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WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has revised Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, by removing the means-tested benefit criteria that was previously used as a factor in determining whether an applicant was exempt from paying for filing fees or biometric services. Individuals may still request a fee waiver if their documented annual household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or they demonstrate financial hardship.

A means-tested benefit is a public benefit—offered by federal, state, or local agencies—for which eligibility and amount considerations are based on a person’s income and resources. USCIS formerly considered Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and Supplemental Security Income during eligibility evaluations.

USCIS has determined that receiving a means-based benefit is not an appropriate criteria in reviewing fee-waiver requests because income levels used to decide local assistance eligibility vary greatly from state to state. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-updates-fee-waiver-requirements

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

Cuccinelli Announces USCIS’ FY 2019 Accomplishments and Efforts to Implement President Trump’s Goals

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today released preliminary fiscal year 2019 agency statistics, accomplishments and efforts to implement President Trump’s agenda. These preliminary statistics highlight important immigration trends and illustrate the work accomplished by USCIS in FY 2019. The agency will publish final, verified FY 2019 statistics later next month.

“FY 2019 has been a historic year for USCIS and we have achieved many of President Trump’s goals to make our immigration system work better for America. As an agency, we have worked hand-in-hand with our fellow DHS components to answer President Trump’s call to address the ongoing crisis at our southern border. In the face of congressional inaction, we’ve taken significant steps to mitigate the loopholes in our asylum system, combat fraudulent claims and strengthen the protections we have in place to preserve humanitarian assistance for those truly in need of it,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “Meanwhile, the men and women of USCIS continue to administer our nation’s lawful immigration system, processing a large number of applications and requests while naturalizing 833,000 new U.S. citizens, an 11-year high. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/cuccinelli-announces-uscis-fy-2019-accomplishments-and-efforts-implement-president-trumps-goals

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more details www.greencardadvice.com.

Poland to join U.S. visa waiver program after decades-long campaign

The United States has formally nominated Poland for entry into its visa waiver program, making it easier for Poles to visit America.

President Donald Trump made the announcement as he departed the White House on Friday. The program allows pre-approved travelers from participating countries to visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without obtaining a non-immigrant visitor visa.

The White House calls the move an "important step in continuing to increase economic, security, cultural, and people-to-people connections between our two nations."

Poland has been pushing to be included in the program for years, and Trump administration officials had made clear the decision was expected.

"It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for," Poland's U.S. Embassy said after the announcement.

Trump said details of the program would be worked out "over the next couple of months." Read more at: https://www.euronews.com/2019/10/05/poland-to-join-u-s-visa-waiver-program-after-decades-long-campaign

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

USCIS Clarifies Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification to Better Ensure Victims of Abuse, Neglect and Abandonment Receive Protection

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today clarified requirements regarding the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification. 

To ensure consistency surrounding this classification, USCIS is issuing three Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) adopted decisions. Through these adopted decisions, USCIS clarifies that it requires evidence of a court’s intervention to provide relief from abuse, neglect or abandonment beyond a statement that the juvenile is dependent on the court. This level of intervention from the court serves as an indicator as to whether the SIJ classification is sought for its intended purpose of relief from parental abuse, neglect or abandonment and not primarily to obtain an immigration benefit. Many juvenile court orders already contain this level of detail.

USCIS also clarifies that it will consider qualifying orders from state courts, provided the petitioner met the applicable definition of a juvenile under state law when the order was issued and the court determined the juvenile was subject to parental abuse, neglect, abandonment or similar maltreatment. These clarifications will provide guidance to adjudicators in evaluating juvenile court orders issued under different state laws in the adjudication of petitions for federal SIJ classification. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-clarifies-special-immigrant-juvenile-classification-better-ensure-victims-abuse-neglect-and-abandonment-receive-protection

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

ICE Houston arrests previously deported Mexican man who allegedly threatened to shoot ICE officers

HOUSTON — Deportation officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a Mexican man Tuesday who has illegally entered the U.S. on at least five separate occasions and who allegedly threatened to shoot ICE officers.

This investigation is being conducted by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Houston, Texas, and Boise, Idaho.

Cesar Diaz-Rodriguez, a 30-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested Oct. 8 in Houston, Texas, for illegal reentry. Diaz-Rodriguez was previously removed from the U.S. on Oct. 31, 2017, following a felony criminal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. Additionally, Diaz-Rodriguez has been voluntarily returned to Mexico three other times; twice in September 2004 and once in October 2011. Read more at: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-houston-arrests-previously-deported-mexican-man-who-allegedly-threatened-shoot-ice

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com. 

ICE removes Turkish national wanted to serve remainder of prison sentence

NEW YORK – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers removed a Turkish national Sept. 16, wanted in his home country to serve the almost four years remaining on his imposed prison sentence. Ozgur Mavruk, 37, was removed from the United States via a commercial air flight and transferred into the custody of Turkish law enforcement authorities.
According to Turkish law enforcement authorities; in February 2009, Mavruk, assisted by others, detained, drugged and raped a prosecution witness in order to compel that witness to change her testimony against the leader of a Turkish criminal organization, of which Mavruk was a member. In May 2013, Mavruk was convicted in Adana High Criminal Court of Adana, Turkey of Restriction of Freedom and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. On March 17, 2015, Mavruk was arrested by the U.S Border Patrol near Rio Grande City, Texas, after illegally entering the United States, and transferred to ICE custody. On July 29, 2015, Mavruk was released from ICE custody after posting bond. In August 2015, the Public Prosecution Office of Adana, Turkey, issued an arrest warrant for Mavruk to complete a sentence for a conviction of Restriction of Freedom. Read more at: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-removes-turkish-national-wanted-serve-remainder-prison-sentence

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

USCIS Announces New Locations for Onsite Overseas Military Naturalization Services

WASHINGTON—Today U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it will provide military naturalization services at four overseas military bases, due to the agency’s shifting international footprint and office closures overseas.

Service members and eligible family members who are stationed overseas will now complete their naturalization process at one of four “hubs” located at Camp Humphreys, South Korea; Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan; U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany; and Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. These hubs were selected based on their proximity to locations where USCIS international offices historically provided the most overseas military naturalization services.

“Ensuring that the men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting the United States of America can become citizens while serving abroad is of paramount importance,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “These service members and their families sacrifice so much to keep our country safe and free. I thank the Department of Defense for partnering with USCIS to ensure naturalization services remain available throughout their deployments overseas.” Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-announces-new-locations-onsite-overseas-military-naturalization-services

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.