Ahead Of Executive Action, Immigrant Families Celebrate Holidays

Pharr, TX -- When Estefania Arriazola, 21, and her family in Edinburgh, Texas sit down for their traditional dinner of tamales and hot chocolate, her family's prayer of thanks will include a special thank you that her parents will soon be able to apply for driver's licenses, visit an uncle in Corpus Christi and apply for better jobs to pay her mother's medical bills.

In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, families like the Arriazolas who have been "living in the shadows" but who qualify under President Barack Obama's upcoming executive action on immigration say it is a very special Christmas.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/ahead-executive-action-immigrant-families-celebrate-holidays-n273261

Contact Darren Heyman immigration attorney Las Vegas for information on immigration reform.

Israelis still a long way from US visa waiver

A bill extending strategic cooperation between Israel and the US will in practice still leave Israelis queueing for US visas.

A bill to extend cooperation between Israel and the US, and which describes Israel as "an important strategic partner" of Washington and establishes the right of Israeli citizens to enter the US without a visa, yesterday passed its last hurdle in Congress when the House of Representatives approved it unanimously. The Senate passed the bill in September, and it will be sent to the president for his signature soon,

 Read more: http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-us-embassy-in-tel-aviv-long-way-to-revolution-1000991309

Please contact Darren Heyman, Immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information. 

If original DACA program is a guide, many eligible immigrants will apply for deportation relief

About 4 million unauthorized immigrants are eligible for temporary deportation relief under President Obama’s new executive action, but how many will take advantage of the offer? A previous program may offer some insights. One way immigrants may qualify for relief is under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which started in 2012 and is now expanding. In that program, applications surged after the program’s launch and trailed off over time. Today, nearly two-thirds (64%) of the estimated 1.1 million unauthorized immigrants who are eligible have had their applications accepted for review. . Read more: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/12/05/if-original-daca-program-is-a-guide-many-eligible-immigrants-will-apply-for-deportation-relief/

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration Attorney Las Vegas, for more information on DACA. 

Study: improved tourist visa laws would add billions in revenue and thousands of jobs within five years

Improved tourist visa laws would add more than $7.5 billion in U.S. revenue and create 50,000 U.S. jobs within five years, according to a report released Monday by The Partnership for a New American Economy.

The report, “Passport to Future Economic Growth: How Expanding the Visa Waiver Program Will Strengthen the U.S. Economy and Create American Tourism Jobs,” found that when a country joins the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, the United States sees a notable increase in the number of tourists from that country in the immediate years that follow. Over the course of its first five years in the program, the number of tourists arriving from a participating country rises by 16.4 percent.

According to the study, if six countries — Brazil, Hong Kong, Turkey, Israel, South Africa, and Poland — were to gain entry into the Visa Waiver Program in 2015, more than 600,000 additional travelers from those countries would visit America in the following year. And between 2015 and 2019, an estimated 1.7 million more residents of those countries would visit the United States than otherwise would have otherwise. Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article4496612.html

Ask Darren Heyman, Immigration Attorney Las Vegas about tourist visas. 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article4496612.html#storylink=cpy

Fiance Visas Keeping You Together

If you are confused as to when you need to apply for fiance visa  there are a couple of questions you should ask yourself that will lead to an easy answer. The first question is do you have a foreign national that you are in love with that resides in a country outside the United States?

The second one is do you want to marry that individual and make them your spouse? If the answer to both of those questions is yes then you need a fiance visa.

Too often either through ignorance or a misguided sense of thinking they are smarter than the system people that fall in love with individuals from foreign countries apply for the wrong type of visas, and are then surprised when the results are disastrous. If you think you are the first one who believes they will just get a tourist visa, or a work visa, or a student visa rest assured that you are not even the first person who has had that thought this week. Read more: http://blogs.siliconindia.com/latestnewstoday/Business/Fiance-Visas-Keeping-You-Together-bid-QF82TaEI24913007.html

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration Attorney Las Vegas for more information on fiancee visa process. 

January 2015 Visa Bulletin: Some Good News, But Executive Action Benefits Cannot Come Soon Enough

The Department of State’s (DOS) January Visa Bulletin brings some New Years cheer for China and “All Other Countries” designations indicating that that the EB-3 subcategory for professionals and skilled workers will advance by nine months for China, from June 1, 2010 to March 1, 2011, and seven months for “All Other Countries,” from November 1, 2012 to June 1, 2013.  Unfortunately, the EB-3 category for India continues to wallow in a mire of retrogression advancing only two weeks, from December 1, 2003 to December 15, 2003.

The EB-2 category offers little in the way of good reading with China advancing only a month, from January 1, 2010 to February 1, 2010, and India seeing no change from last month’s Bulletin, staying put at February 15, 2005.  The EB-2 category remains “current” for “All Other Countries.”  The EB-5 category remains current for now, but is expected to change in the second half of the fiscal year. Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/january-2015-visa-bulletin-some-good-news-executive-action-benefits-cannot-come-soon

Ask Darren Heyman, Immigration attorney Las Vegas about Visa Bulletin today.

Immigration Reform 2014: Obama Defends Illegal Immigrant Policy In Diverse Nashville

President Barack Obama will speak at a Nashville, Tennessee, social service center Tuesday to defend his executive action that granted temporary work status to millions of illegal immigrants in November. There are approximately 130,000 illegal immigrants in Tennessee, 40,000 of which are eligible to be protected from deportation under Obama’s order, according to Pew Research.
“With the number of foreign-born residents more than doubling over the past decade, Nashville has actively worked to welcome new Americans,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said ahead of the trip, according to The Tennessean. “Through community-based programs and government initiatives, the city is empowering and engaging New American community leaders. And the city’s actions are paying off.”  Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/immigration-reform-2014-obama-defends-illegal-immigrant-policy-diverse-nashville-1744978

Ask Darren Heyman, the Immigration Attorney Las Vegas about immigration reform.

On Immigration, a Huge Job Ahead

There is an immigration crisis looming, but it’s not at the border. It will be hitting in offices and courtrooms, and be measured in mountains of paper and strained bank accounts, in long lines and delays. It will be caused by the critical shortage of lawyers and other legal assistance for families navigating the immigration bureaucracy and justice system.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/03/opinion/on-immigration-a-huge-job-ahead.html 

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration Attorney Las Vegas, for updates on immigration reform.

The complicated rules of citizenship

 To Americans, the rules of citizenship can seem simple: You're a member of this nation either by birth or naturalization. But centuries of debate over how citizenship can be acquired and lost show that the concept is not simple at all. This is especially true of birthright citizenship, the rule that confers membership on children born here regardless of whether their parents are documented.

Until the Civil War — and the Dred Scott decision that helped precipitate it by denying citizenship even to former slaves in free territory — the United States managed to finesse a definition of national citizenship. The founders and their descendants avoided the hard political, moral and legal questions about membership posed by Indians, slaves and black freemen. The Constitution used the term “citizen” but did not define it. State citizenship law sufficed. Read more: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-schuck-citizenship-birthright-immigration-20141123-story.html

Please contact Las Vegas Immigration lawyer, Darren Heyman for more information on the US citizenship application process

Obama's immigration order is no free ride for undocumented

San Diego (CNN) -- President Obama's critics have the right to be upset by his decision to shield from deportation, at least temporarily, some groups of undocumented immigrants. But they don't have the right to twist the facts, use inflammatory language and create confusion.

They're the ones who are most confused. They don't appear to have the foggiest idea how the process would work. That's their own fault. They should have paid closer attention two years ago, the last time the administration did something like this, with the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Read more at: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/30/opinion/navarrette-dapa-gop-doesnt-get-it/

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, if you are interested in getting more updates on the immigration reform. 

U.S. Visa Program Attracts 11 Million Applicants

 Read more at: http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-visa-program-attracts-11-million-applicants-1415250362

An annual U.S. visa lottery program that offers immigrants a chance to become permanent residents drew more than 11 million applicants this year, as lawmakers appear poised to end it.

The so-called diversity visa program attracted 21% more entries this year than last year, according to the State Department, which means less than 0.5% of applicants will receive visas distributed by sheer luck of the draw.

The program, created in 1990 to promote diversity in the immigrant pool, has drawn as many as 14.8 million applicants in a year. But its fate is unclear.

Under a Senate immigration bill that passed last year, the lottery would be eliminated, and analysts say it is unlikely to survive if lawmakers pass a broad overhaul of the immigration system.

To find out more about the DV Lottery application process, contact Darren Heyman, Immigration Attorney Las Vegas.

After Obama’s Immigration Action, a Blast of Energy for the Tea Party

WASHINGTON — In all its fury and unanimity, the response from the right to President Obama’s decision to change immigration policy without the consent of Congress was the manifestation of a major transformation within the Tea Party. 

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/obamas-immigration-action-reinvigorates-tea-party.html?_r=0

What started five years ago as a groundswell of conservatives committed to curtailing the reach of the federal government, cutting the deficit and countering the Wall Street wing of the Republican Party has become a movement largely against immigration overhaul. The politicians, intellectual leaders and activists who consider themselves part of the Tea Party have redirected their energy from advocating fiscal austerity and small government to stopping any changes that would legitimize people who are here illegally, through granting them either citizenship or legal status. 

Ask Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, Darren Heyman about updates on immigration reform.

Department of State Releases December 2014 Visa Bulletin

The Bulletin shows that cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category remain severely backlogged, cutoff dates in EB-3 for the Rest of the World and China advance by five months, and EB-3 China is now ahead of EB-2 China.

Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/department-state-releases-december-2014-visa-bulletin

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released its December 2014 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate the flow of adjustment of status (AOS) and consular immigrant visa applications. Foreign nationals may file applications to adjust their statuses to that of permanent residents or to obtain approval of immigrant visas at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, provided that their priority dates are prior to the respective cutoff dates specified by the DOS.  

If you are interested in learning more about the visa bulletin dynamics and how it affects your case, please contact
Las Vegas immigration attorney, Darren Heyman.

US, China agree to expand validity of business, tourist visas to 10 years

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/10/us-china-agree-to-expand-validity-business-tourist-visas-to-10-years/
BEIJING –  Putting a bright face on the future of U.S. ties to China, President Barack Obama announced Monday that the two countries would start granting visas to each other's citizens valid for up to a decade. Yet thorny issues like human rights and trade lurked just under the surface, reflecting the tough road ahead for the two economic powers as Obama began a weeklong trip to the region.

Obama, addressing Asian business leaders at a high-level summit, sought to dispel the notion that America's interest in Asia should be a cause for concern for China's leaders. Beijing has viewed Obama's engagement here with trepidation, suspecting the U.S. wants to limit China's rise, but Obama insisted that "one country's prosperity doesn't have to come at the expense of the other."

If you are looking to apply for a tourist visa to the US, please contact Las Vegas immigration attorney, Darren Heyman for a legal advice.

Talking Past Each Other on Immigration Reform

Everybody's talking about immigration reform, but with the Congressabout to switch from divided control to two Houses united under Republican leadership, it's not really clear that anybody even knows what it means anymore.

The point was hammered home on Sunday morning in an exchange between Tea Party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) who appeared on a panel during CNN's State of the Union.

Coons complained that after the Senate passed a bipartisan package of comprehensive immigration reforms in 2013, the House of Representatives did nothing. Read more: http://www.cnbc.com/id/102169801 

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration Attorney Las Vegas for immigration reform updates.

A U.S. citizen's criminal record won't affect his wife's chances for permanent resident status

Q: I am a U.S. citizen. I want to marry my longtime girlfriend and get her a green card. Presently, I am in jail, but I am fighting the criminal charges against me. Once we marry, will my criminal record be a problem when my wife applies for permanent residence?

F., Rikers Island

A: Your criminal record won’t impact your wife-to-be’s green card rights.

Immigration likes to interview a couple together. The law doesn’t require that, but part of your struggle will be to get the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve your petition for your wife without a joint interview.

If you petition for your wife after you get out of jail, her case becomes the same as for most other spouses of a citizen. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/citizenship-now/criminal-record-deterrent-fiancee-green-card-article-1.1997862

Immigration Reform News 2014: Final Recommendations Coming From Agencies for Obama's Executive Action on Immigration Reform

Within the next few weeks, the Justice Department and Homeland Security will finalize their recommendations for immigration reform for the Obama Administration's executive action, reportedBuzzfeed.

President Obama said he will wait until after the elections before making the announcement. The delay has angered many Latino leaders, organizations and immigrants which may either result increased Latino turnout during the midterm elections next week, or a tepid response. Election pundits says the delay has galavinzed voters.

"Immigration is a core issue for Latinos," said Cristobal Alex, president of Latino Victory Project. "There is frustration in the Latino community around that [congressional inaction]."  Read more: http://www.latinpost.com/articles/24738/20141030/government-agencies-finalize-recommendations-for-immigration-reform-executive-action.htm

Ask Darren Heyman, Immigration Lawyer Las Vegas, about immigration reform. 

Ahead of 2016, Immigration Activists Want Answers From Clinton

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hillary Rodham Clinton had just finished telling the crowd that North Carolina families could count on Senator Kay Hagan when the chants of Oliver Merino — a 25-year-old whose mother, an undocumented Mexican immigrant, faces deportation — grew louder.

He held a sign that read, “Hillary, do you stand with our immigrant families?” and shouted that his mother lives in constant fear of deportation. “I have to say that I understand immigration is an important issue, and we appreciate that,” Mrs. Clinton said. “We thank you for your advocacy.”

President Obama has promised executive action on immigration change after the midterm elections. But immigration activists have already turned their focus — and their frustration — to his potential successor. Read more:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/us/ahead-of-2016-immigration-activists-want-answers-from-clinton.html?_r=0

Marriage to a U.S. citizen gives an immigrant an easy road to permanent resident status

Q: I am a U.S. citizen and I plan to marry my girlfriend who came here as a visitor but overstayed. What’s the process for getting her a green card?

Name Withheld, New YorkA: Good news: your wife-to-be has an easy road to permanent residence. First, she can interview here, the process called “adjustment of status.” That’s despite her not being here legally. Except individuals who came as crew members or on transit visas, green card applicants married to U.S. citizens, inspected at entry, can adjust status. As the spouse of a U.S. citizen, you can petition for your wife and she can apply for permanent residence simultaneously. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/marriage-u-s-citizen-green-card-applicants-article-1.1975478

In immigration news: Fewer immigration holds, new detention center for families, more

Thousands Released After Immigration Holds Denied - Associated Press From the story: "Immigration officials say local authorities across the U.S. released thousands of immigrants from jails this year despite efforts to take them into federal custody, including more than 3,000 with previous felony charges or convictions. The numbers are the first time federal immigration authorities have publicly detailed how many times local agencies have refused to comply with their requests." A growing number of local agencies are denying requests for federal immigration holds on immigrants in their custody. Read more: http://www.scpr.org/blogs/multiamerican/2014/10/20/17445/in-immigration-news-california-driver-s-licenses-f/

Applying for a green card with misdemeanor convictions on your record could mean deportation

Q: I am a permanent resident. Twenty years ago I was convicted of felonies and faced deportation. However, the immigration judge granted me a waiver. Since then, I have been convicted of two misdemeanors. I want to renew my expired green card. Should my misdemeanor convictions worry me?
Name Withheld, QueensA: Though your convictions were for misdemeanors only, applying for a new green card could mean your deportation. It depends on the misdemeanors. The law considers some misdemeanors to be “aggravated felonies.” And, some misdemeanors that are not aggravated felonies can result in deportation. Get an immigration law expert to review your record. Read more:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/citizenship-now/misdemeanor-convictions-lead-deportation-article-1.1969480

Department of State Releases November 2014 Visa Bulletin

The bulletin shows slight forward movement in all employment-based preference categories, with the exception of the EB-2 India category, which will remain unchanged.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released its November 2014 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate the flow of adjustment of status (AOS) and consular immigrant visa applications. Foreign nationals may file applications to adjust their statuses to that of permanent residents or to obtain approval of immigrant visas at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, provided that their priority dates are prior to the respective cutoff dates specified by the DOS. Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/department-state-releases-november-2014-visa-bulletin

Ponnuru: Immigration reform still doesn't have a chance

Would a Republican takeover of the Senate improve the prospects that an immigration bill will get to President Barack Obama's desk? That theory is making the rounds - and some of the people who oppose the dominant approach to immigration reform are starting to worry about it.
The theory goes like this: A lot of Republicans, having just taken full control of Congress and seeking the presidency in 2016, will want to show that they can govern. And many of them think that they need to deal with immigration, in particular, to do so. The idea is that passing a reform bill would help the party appeal to Hispanics and take the issue away from Democrats in the presidential campaign.
It could happen, but I'm skeptical. Read more: http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/immigration-reform-still-doesn-t-have-a-chance-ramesh-ponnuru-1.9498367

United States: DV-2016: Applications Currently Accepted

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery  program continues—at least for one more year.  The DV-2016  application period began on Wednesday, October 1, 2014, at noon and will end at noon on November 3, 2014.  From year-to-year, there is always speculation as to whether the DV Lottery will continue.  So, if you're eligible and are inclined to give your luck a try, there's no time like the present.
Congress created the DV Lottery program to provide an extra opportunity for those from countries with low rates of immigration to the US to seek U.S. permanent residence.  For DV-2016, 50,000 visas will again be available.  Applicants from no single country may in total receive more than 7% (i.e., no more than 3,500 per country for DV-2016) of the visas in any fiscal year. Read more: http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/345162/work+visas/DV2016+Applications+Currently+Accepted

Should the U.S. abandon the visa waiver program?

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating foreign countries to enter the U.S. without a visa for 90 days. In exchange for this benefit, participating countries agree to information-sharing and security cooperation with the U.S., along with reciprocal travel privileges for U.S. citizens.
The rise of ISIS has created a heightened threat of foreign terrorists entering the U.S. from European countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program. Accordingly, some members of Congress are talking about ending the program. Read more: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/10/should-the-u-s-abandon-the-visa-waiver-program.php

Federal Appeals Court Limits "Mandatory" Immigration Detention

ACLU class action lawsuit argued federal government wrongly incarcerated more than 100 people a year in Massachusetts jails under "mandatory detention" provision.
BOSTON — In a ruling that could enable more than 100 Massachusetts detainees per year to argue for their freedom, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has rejected the federal government's application of a "mandatory" immigration detention provision that prevents certain noncitizens from requesting release on bond during their immigration proceedings. The ruling came Monday afternoon in a pair of cases—including one brought by the ACLU of Massachusetts, the national ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, the Political Asylum / Immigration Representation Project, and Lutheran Social Services—in which noncitizens argued that they were being improperly detained without even the opportunity to request their release. Read more: https://www.aclu.org/immigrants-rights/federal-appeals-court-limits-mandatory-immigration-detention

It’s Time to Register with the U.S. Department of State for the 2016 Diversity Lottery!

On October 1, 2014, the U.S. Department of State will begin accepting requests to register for the 2016 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2016), also known as the Green Card Lottery. The Diversity Lottery Program provides a path for foreign nationals to become permanent residents of the United States regardless of whether they have a family member or an employer willing to sponsor them. This program is a success, facilitating the immigration of people from across the globe. If you meet the eligibility requirements and wish to secure permanent residence status in the United States, you should consider registration in the lottery. Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/it-s-time-to-register-us-department-state-2016-diversity-lottery

Illegal Immigrants Seeking Asylum Face a Higher Bar

Immigrants who enter the country illegally are becoming less likely to be deemed eligible for asylum, as federal authorities tighten standards amid an increase in Central American migrants this year.

As an initial step to request asylum, apprehended migrants who say they are scared to go back to their home country are screened to determine if they have "credible fear" of persecution or torture. In July, the most recent month available, 63% of those who claimed they were afraid to return were found to have met that criterion, down from 83% six months earlier, according to a report released to immigrant-rights groups by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Read more:http://online.wsj.com/articles/illegal-immigrants-seeking-asylum-face-a-higher-bar-1411945370

US: Immigrant Families Fail to Report to Agents

Tens of thousands of young families caught crossing the border illegally earlier this year subsequently failed to meet with federal immigration agents, as they were instructed, the Homeland Security Department has acknowledged privately.

An official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed that about 70 percent of immigrant families the Obama administration had released into the U.S. never showed up weeks later for follow up appointments.

The ICE official made the disclosure in a confidential meeting at its Washington headquarters with immigration advocates participating in a federal working group on detention and enforcement policies. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of Wednesday's meeting and separately interviewed participants. Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/apnewsbreak-immigrant-families-ignore-follow-25758067

What Happened to U.S. Plans to Raise the H-1B Visa Ceiling?

A long-anticipated increase in the number of H-1B visas issued to work in the United States has been delayed indefinitely, experts said, as the debate about immigration has turned toxic in Washington.
United States President Barack Obama said last week that he would put off executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections. Earlier he had said he would act to revamp the immigration system by the end of the summer. Now, White House officials say the president will act by the end of the year.
The executive action had been widely expected to ratchet back deportations and possibly offer work permits to people in the U.S. illegally. It might have also included administrative changes pushed by companies that would produce more legal visas for people seeking to work in the U.S. Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/09/12/what-happened-to-u-s-plans-to-raise-the-h-1b-work-visa-ceiling/

Quick route to US green cards: After Chinese & Koreans, HNIs go for EB5 permanent visas

For the first time since it was created 24 years ago, employment-based fifth preference (EB5), the American government's fast-track permanent residence programme for people willing to invest half a million dollars and create 10 jobs in the US, has hit its annual cap for the 2014 fiscal year as far as Chinese nationals are concerned. 
And it's not just the Chinese. Rich Indians, too, are increasingly looking at EB5, under which up to 10,000 visas are issued a year to immigrant investors to help stimulate the US economy. Investments are routed through designated regional centres in the US, which are authorised by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Read more: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-09-08/news/53691391_1_rich-indians-green-card-eb5-programme

October Visa Bulletin – Some Gains in the EB-3 Category, but Near Future Bleak for EB-2 India

The Department of State released its October Visa Bulletin today.  On a positive note, the EB-2 category for Chinese nationals has made a five week gain, from October 8, 2009 to November 15, 2009; and the EB-3 category for skilled workers/professionals for Chinese nationals has jumped five months, from November 1, 2008 to April 1, 2009.  The EB-3 category will advance six months for nationals of “all other countries” from April 1, 2011 to October 1, 2011; whereas it will only move forward a week for Indian nationals from November 8, 2003 to November 15, 2003. Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/october-visa-bulletin-some-gains-eb-3-category-near-future-bleak-eb-2-india

US lines up Russia sanctions, opposes Crimea secession

Washington, U.S.A: The United States on Thursday imposed visa bans and set the stage for wider sanctions against Russia, warning any move to split the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine would break international law.
President Barack Obama spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin to explain the measures, which he said were in response to Russia's "violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Obama further stiffened the US response to Russia's incursion into Ukraine as his Secretary of State John Kerry worked in Europe for a diplomatic way out of the worst East-West crisis in decades.
The visa ban targets Russians and Ukrainians blamed for threatening the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine, where pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted after mass protests last month. - Pressuring Putin - They were also merely a first step. Obama also signed an executive order paving the way for economic sanctions against individuals or entities in Russia. Read more: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ureport/story/2000133724/us-lines-up-russia-sanctions-opposes-crimea-secession/

Why putting off immigration reform won’t make it any easier

By Washington Post: President Obama's decision to delay executive action on immigration reform until after the midterms in November might not save the Democratic party its majority in the Senate, or lead to the sort of inclusive and robust overhaul the president promised earlier this summer.

The fear among immigration advocates is that reform has taken a back seat. “It’s just really, really ridiculous to see that they’re basically once again throwing the Latino community under the bus when it comes to politics,” Erika Andiola, co-director of the Dream Action Coalition, told The Washington Post on Saturday. "Why are we being thrown under the bus just to keep the Senate, when they can’t even prove that it’s going to hurt the Senate?" Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/09/why-putting-off-immigration-reform-wont-make-it-any-easier/

EB-5 US visa runs out of Chinese places

For the first time in 24 years, the EB-5 US investor visa has run out of places for Chinese applicants. Demand is set to be high in future, says leading immigration consultancy, EB5 Select.com.
The EB-5 US investor visa scheme has run out of places for Chinese applicants after a surge in demand.
Charles Oppenheimer, Chief of Visa Control, for the US Department of State‘s Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division,  told an industry conference that no more places are available to Chinese up until 30 September, the end of the present financial year, but a new annual allocation starts on 1 October. Read more: http://www.opp-connect.com/03/09/2014/eb-5-us-visa-runs-out-of-chinese-places/

U.S. runs out of investor visas as Chinese overwhelm program

The United States has exhausted its annual supply of EB-5 immigrant investor visas for the first time in the program's history following a surge of applications from Chinese nationals.

The State Department's chief of visa control, Charles Oppenheimer, told lawyers at an industry conference earlier this week that no more spots will be available to Chinese for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Several attendees confirmed his comments to CNNMoney. Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/27/news/economy/china-us-visa/

U.S. Fee to Drop Citizenship Is Raised Fivefold

The fee for individuals to renounce U.S. citizenship is jumping to $2,350 as of Sept. 12—more than five times the current charge of $450.
The U.S. State Department, in its explanation for the increase, said that documenting a renunciation is “extremely costly” and requires a minimum of two intensive interviews with the applicant as well as other procedures.
The fees charged for a number of other services, such as “fiance(e) visas” and employment-based visa applications,  increased far less than those for renunciation and in some cases declined.
The large increase in the renunciation fee comes at a time when record numbers of Americans living abroad are cutting ties with the U.S. Last year, 2,999 U.S. citizens and green-card holders renounced their allegiance to the U.S., a record number, andrenunciations in 2014 are on track to exceed that. The State Department estimates that 7.6 million Americans live abroad. Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/totalreturn/2014/08/30/government-fee-to-give-up-u-s-citizenship-is-raised-fivefold/

U.S. to consider spousal abuse in immigration claims

A government immigration board has determined for the first time that domestic violence victims may be able to qualify for asylum in the United States. The ruling comes in the case of a Guatemalan woman who crossed into the U.S. illegally in 2005 after fleeing her husband.
She said she called local police in Guatemala to report the abuse but was repeatedly told that the authorities would not interfere in her marriage. She argued that the abuse and the lack of police response should make her eligible for asylum. Read more:http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2024403701_apximmigrationasylum.html

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration attorney, for more information. 

US introduces new non-immigrant visa appointment system

Islamabad

The Embassy and Consulate General of the United States of America in Islamabad and Karachi, Pakistan will transition to a new appointment and document delivery service for the non-immigrant visa unit as of August 24, 2014.

This new system, which is being implemented in phases at US embassies and consulates worldwide, is designed to be more comprehensive and user-friendly. It replaces the current appointment system of scheduling at Amex and Speedex locations in Pakistan, though these contractors will also be involved in the new system. Read more: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-268648-US-introduces-new-non-immigrant-visa-appointment-system

 Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration attorney, for more information. 

In immigration news: Executive action hopes, lawsuit over expedited deportations, migrant youth shelters, more

As Obama returns, advocates look for executive action - The Hill Now that President Obama has returned from vacation, advocates are hoping he'll soon move forward on immigration. The president has stated that he'll take executive action on immigration in the near future, a move some hope will spare more immigrants from deportation and make it easier for businesses to hire foreign workers. Read more: http://www.scpr.org/blogs/multiamerican/2014/08/25/17196/in-immigration-news-executive-action-hopes-lawsuit/

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration attorney, for more information.  

Ineligible illegals file request to get Dreamer status, force Obama’s hand

Nearly a dozen illegal immigrations announced a campaign Wednesday to force President Obama’s hand on halting deportations, saying they would file papers demanding to be let into the existing program granting legal status to so-called Dreamers, although none qualifies.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/20/illegals-file-applications-force-obamas-hand/#ixzz3B02ppo6Z

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

Application fee for U.S. citizenship is unaffordable

With just a few legislative days left for the 113th Congress before the November elections, it is clear that House Republicans will ignore the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill passed by the Senate last year. Even when the business, labor, justice and faith communities, as well as the majority of Americans, think Congress should act. This is not surprising; the 113th Congress has a knack for kicking cans down the road on transportation, spending, tax reform, gun control and just about every other issue. Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-illegal-immigration-emanuel-guietteriz-perspec--20140814-story.html
 Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

Department of State Releases September 2014 Visa Bulletin

The National Law Review:

The bulletin shows continued forward movement in the EB-2 India category while the cutoff dates in most other employment-based categories remain unchanged.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released its September 2014 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate the flow of adjustment of status (AOS) and consular immigrant visa applications. Foreign nationals may file applications to adjust their statuses to that of permanent residents or to obtain approval of immigrant visas at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, provided that their priority dates are prior to the respective cutoff dates specified by the DOS. Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/department-state-releases-september-2014-visa-bulletin

Gay illegal immigrants demand special treatment from Obama

Gay immigrants are mounting a campaign to demand that they be included in any unilateral moves President Obama makes this year to halt deportations, arguing that they face unusual circumstances that otherwise might leave them on the outside.

The demands pose a tricky test for Mr. Obama, who has made major inroads with gay rights groups during his time in the White House, but who will have to draw lines somewhere as he seeks to craft a more lenient deportation policy without canceling deportations altogether.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/12/gay-illegal-immigrants-demand-deportation-protecti/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS#ixzz3APe3XC82
Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

Immigration Reform Update: Alaska Republican Senate Candidate Defends Comparing Immigrants to Hispanic Gang Members

The immigration crisis has become an issue for U.S. states thousands of miles away from the southern border. In Alaska, three Republicans vying for the state's GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate debated immigration.
Former Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell commented on their refusal to sign a pledge set forth by fellow candidate Joe Miller, who has garnered support from the tea party. The pledge by Miller would reaffirm opposition to any efforts to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants if any of the three GOP candidates were elected to the U.S. Senate. Read more: http://www.latinpost.com/articles/19014/20140811/immigration-reform-update-alaska-republican-party-candidates-debate-amnesty.htm

 Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

A Better Immigration Compromise

One of the more striking aspects of the immigration reform debate is the simple, important fact about public opinion that it has largely ignored. President Obama and his allies often emphasize that though the Senate immigration bill has been backed by a large majority in the Senate and a broad array of constituencies, from organized labor to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to various immigrant advocacy organizations, recalcitrant House Republicans stand in the way of comprehensive immigration reform. But this opposition makes more sense when we consider that voters consistently oppose a substantial increase in immigration and the Senate immigration bill will, according to the Congressional Budget Office, substantially increase immigration. Read more: http://www.nationalreview.com/agenda/385196/better-immigration-compromise-reihan-salam
Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

Feds: Applicant for U.S. citizenship failed to disclose ties to terrorist group

Philly.com:

A convenience store clerk was charged today in federal court with immigration fraud for failing to disclose his ties to a terrorist group on an application for U.S. citizenship.
Hayatullah Dawari, 62, is an Afghan citizen who has lived in Northeast Philadelphia since 2008.
Dawari allegedly has a connection to Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), an anti-Western insurgent group active in Afghanistan and Pakistan, said federal prosecutors. HIG, which is closely associated with al-Qaeda and the Taliban, took credit for a 2008 assassination attempt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai and has advocated for the establishment of a fundamentalist Islamic state, according to published reports. Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Feds_Applicant_for_US_citizenship_failed_to_disclose_ties_to_terrorist_group.html

 Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

Many Americans Renounce Citizenship, Hitting New Record

Forbes:

It may seem like a drop in the bucket, especially when droves want to immigrate to America. Still, the newly published names of individuals who renounced their U.S. citizenship or terminated long-term U.S. residency is up, with 576 for the quarter and 1,577 so far this year. The growing trend is a sad one as Record Numbers of Americans Are Renouncing Their U.S. Citizenship.
For all the immigrant arrivals, the trickle the other direction is becoming more pronounced. The tally was 2,999 for all of 2013, a 221% increase over the 932 who left in 2012. The Treasury Department is required to publish a quarterly list, a kind of public outing putting Americans on notice of who relinquished their rights. Consular expatriations, where people don’t file exit tax forms with the IRS, are apparently not counted. Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2014/08/07/many-americans-renounce-citizenship-hitting-new-record/

 Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information.  

UPDATE | Translator who helped U.S. forces in Afghanistan issued visa

Fox 59: ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (Aug. 5, 2014)—Over the last two years, FOX59 has followed Hayat Nooristani, a translator who helped American forces overseas.  Along that road, there have been many heart-breaking moments, where there was promise and then a door slammed shut.But today, FOX59 received word from the U.S. State Department that the special immigrant visa, approved long ago, has now been issued from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. That means Hayat may soon be on a plane headed for the United States.
Hayat was born and raised in the mountains of Afghanistan.  Fluent in six languages, the now 29-year-old man landed a job as a translator with the United States Army, finding himself fighting the Taliban alongside American soldiers. When his time was up, he qualified for a chance to come to America.  However, the State Department kept the process dragging on, and Hayat was on the run from the terrorists he helped fight. Read more: http://fox59.com/2014/08/05/translator-who-helped-u-s-forces-in-afghanistan-is-one-step-closer-to-becoming-an-american/

100-year-old fulfills lifelong dream, becomes U.S. citizen on birthday

The Baltimore Sun: 

Since she was 7 years old, Donatila Leticia Munoz Orantes has wanted to become a U.S. citizen. On Wednesday, her 100th birthday, her wish came true.

Munoz Orantes, a native Nicaraguan who lives with her daughter in Germantown, came to the United States from El Salvador in the 1980s and never left. Read more: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-07-30/news/bs-md-100-year-old-naturalizes-20140730_1_u-s-citizenship-immigration-services-naturalization-ceremony

Young immigrants must risk deportation for chance to gain legal status

LA Times: Since  November, Oscar has been living with his grandmother in Fort Worth, attending public high school and dreaming of becoming a police officer.He is one of thousands of young migrants from Central America who crossed the border illegally and hope to win permission to stay in the United States. He was told to report to immigration court on July 24. Read more: http://www.latimes.com/nation/immigration/la-na-immigration-law-20140803-story.html#page=1

Here's What Obama Can Actually Do To Slow Deportations

Huff Post: WASHINGTON -- After years of pleas from immigration groups, President Barack Obama last week ordered a review of his administration's deportation practices to make them more humane.

Obama has said in the past he can't halt deportations, and the White House has already ruled out two options, saying the Department of Homeland Security will neither suspend deportations nor expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for Dreamers to other categories of undocumented immigrants. Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/obama-deportation-review_n_4993249.html

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Lawyer, for a free consultation.

 

Computer Failure Delays U.S. Visa, Passport Processing

• By
 
• FELICIA SCHWARTZ, The Wall street journal

WASHINGTON–A computer failure has caused major delays this week in the State Department’s passport and visa issuing system, the agency said.

The visa system has been operating at “significantly reduced capacity” for the past few days, and the State Department doesn’t know when the system will return to normal operations, a spokeswoman said Friday. Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/07/25/computer-failure-delays-u-s-visa-passport-processing/

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration lawyer Las Vegas, for a free consultation. 

Obama Eyes Major Immigration Move

Time.com: the president may be preparing to provide temporary legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants
. When President Obama issues executive orders on immigration in coming weeks, pro-reform activists are expecting something dramatic: temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for perhaps several million undocumented immigrants. If the activists are right, the sweeping move would upend a contentious policy fight and carry broad political consequences. Read more: http://time.com/3028637/obama-eyes-major-immigration-move/
Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for a free consultation. 

United States: Department Of State Releases August 2014 Visa Bulletin

The bulletin shows minor advancement in the EB-2 category for applicants chargeable to India and China as well as significant advancement in the EB-3 category for applicants chargeable to China and the Philippines, minor advancement for applicants chargeable to India, and no change for applicants chargeable to Mexico or the Rest of the World.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released its August 2014 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out per country priority date cutoffs that regulate the flow of adjustment of status (AOS) and consular immigrant visa applications.
Read more: http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/328958/work+visas/Department+of+State+Releases+August+2014+Visa+Bulletin

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for a free consultation. 

Enhancements to U Category Help to Better Protect Crime Victims

The U nonimmigrant category provides immigration benefits to foreign nationals who have been the victims of certain serious crimes. These individuals may be able to obtain immigration benefits under the U nonimmigrant category by assisting U.S. law enforcement in its efforts to prosecute the perpetrator/s of said crime. On June 15, 2014, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an interim policy memorandum to provide guidance on changes made to the program in March 2013. The USCIS will take public comments on the interim memo until August 8, 2014, but it is effective immediately. Read more: http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Outreach/Interim%20Guidance%20for%20Comment/PM-602-0102_TVPRA_2013.pdf 
Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas immigration lawyer, for more information. 

Immigration Reform Is Actually Happening – Just Not On Capitol Hill

Business Insider Reports:

Though comprehensive immigration reform has sputtered and stalled in Congress, many Democrats and activists have turned their attention away from the federal government and started focusing their efforts on the local level. This push has resulted in a number of pieces of local immigration reform legislation that have passed largely under the radar of the national debate. However, these laws have had dramatic effects and supporters argue they may inspire a wave of similar policies across the country.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/immigration-reform-is-actually-happening-2014-7#ixzz38KIuSvJ7

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for a free consultation. 

Obama's Immigration Dilemma

 The Huffington Post reports:  President Obama faces a dilemma on immigration reform, and it goes beyond the current problem of children at the border. If he sticks to his announced timetable, Obama will act in some way on immigration reform in the next month or so. The Republican House has already signaled that it not only won't vote on the bipartisan plan passed by the Senate last year, but also that it won't hold any votes on immigration reform at all in the foreseeable future (before the midterm election, in other words). This means if anything is going to happen, Obama will have to make it happen on his own. Obama's real dilemma is that no matter what he does, it's not going to satisfy everyone. In fact, it may not satisfy much of anyone. But it is sure to annoy and even enrage certain groups. 
  Continue reading at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/obamas-immigration-dilemm_b_5607859.html

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration lawyer Las Vegas, for more information.