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USCIS maybe planning on interviewing even more people

August 28, 2017 by Thomas Geygan

On August 25, 2017, Politico reported that USCIS is planning a change in policy to require interviews for all employment-based adjustment of status applicants and will be expanding the interview requirement to other categories. On August 28, 2017, the same reporter tweeted what appears to be the first page of a USCIS press release confirming that, effective October 1, interviews will be phased in for all employment-based adjustment applicants and for all I-730 refugee/asylee petitions. The press release also states that this is part of an “incremental expansion of interviews for benefits that lead to permanent residence,” thus signaling that the interview requirement could be expanded to other categories. An August 25 NBC News article provides some additional context as to what the future might hold.

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Filed Under: Asylum, Employment, Green Card

Immigration Judges Should Use Preponderance of the Evidence Standard to Determine Mental Competency

November 3, 2015 by Thomas Geygan

ImmigrationCourtBannerIn a precedent decision issued yesterday, the BIA found that neither the government nor the respondent bears a formal burden of proof in immigration proceedings to establish whether or not the respondent is mentally competent, but where indicia of incompetency are identified, the Immigration Judge (IJ) should determine if a preponderance of the evidence establishes that the respondent is competent. Further, the BIA held that an IJ’s finding of competency is a finding of fact that the BIA can review to determine if it is clearly erroneous.

Filed Under: Asylum, Deportation & Removal, Immigration Court

In-Country Refugee/Parole Program for Minors in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras With Parents Lawfully Present in the United States

November 15, 2014 by Thomas Geygan

CrimigrationThe United States is establishing an in-country refugee/parole program in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to provide a safe, legal, and orderly alternative to the dangerous journey that some children are currently undertaking to the United States. This program will allow certain parents who are lawfully present in the United States to request access to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for their children still in one of these three countries. Children who are found ineligible for refugee admission but still at risk of harm may be considered for parole on a case-by-case basis. The refugee/parole program will not be a pathway for undocumented parents to bring their children to the United States, but instead, the program will provide certain vulnerable, at-risk children an opportunity to be reunited with parents lawfully resident in the United States.

Applications for this program are initiated in the United States. Beginning in December 2014, a parent lawfully present in the United States will be able to file Department of State form DS-7699 requesting a refugee resettlement interview for unmarried children under 21 in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. Under certain circumstances, if the second parent resides with the child in the home country and is currently married to the lawfully present parent in the United States, the second parent may be added to the child’s petition and considered for refugee status, and if denied refugee status, for parole. Form DS-7699 must be filed with the assistance of a designated resettlement agency that works with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to help resettle refugees in the United States. The form will not be available on the Department of State website to the general public and cannot be completed without the assistance of a Department of State-funded resettlement agency. These resettlement agencies are located in more than 180 communities throughout the United States. When the program is launched, the Department of State will provide information on how to contact one of these agencies to initiate an application.

Once a form DS-7699 has been filed, the child in his/her home country will be assisted through the program by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which manages the U.S. Resettlement Support Center (RSC) in Latin America. IOM personnel from the RSC will contact each child directly and in the order in which the forms filed by lawfully present parents have been received by the U.S. Department of State. IOM will invite the children to attend pre-screening interviews in their country of origin in order to prepare them for a refugee interview with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DNA relationship testing will be required to confirm the biological relationship between the parent in the United States and the in-country child. After the IOM pre-screening interview but before the DHS interview, the lawfully present parent in the United States will be notified by IOM via the resettlement agency about how to submit DNA evidence of the relationship with their claimed child(ren) in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. If DNA relationship testing confirms the claimed relationship(s), IOM will schedule the DHS refugee interview.

DHS will conduct interviews with each child to determine whether he or she is eligible for refugee status and admissible to the United States. All applicants must complete all required security checks and obtain a medical clearance before they are approved to travel as a refugee to the United States. IOM will arrange travel for the refugee(s) to the United States. The parent of the child will sign a promissory note agreeing to repay the cost of travel to the United States. Approved refugees will be eligible for the same support provided to all refugees resettled in the United States, including assignment to a resettlement agency that will assist with reception and placement, and assistance registering children in school.

Applicants found by DHS to be ineligible for refugee status in the United States will be considered on a case-by-case basis for parole, which is a mechanism to allow someone who is otherwise inadmissible to come to the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. In order for the applicant(s) to be considered for parole, the parent in the United States will need to submit a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, with supporting documentation to DHS. An individual considered for parole may be eligible for parole if DHS finds that the individual is at risk of harm, he/she clears all background vetting, there is no serious derogatory information, and someone has committed to financially support the individual while he/she is in the United States. Those children and any eligible parent considered for parole will be responsible for obtaining and paying for a medical clearance. An individual authorized parole will not be eligible for a travel loan but must book and pay for the flight to the United States. Parole is temporary and does not confer any permanent legal immigration status or path to permanent legal immigration status in the United States. Parolees are not eligible for medical and other benefits upon arrival in the United States, but are eligible to attend school and/or apply for employment authorization. Individuals authorized parole under this program generally will be authorized parole for an initial period of two years and may request renewal.

It is anticipated that a relatively small number of children from Central America will be admitted to the United States as refugees in FY 2015, given the anticipated December launch and the length of time it takes to be processed for U.S. refugee admission. Any child or parent admitted as a refugee will be included in the Latin America/Caribbean regional allocation of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which is 4,000 for FY 2015. If needed, there is some flexibility within the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to accommodate a higher than anticipated number from Latin America in FY 2015.

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There are some people that will be running scams and trying to take advantage of people with this program.  Please click this link to see a video on spotting immigration scams!

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Filed Under: AOS Family, Asylum, Family based Immigration, Family Member, Family Visas, Green Card, Reform/New Laws, Soap Box

Debido a Reportes Falsos, AILA South Florida Advierte a Venezolanos Sobre el Peligro de las Solicitudes de Asilo Frívolas

March 7, 2014 by Thomas Geygan

ImmCt2En respuesta a información incompleta proporcionada recientemente en un informe de prensa de Miami, la división del Sur de la Florida de la Asociación Americana de Abogados de Inmigración (AILA) está advirtiendo a venezolanos sobre el peligro de presentar una aplicación de asilo frívola o fraudulenta. A pesar de las condiciones actuales del país, no todos los venezolanos son elegibles para asilo en los EE.UU. y los candidatos interesados ​​deben consultar con un abogado capacitado antes de continuar, porque las solicitudes de asilo denegadas pueden resultar en la expulsión de los EE.UU. y solicitudes fraudulentas o frívolas pueden dar lugar a una prohibición permanente de reingreso a los EE.UU.

En respuesta a asesoramientos incompletos recientemente reportados a través de los medios de comunicación, AILA South Florida advierte a venezolanos sobre el peligro de presentar solicitudes de asilo frívolas. A diferencia de lo que sugieren las declaraciones recientemente dadas por televisión, no todos los venezolanos tienen derecho a solicitar asilo y una solicitud rechazada podría resultar en la expulsión de los EE.UU. como también la pérdida de posibilidad de regresar a los EE.UU. en el futuro. Una decisión judicial declarando que la solicitud de asilo es infundada o fraudulenta, tendrá como resultado la prohibición permanente al solicitante de regresar a los EE.UU. o de obtener un estatus legal en los EE.UU.

La ley de asilo es un área muy compleja y especializada de la ley de inmigración y los Estados Unidos tiene un proceso de aprobación extremadamente estricto para autorizar asilo. Los solicitantes deberán demostrar que han sido perseguidos o que sufrirán persecución si regresan a su país de origen debido a su raza, religión, nacionalidad, opinión política o pertenencia a un determinado grupo social. Malestar general, malas condiciones, la falta de liderazgo, y la oposición al actual gobierno de Venezuela NO justifican la aprobación de asilo.

Todavía hoy, el gobierno de EE.UU. no ha otorgado ningún beneficio especial para los ciudadanos venezolanos.

AILA South Florida aconseja a los venezolanos a ser extremadamente cautelosos en su decisión de solicitar asilo en Estados Unidos. Esta organización profesional recomienda altamente que todos aquellos que estén considerando una solicitud de asilo, consulten primero con un abogado de inmigración con experiencia especializada en casos de asilo para determinar los méritos de su demanda e identificar otras alternativas para la obtención de estatus legal en los EE.UU.

Filed Under: Asylum, Immigration Court

Dangers of Frivolous Asylum Applications for Venezuelans

March 7, 2014 by Thomas Geygan

ImmCt2In response to incomplete advice recently released through the media, AILA South Florida is warning Venezuelans about the danger of filing frivolous asylum applications. Unlike what recently televised statements suggest, not all Venezuelans qualify for asylum and the loss of a claim can result in removal from the U.S. and the loss of the ability to return to the U.S. in the future. A judicial decision that an asylum claim was frivolous or fraudulent will result in permanently barring the applicant from returning to the U.S. or obtaining lawful status in the U.S.

Asylum law is a very complex and specialized area of immigration law and the United States has an extremely strict approval process for granting asylum. Applicants must prove to have been persecuted or face persecution upon return to their home country due to their, race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. General unrest, bad conditions, poor leadership and opposition to the current government in Venezuela do NOT warrant a grant of asylum.

As of this time, the U.S. government has granted no special relief to Venezuelan nationals.

AILA South Florida advises Venezuelans to be extremely cautious in their decision to apply for asylum in the United States. The professional organization highly recommends that all those considering an asylum application first consult with an immigration attorney with specialized experience in asylum cases to determine the merits of their claim and identify other alternatives for obtaining status in the U.S.

Filed Under: Asylum, Immigration Court

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