provision in Alabama’s new anti-immigrant law. The new law, deemed harshest in the nation, requires that school officials verify the immigration status of children during enrollment. There are even reports that the faculty and staff are grilling the students about this, thus resulting in very high absenteeism rates among Latino children, even those who are lawful permanent residents and US citizens.

If you’re in the United States on an F-1 student visa, or you are thinking about getting a student visa, you will have to remember that you are not allowed to get a job. However, the prohibition on working has bigger effects than just not allowing you to get a job for pay. In some cases, you will not even be allowed to do volunteer work.

Immigration is a tricky subject, most especially during election time. There is a consensus that the issue of illegal immigration has brought problems, although not everyone is one the same page when it comes to how to best address the issue. In a new twist on the topic of immigration, the discussion has shifted to legal immigration. Usually the focus is all on illegal immigration but now even legal immigration has come under fire.

Immigration Court Tip #5: Turn Off All Cell Phones While you are in Immigration Court

This week we are doing a series on things you can do to succeed in immigration court. Today’s tip is to turn off all cellular phones and electronic devices while you are in immigration court. Not only can these be distracting but also they could seriously harm your case!

ICE Introduces Detention Hotline

The US detention system has a lot of flaws, some of which we have previously discussed here on ImmigrationAmerica.org. However, it looks like after far too long, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is finally acknowledging some of these problems and trying to fix them. Recently, ICE launched a new hotline for detained immigrants to call.

The Border Control Challenge

Borders can be tough to patrol.  The US-Mexico border is infamous for the trafficking and smuggling (of humans, drugs, and organs) that goes on there.  Although we here at ImmigrationAmerica support immigration reform because the system is broken, we don't advocate violating immigration laws - we also want border security.  Our goal is to help people who don't have the proper papers or who are going through the system now to help themselves.  So when we heard about this particular border patrol program, we were pleased.

I worked and lived for a number of years in Miami, Florida, where the housing bubble burst. Hit first and hit hardest, the housing market there has yet to even begin to recover. Interestingly, the most novel and effective solution to this problem lies in immigration.

The eighth tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is to know everything you need to about employment in the US.  What exactly you need to know depends on what kind of non-immigrant visa you're applying for.  However, this is very important no matter what kind of non-immigrant visa you want.

Typically, when you find Fox News reporting negatively about an anti-immigration measure, you know that it is not a good one.  Fox News, known for its right-wing leaning, reported recently on how NOBODY understands Alabama's new immigration law.  Attorneys don't understand it. Judges don't understand it. So how can normal citizens - let along undocumented aliens - be expected to understand it?

Despite individuals in the United States military being paid, the decision to join is entirely voluntary. The US military has branches that include: the Air Force, the Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy. Each of these branches has its own different qualifications for entrance. Nevertheless, there are general qualifications that are similar for all the branches. Continue reading for more information about joining the US military when you are an immigrant.

What Will Happen All the Way Through the Green Card Experience

The whole system for receiving your green card is now exceedingly complicated and as a consequence as long as you are lacking familiarity with those procedures, the green card process actually is just a little intimidating. That will undoubtedly be true as long as American English just isn't one's main language. Usually the green card experience may differ to some degree depending on the category of green card you are receiving. A large proportion of people today are obtaining some type of green card via her/his business organization or being married, although there are really a couple of alternate methods, like through the green card lotto, financial investment, or perhaps filing for asylum.

Immigration Court Tip #4: Be Respectful to Everybody in Immigration Court

This week we are doing a series on how to be successful in immigration court. The fourth tip in our series is to be respectful to everybody you meet in immigration court. How you act and treat people in immigration court is very important and affects the impression you make and what people think of you, so be respectful to everyone!

More Americans in Detention, US Citizens Called Illegal Aliens

We’ve heard the stories before, but it’s becoming a more common problem: American citizens are being arrested and detained on the suspicion that they are illegal aliens. Some US citizens have been arrested for failing to carry positive ID that they’ve got status, others have been detained in immigration detention centers and even put into deportation proceedings… while others have actually been deported.

The seventh tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is to make sure your documents are all in order.  You should try to figure out beforehand exactly what documents you need, have them arranged nicely, and have them easily at hand for your interview.

Many harsh critics of immigration, including politicians, need to remember where we all came from. Excepting the very few of us who come from Native American ancestry, we are all the result of immigration. Many of us were not even necessarily from “legal” immigrants, either, because immigration early in US history was not regulated. In fact, the British, French, and Spanish were all invaders.

Secure Communities is a federally mandated program that requires state and local law enforcement to provide ICE with fingerprints of all criminals (no matter how trivial the crime).  States are also required to hold any inmates with ICE detainers on them until ICE comes to pick them up.  This controversial law is set to roll out in all jails in the country by 2013.  Now it's getting its first taste of court.

Previously, only green card holders or US citizens could join the military. But that all changed recently. Now even those immigrants currently residing in the U.S. on temporary visa can now join the army; a first since the Vietnam War.

How to Remove the Conditions on Your Residency: From Conditional Residence to Permanent Residence

In case you had been married to a US citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) for less than 2 years at the time your application to become a Permanent Resident of the United States was approved, then that makes you a Conditional Resident of the Unites States. The reason why you hold a Conditional Resident status is that you will still need to prove that defrauding the United States immigration laws was not what motivated you to get married. You must prove you married for love, not just to get US residency.

Immigration Court Tip #3: Dress Appropriately for Immigration Court

This is the third tip in our series on how to succeed in immigration court. This tip is to always dress appropriately for immigration court. If you want to succeed, you must dress for success!

Immigration Offers Immigrants Opportunities… And Offers Americans and America Opportunities, too

The Director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Trade Policy Studios, Daniel Griswold, in a fascinating new paper, explains how native-born Americans become better off with regards to skills and income as immigrants arrive in the US. His arguments regarding expanded legal immigration have been that an inflation of the underclass will occur due to allowing more low-skilled foreign workers to enter the US.

This month, immigration has hit the GOP debate radar. Every candidate has something to say about it.

The sixth tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is that you must remember that not all countries are the same.  Some US consulates are known for being "hard" and others for being "easy."  You need to know which yours is and how to prepare.

One of the most common reasons people give as to why they want immigrants gone is that they take American jobs.  This could not be further from the truth.  What the immigrants' rights advocates say is actually true: Immigrants take the jobs Americans won't take.  The proof is clearly visible in Alabama.

South Carolina is the newest state to have jumped on the anti-immigration legislation bandwagon.  Like Arizona and Alabama, it is already facing lawsuits.  This is because not only does it affect immigrants here illegally, but it also affects US citizens and permanent residents.

EB-5 Visas: Green Card Immigration Laws for Investors in the United States

There is an immigration law that provides green cards to foreigners who invest $500,000 to $1 million in an enterprise that creates new jobs. There are private firms developing two major New Jersey state-sponsored projects, which are planning to take advantage of this law.

Immigration Court Tip #2: Attend All Immigration Court Hearings

Yesterday, in our series of tips on how to succeed in immigration court, we discussed how important it is to arrive on time to your immigration court hearing. Of course, this is only helpful if you do show up! So our second tip is to attend all immigration court hearings you have scheduled.

Immigrants to the United States will be Well-Integrated by 2030

A study done recently shows that immigrants are assimilating to the American lifestyle at a similar rate as their predecessors.

The Center for American Progress revealed a report that states that by 2030 immigrants will have integrated into the American society by learning English and contributing to economic growth.

Wow, what kind of inhumane politicians are we electing here in the US?  One politician, Loren Nichols, recently said illegal immigrants should be shot.

His reason? They don't respect our values.

Well, Nichols' views certainly show what kind of values he has.  I would not want him to have any power in any place where I lived... unfortunately, my values don't jive with his. Why? I actually value human lives.

E-Verify seems to be constantly changing. The most recent upgrade of E-Verify has incorporated a feature that can validate a driver’s licence. The driver’s licence is used by over 80% of new employees as identification for the verification process that is part of determining one’s employment suitability, making this a major upgrade.

The fourth tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is on how to deal with the subject of immediate family members (spouse and children).  Whether they are coming with you or remaining behind, you should know how best to address this subject during your non-immigrant visa interview.

Yesterday, we spoke about how many local governments are refusing to participate in the Secure Communities program.  Secure Communities is program whereby local law enforcement has to report all criminal violators to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who can then issue a detainer and the person can be slated for deportation.  But the program has a lot of flaws and a recent report from UC Berkely School of Law explains why.

How to Get a Green Card for Your Parents

As a United States citizen you may help your parents in coming to the US by obtaining a green card. This will help them become permanent citizens. By doing this you will be “sponsoring” your parents.

One out of Every Four Engineers and Scientists that Live in the United States is an Immigrant

Just so you know, TechAmerica Foundation has discovered that for every 4 engineers or scientists that live in the United States, you will always find that one of them was not born in the US. When this discovery was made public by TechAmerica Foundation, is also appealed to Congress, in the spirit of making the immigration process more effective. TechAmerica wants to improve the processes that workers in the technology industry have to go through to obtain visas.

Immigration Court Tip #1: Be On Time for Immigration Court

This is the first post in a series of tips on how to be successful in immigration court. The first key to being successful in immigration court is to be on time. In fact, you should be early. This is very important to starting your case off on the right foot.

And some people say the Feds aren't doing their job...!

As I follow blogs, forums, and news articles dedicated to immigration issues, I see a large number of people justifying states like Arizona and Alabama taking charge of immigration by saying "The Feds aren't doing the job, so the states have to!"  Working as I do in the immigration industry, this claim seems preposterous to me.  After all, if the Feds weren't doing their job, I would have nobody to help because nobody would need help!

The fifth tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is on learning to speak for yourself.   When you go into your interview you should not need to bring anyone else with you - and you may not even be allowed.  So learning to speak for yourself is very important!

It’s a trend sweeping the nation. In stark contrast to the anti-immigration movement in places like Arizona, Alabama, and Georgia, many local cities and counties are going the opposite direction: They are refusing to enforce federally mandated immigration laws.

Once upon a time, green cards didn't expire. Now, green cards are only valid for 10 years and must be renewed.  Even if you have one of the older green cards with no expiration date, you still must renew it immediately.

For all the information about how to renew your green card, click HERE!

Holiday Travel: How to Leave the United States on a Trip if you are an Immigrant

It is very important to assess the papers that you carry with you, especially if you are a foreign national living in the United States and wish to temporarily leave the United States on a trip. This is because your immigration status will determine the papers that you will be required to carry with you whenever you make such a trip.

Immigration Court Tips: How to Succeed in Immigration Court

Not long ago, we did a series of tips on how to get a non-immigrant visa. That series was very popular, so we have decided to do another series – tips on how to succeed in immigration court.

Yesterday, the New Jersey Journal reported that Senator Chuck Schumer "has a new wrinkle he hopes will fool an American public that has for more than a decade rejected rewarding law breakers."  This "wrinkle," he claims is Schumer's two claims that 1) Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) is still alive and 2) that immigrants create jobs.

So you've decided to enter the diversity visa lottery, most commonly known as the green card lottery.  That's great! But what are your chances of winning?

All you critics of immigration out there, listen up.  If you are one of those people who are arguing that everyone should be deported, you need a real reality check!  Try working within the system and you will see the same problems I do...

The third tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is to know and understand your program.  Whether you are applying for a business visa, a student visa, a religious visa, or another type of non-immigrant visa, you should really know and understand your program and how it fits into your life and your long-term plans.

It may be an anti-immigration dream come true, but Alabama’s new immigration law could come back to bite its supporters. With harsh and wide-ranging effects, the immigration law is having a disastrous effect on the Alabama economy. All people – whether they like the law or not - will soon feel those effects. Here’s a sample of what they are.

There are actually numerous unique kinds of immigration interviews, for example: a marriage interview, an asylum interview, a naturalization interview, and a U.S. consular interview. The officer carrying out the immigration questioning asks various sorts of questions at every one of the aforementioned variety of interviews and you will definitely be required to show different kinds of court documents. Just the same, these are plenty of fundamental approaches with respect to the right way to plan most efficiently to go to any type of immigration interview. Once you know the way to be well prepared to go to just one immigration interview, you'll be able to be successful in all sorts.

Almost two months ago, ImmigrationAmerica.org reported on how the President of the United States has the power to make real immigration reform progress without having to wait for Congress.  His hands aren't tied! President Obama can start today to make real changes.

This week, Texas Rep. Lamar Smith's HALT bill (standing for 'Hinder the Administration's Legalization Temptation Act') was hotly contested this week in a House hearing. (Read more in the Houston Chronicle.)  Instead of working out the budget like they should be, Rep. Smith and his Republican supporters seem to think this is an appropriate time to try to curb the President's power, even though it doesn't seem that he's actually been using it anyway.

If you applied for the diversity visa lottery last year, you should check to see if you won! The results are now available.  They became available for you to check on July 15, 2011, and will be available until June 30, 2012.  Check HERE to see if you won!

The second tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is that brevity is the soul of wit.  This means that you should be brief in everything you say. In other words, don't say more than you have to! This is very important.

Amid all the fanfare and fuss over Alabama’s tough immigration law, Georgia’s Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 and it’s damaging impacts has slipped by almost unnoticed. But local businesses and governments are noticing it right away.

There're quite a few different categories of interviews with immigration, for instance an asylum interview, a spousal interview, a U.S. consular interview, and a naturalization interview. Typically the immigration officer conducting the questioning asks various types of questions at every one of these variety of interviews and then you'll have to display various types of legal documents. Even still, there are certainly a bunch of practical approaches concerning ways to plan most efficiently to go to an immigration interview as a general rule. If you have an understanding of how to be prepared to go to just one immigration interview, you'll be able to be successful in all sorts.

The US government, like most governments, is somewhat slow and bureaucratic.  We announced yesterday that the 2013 diversity visa lottery, known commonly as the green card lottery, is now open and taking applications. However, it will be nearly a year before you find out if you won the lottery!

The first tip in our series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa is to learn English.  To some people this will seem obvious, but to other people this will seem completely unimportant.  Yet, learning English can give you a big boost in your application.

Alabama’s new immigration law has some far-reaching affects. Almost every aspect of life is touched by the law. And one of its impacts is to irreparably harm business in Alabama.

There are actually numerous distinctive kinds of immigration interviews, such as a naturalization interview, an asylum interview, a marriage interview, or a US consular interview. Typically the officer doing the immigration questioning asks different kinds of questions at every one of the aforementioned different kinds of immigration appointments and so you will be required to show different documents. Nonetheless, there are some straightforward tips concerning the way to prepare most efficiently for pretty much any immigration interview. Understanding the right way to get ready to go to one immigration interview, you are able to do well when you attend any sort.

A few days ago, a memo from many prominent attorneys to the President was released. (See http://americasvoiceonline.org/blog/entry/legal_memo_shows_obamas_hands_arent_tied_on_immigration_he_has_power_to_pro/ for more information.) This memo explained to President Obama the laws that allow him to change immigration policies without waiting for Congress to approve them.

The President of the United States is called the “Executive Branch,” which means that he is in charge of the branch of government that “executes” the laws, or enforces them. Congress gets to write laws, the Supreme Court decides what they mean, and the President decides how they should be carried out. What this means for current immigration law is that although slow-moving Congress may have the power to write completely new laws, but President Obama has the power to decide how to enforce the laws already on the books.

When it comes to immigration reform, President Obama is the most committed president in well over a decade. But as a liberal and controversial president, many politically conservative Americans – politicians among them – refuse to take him seriously. Immigration reform is something we definitely need and we should set party loyalties aside to come up with a solution.

Tomorrow, President Obama launches a tour to promote immigration reform. But how will he possibly convince the other side of the aisle to reach across and agree with him?

Secure Communities is a program where local law enforcement officials (police officers) have to run all fingerprints of people they arrest through the federal immigration database. Then, if the fingerprints reveal that the person is not an American, they can be detained and slated for deportation.

The Diversity Visa Lottery is OFFICIALLY OPEN!  As of a few minutes ago, the US government opened up for applications to the green card lottery program.  You have one month to apply.  Don't wait until the last minute!

Recently, we did a short series on tourist visas, addressing questions like why it is so hard to get a tourist visa and we provided tips on what you should do to try to be more successful with your tourist visa application.  I was inspired by that to write another, more in-depth, series on how to successfully get a non-immigrant visa.

There are many different kinds of immigration interviews, such as an asylum interview, an American citizenship interview, an immediate relative interview, and an interview at the consulate. Typically, the official carrying out the immigration questioning asks a wide variety of things at each of the aforementioned variety of immigration interviews and also you are going to be required to display various types of papers. Nonetheless, you can find a couple of basic approaches when it comes to how one can prepare most efficiently for pretty much any immigration interview. Understanding the right way to be prepared to go to just one particular immigration interview, you'll be able to do just fine when you attend all sorts.

The United States Constitution gives the States power to make laws covering anything the national laws don’t cover. But when something affects the whole country, like national security or immigration, the whatever Congress and the President decide becomes the law of the whole country.

In the last few years, the U.S. government has tried to change the mess of its mixed up and confusing immigration laws, but did not succeed. The States have gotten impatient and many have decided to make their own immigration laws, like the famous and controversial Arizona SB 1070.

I’ve heard so many people talking about Obama’s new amnesty that I could be rich if they each gave me a nickel. But what amnesty? There is NO amnesty!

I’m less worried about the political implications of claiming there’s been an “amnesty.” I’m not too worried about what the American people think of the program. What I’m worried about it the immigrants themselves.

The diversity visa lottery, otherwise known as the green card lottery, is opening up for applications in just a few days! On October 4, 2011 at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT - which is GMT - 4 hours), you can apply for a green card through the diversity visa lottery. Yesterday, we posted about how to know if you qualify for the diversity visa lottery. But do you need a lawyer to help you apply for the green card lottery, or can you do it yourself?

The numerous forms of visas, combined with so many options for coming over to the USA may have your brain spinning. You'll discover a multitude of potential visas, in addition to over a dozen other ways get yourself residency in the U.S.. In this post, you will find several details that will help you pick which visa is the best for you.

Interviews with Immigration Officials: Information About How You Be Ready

There are a variety of different types of immigration interviews, which includes an interview at the American consulate, an immediate relative interview, a United States citizenship interview, or an asylum interview. Typically the United States government official carrying out the appointment will definitely ask many different kinds of things at each of these wide variety of immigration appointments and also you will need to deliver very different legal documents. Nevertheless, there are certainly a handful of basic instructions pertaining to easy methods to plan the best way to go to any kind of immigration interview. When you are aware of the way to get ready to go to just one immigration interview, you can expect to be successful in all kinds.

Friday, September 9, 2011.  It is only two days away and there are many people who are rushing to meet this deadline.  That's because the US and its IRS long-arm is reaching into your bank accounts, no matter where in the world you live.  You have only until this Friday to file your back-taxes for the last 5 years, if you want to receive an amnesty for failing to file previously.

The diversity visa lottery, otherwise known as the green card lottery, is opening up for applications in just a few days! On October 4, 2011 at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT - which is GMT - 4 hours), you can apply for a green card through the diversity visa lottery. But how do you know if you qualify?

There's quite a few unique sorts of interviews with immigration, including an asylum interview, a naturalization interview, a spousal interview, and a interview at the U.S. consulate. The immigration officer conducting the appointment asks distinct sorts of questions at every one of those various sorts of immigration appointments and then you may be needed to display completely different paperwork. Yet, you can find a number of essential strategies with regard to how you can prepare best for an immigration interview in general. If you understand how to prepare for one particular immigration interview, you'll do just fine in any type.

There are many types of visas along with so many choices for ways to come over to the United States of America that your mind could very well be spinning. There are dozens of potential visas, and additionally over a dozen other ways to get legal permanent residency. You can find several different criteria that will help you pick which visa is correct for you.

Yesterday, we explored a few of the problems with the new immigration law. Although it is a step forward and, as advocates for immigrants, we think that it is on the whole a good move, this does not mean we should become complacent! We must continue to fight for true and Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

The system for receiving your own green card could be extremely tricky and so long as you're not at ease with it, the green card procedures actually are somewhat aggravating. That is truly your situation as long as American English is not your first language. The American green card experience varies to some extent based on the category of green card you are getting. The large majority of immigrants are making the effort to be given some type of green card by way of her/his corporation or being married, even though there are alternate approaches, like due to the green card lotto, attempting to obtain refugee status, or perhaps investing money.

Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of Homeland Security, has extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Sudan for another 18 months. She has also designated the new country, the Republic of South Sudan, for TPS for 18 months. Both this extension and this new designation will start on Nov. 3, 2011, and will be effective through May 2, 2013.  So if you qualify for one of these designations, you should go register or re-register now!

The other day I was watching a movie with Penelope Cruz in it.  Later that day, my husband was watching a baseball special on David “Big Papi” Ortiz. Google also showed up in the news, which mentioned founder Sergey Mihailovich Brin.  He asked me how it could be possible that these three famous individuals could be living and working in the US without having to wait so many years that their careers would already be over.  The answer is the O visa.

Recently, we wrote about how deaths on the Mexico-Arizona border have been going up per capita, and also about what Customs and Border Protection is trying to do about it. But just because CBP is trying to reach out and save lives of illegal border crossers, doesn’t mean you should try it. Enter Operation Streamline.

I find many people asking me, "How much does it cost to renew a green card?"  The answer is: It currently costs $365 to renew your green card, which you must mail in with your Form I-90. You may also have to pay $85 for biometrics. All money must be paid in check or money order made out to the “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”

So it will either cost you $365 if you have done biometrics recently or it will cost you $450 if you have not done biometrics recently.

You can download Form I-90 for FREE here!

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Honduras and of Nicaragua for an additional 18 months, beginning Jan. 6, 2012, and ending July 5, 2013.  You will have 60 days to re-register, beginning on November 4, 2011.  This means you MUST re-register BY January 5, 2012!  Don't delay - re-register now!

To learn more about TPS and how to register or re-register, please click HERE.

I wanted to share with everyone a brief update on the subject of the green card lottery, which is officially called the Diversity Visa Lottery.

The entry registration period for the 2012 Diversity Visa Lottery has ENDED.  The US government is not accepting any more applications for it.  However, the 2013 green card lottery entry period should open soon.  We expect it to open up in the October-November time period, so keep checking back for more information.

Recently, the Obama administration made a controversial announcement about a new policy to postpone deportations against undocumented immigrants who do not have criminal convictions. This has triggered various responses from immigrant rights advocates, from festive moods to cynicism.

Award-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas got a lot of publicity a few months ago when he came out and admitted that he is an undocumented immigrant. Brought here at age 12, he didn’t know for a while that he was undocumented. Now he has become an emblem – almost like a rallying point for DREAM Activists.

Has an email stating that you have won the Green Card lottery arrived in your inbox? Has the email proceeded to request you to send or transfer money? If not you, has it happened to someone you know? The sender of such emails is attempting to steal your money. Please do not send anything to them!

Months ago, ImmigrationAmerica.org reported on how the President has the executive power to change immigration laws singlehandedly.  Congress has been acting like babies, fighting across the aisle without any regard for what's really best for America.  This has stymied progress and finally Obama has stepped up and done something about it!

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) is a program to help legal immigrants who frequently get stopped when crossing the border into the US. If you are a legal immigrant who is frequently stopped for long questioning, brought back for secondary screening with a supervisor, or refused entry to the US, then this is the program to help you!

Today is the day!

If Arizona wants to have a shot at its immigration law standing, it has to appeal by this afternoon to the United States Supreme Court.

If they don't, the prior courts' declaration of most of its provisions as being unlawful will stand and become precedent for other states, which means laws proposed across the country would be in trouble.  If they do, it will cost the state a lot of money and mean a final showdown - a big risk in which the highest court in the land might strike down the infamous SB 1070.  Arizona Governor Brewer has said she will appeal... but she hasn't (yet).  Why?

There are 3 ways to get an investor visa:

1. Invest $1,000,000 in a company & create 10 direct jobs in 5 years.
2. Invest $500,000 in a company in a rural or high unemployment zone & create 10 direct jobs in 5 years.
3. Invest $500,000 in a regional center & create 10 direct or indirect jobs in 5 years.

EB-5 visas are a really hot topic right now. I've worked for and with some of the biggest players in the EB-5 immigration attorney competition to get clients. But then, what attorney wouldn't want clients with that kind of money to risk?

Immigrants come to the US seeking a better life for themselves - and for their families.  This includes not only their children but their parents, too.  Immigration critics think elderly immigrants just make demands on the system without contributing in the form of taxes, but they are very wrong. Here are some reasons why elderly immigrants often contribute much to our society - and our economy.

We recently posted a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for Green Card Renewals.  It's been getting good feedback, so I thought it may be helpful to our readers if we posted something more about it with a little more detailed information.

See, for some reason people seem to think that renewing your green card is going to be a long, hard, and scary process.  The green card process can be pretty scary for many people... it seems like you're being given a difficult time at every turn.  You have to fill out a pile of paperwork, go through interviews, and sometimes wait years to finally get your green card.

When Arizona passed SB 1070 almost exactly a year ago, it sparked off a heated controversy.  Arizona lost business as tourists boycotted it, yet won acclaim from lawmakers across the States, who immediately initiated copycat laws in half the states in the US.

Alabama is one of those states.

There's various different types of immigration interviews, which include an asylum interview, a family interview, a naturalization interview, or a American consular interview. The official carrying out the immigration questioning asks a wide variety of things at each of the aforementioned interviews, not to mention that you can expect to produce totally different records and documents at each. Having said that, there actually are a bunch of practical methods to plan the best way to go to any kind of immigration interview. When you discover the way to get ready to go to just one particular immigration interview, you can expect to do just fine when you attend all kinds.

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif), chair of the subcommittee on immigration, sent a letter to President Barack Obama calling for him to halt his decision to commence a non-legislative amnesty, insisting that the new policy defeats the purpose of our immigration laws, and is highly unfair for millions of Americans and legal immigrants who are searching for means to make a living.

The whole procedure of receiving a green card to America can be somewhat challenging, so long as you lack familiarity with this process. This happens to be especially true if English is not really your first language. The green card experience may differ in a few ways based upon the classification of green card you're hoping to try to get. Lots of applicants are making the effort to secure their green cards thanks to their business enterprises or being married; however, there are certainly a handful of alternate approaches, like via investing money, submitting an application for refugee status, or perhaps the green card lottery.

I hear a lot of critics of immigration saying that we should deport all the illegal aliens (who I prefer to call “undocumented aliens” because it is never illegal to be a person or to exist!). But what would the economic impact be if we followed through with this?

Earlier than 1989, after you were given your permanent resident card it continued to be valid forever. Sadly, following 1989, green cards remained valid only for ten years. If you've got one of those old LPR ("Lawful Permanent Resident") cards, you have to renew your green card before its expiration. Should you have an old green card, you have to renew it due to the fact that the prior versions aren't good any more. The process is quite easy once you learn all the steps.

There’s no doubt that the United States is in economic crisis, which is not improving. Hitting the debt ceiling and almost having the government and economy shut down as a result should be a huge warning. Now, a congressional super committee has been given the job of figuring out how to add $1.5 TRILLION to the US economy within the next 10 years. The answer is easier than you might think: Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR)!

In order to get one of the common temporary worker visa or one of thepermanent worker visas, in most cases you must have a degree.  But what exactly is a bachelor’s degree? Just because you went to college in your home country and were awarded the degree doesn’t mean it’s up to US immigration’s standards.

If you have a labor certification process going on and you are trying to get anemployment-based green card or visa, you’re probably starting to realize just how important proving your education is.  If you don’t do it correctly, you might not get approved! This becomes especially important when you’re getting a green card through the EB-2 or EB-3 categories.

Just in case you were wondering, it costs about $12,500 to deport an illegal immigrant. This figure includes the cost for taking the individual into custody, holding them in custody, and deporting them from the U.S. This information comes directly from Kumar Kibble, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deputy director.

So often I hear the question, "Why don't illegal immigrants just get their visas?"  Most people seem to think it is easy.  All someone needs to do is to work hard enough and earn enough money and save it up and they can get a visa to the US.  And while there are some visas you can, in effect, "buy" for $500,000 or $1 million, you can't just save up $5 or $10 thousand and come to the US.  It's much more complicated than that.

In immigration, it's important to remember to always tell the truth!  Lying on an application or in an interview will come back to haunt you eventually.  USCIS officers are specially trained to look for lies and to identify them.  It is better to just come clean and tell the truth, with remorse, if necessary. 

Often I hear detractors of immigrants and immigration crying about how immigrants are so terrible for society. One of the top arguments is that so many of them are criminals.

I have seen it before, many times. Clients of mine have ended up detained and deported as the result of them hiring someone who wasn’t really an attorney to handle their case. Then they must come to me for assistance, trying to repair their ruined lives.  They have had to pay extra - and I have had to work extra hard - to fix their cases and bring them into status.  These stories always break my heart because most of the time, these immigrants have done everything right – they qualify for the visa, they pay the money, they send in everything they’re supposed to – except that they hire the wrong person.

There has been a recent discovery of numerous unreported deaths that occurred in the past at immigrant detention centers. The government and immigrant rights groups are united in declaring that immigrant facilities must experience a change.

Had it not been for the comprehensive assessment of agency paperwork brought about by a court case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), it is possible that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may have missed these deaths.

Recently, I was in California. I spent a few weeks there earlier this summer and made a second trip just a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting to get a hands-on view of the immigration situation there.

The state of California is home to millions of immigrants, where they make up 25 percent of the population. Out of that 25 percent, close to 3 million are undocumented immigrants, and a huge number of them have been living in the U.S. for more than a decade.

Today’s economic environment is not very rosy, and has been a major cause of millions of people losing their jobs in first world nations. This situation has the leaders of these countries very nervous about the effect of immigrants with regard to demand for homegrown talent.

Immigrants in the US have been fighting to improve their standing in public opinion for decades, but the last one has probably been the most difficult. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, which were committed by foreign nationals, they’ve had an even harder fight.

In the past we’ve examined how the percentage of deaths of border crossers in Arizona have been increasing per capita. In the past couple of days, we have looked at what Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) is doing about it, and also at Operation Streamline, a relatively new law that is supposed to deter people from trying (and especially trying again) to cross. But are any of these ideas real solutions?

For a number of years, there have been reports about the deaths continuing to happen on the U.S./Mexico border. The rising number of deaths (already in the thousands) can be directly correlated to the sudden surge in border control which started during the beginning years of President Bill Clinton’s administration.

The health care reform bill has been signed into law by President Obama, and now Congress can focus on immigration reforms. Congress’s previous inaction has led the President to respond by taking matters into his own hands and using his executive power to effect change. While his actions have infuriated some people, they are actually exactly what this country needs.

Present-day politics in the US seems to be a never-ending argument. One can comprehend the economic side, however there is a bias that is present in immigration discussions that is quite startling. 99% of the citizenry are not descended from Native Americans, so, ironically, immigration is the reason they are here in the first place.

They say that power corrupts. I've certainly seen it happen. I've been in more than one circumstance where I was denied access to a client - even green card holders - who needed my assistance as an attorney. In one case, a client was improperly detained by CBP and even though I was there and wanted to see him and be present for his questioning, CBP didn't allow me in. That's illegal! He may be an immigrant, but he had a valid green card and an attorney present. I should have been allowed to be with him at all times.

The encouraging news was just released that border deaths in Arizona are down.   I don't know how encouraging this is, however.  Apprehensions along that border have been cut almost in half while deaths have dropped only one-third.  It's possible that death tolls per capita are rising and people out there are applauding.

It's always good to hear that fewer people are crossing the border without inspection.  Nobody is encouraging illegal immigration.  The problem is that this doesn't solve the core problems we're facing with immigration.

Today I saw the quote, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." by Leo Tolstoy.  I've always loved this quote because I feel like it's so true.  I am also one of those who wants to change the world, and myself in the process, by helping others live their immigration dreams.

The truth is that when it comes to immigrating to America, there is a lot you can do to help yourself.  By changing yourself a bit - taking that first step - you can start your immigration process and find yourself waking up in America!  So many people talk about the "American Dream" but so few people actually live it. Why?