USCIS’ Changes to ‘Affidavit of Support’ Make It Harder for Americans to Sponsor Immigrant Family Members

USCIS’ Changes to ‘Affidavit of Support’ Make It Harder for Americans to Sponsor Immigrant Family Members

By Walter Ewing, Immigration Impact The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a rule that would make it much more difficult for U.S. citizens and legal immigrants—especially those experiencing financial hardship—to sponsor family members for green cards. If the rule goes into effect, the process of family-based immigration will become even more cumbersome and restrictive. […]

Green Card Slavery & Hope for the Future

Green Card Slavery & Hope for the Future

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Intimate partner violence is especially horrible for immigrants who depend on their spouses for immigration benefits. We call it Green Card Slavery. Thanks to VAWA (the Violence Against Women’s Act) which is gender neutral and was sponsored by then Senator Joe Biden, there is hope through the Spousal Abuse […]

Federal District Court Rules on Behalf of Immigrant Youth

Federal District Court Rules on Behalf of Immigrant Youth

Seattle, WA – U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik entered a final judgment on behalf of a class of immigrant youth in Washington State who have applied for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) visas, finding that the federal government’s policies unlawfully impeded their right to the immigration visas and also failed to comply with the statutory timelines created […]

Federal Judge Rules Against USCIS Fee Increases, Freezing Them In Their Tracks

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White agrees with GAO that DHS acting secretary was appointed illegally, therefore ruling his proposals invalid.

Federal Judge Rules Against USCIS Fee Increases, Freezing Them In Their Tracks

LOS ANGELES — The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the largest immigrant rights organization in California, applauds a federal judge’s decision last night to block the Trump administration’s racist wealth test through fee hikes on asylum, green cards, citizenship, and other benefits.   But for the judge’s ruling, these changes, would have gone into […]

USCIS Implements New Law Related to Citizenship for Children of Military Members and U.S. Government Employees Stationed Overseas

USCIS Implements New Law Related to Citizenship for Children of Military Members and U.S. Government Employees Stationed Overseas

On Sept. 18, we updated our policy guidance concerning residency requirements under section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to comply with the requirements of the recently enacted Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act.   Under the new law, a child born outside of the United States acquires automatic […]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy on Immigration

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy on Immigration

Photo Credit: Immigration Impact By American Immigration Council Legal Staff, Immigration Impact Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a fierce champion of progressive rights and the second woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, died on Sept. 18, 2020. Long recognized as a staunch advocate for women’s rights, Justice Ginsburg leaves behind a legacy on immigration that […]

The Impact of COVID-19 on Noncitizens and Across the U.S. Immigration System

The Impact of COVID-19 on Noncitizens and Across the U.S. Immigration System

Editorial photo of a lone vehicle and otherwise empty lanes of traffic approaching the crossing of the US/Canadian border into the US, during Covid-19 border shutdown – Blaine, WA/USA-March 20, 2020 (Shutterstock) By Jorge Loweree, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick and Walter Ewing, Ph.D., American Immigration Council The COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus) pandemic, and the federal government’s response, […]

Diversity Visa Ban Struck Down by Judge

Diversity Visa Ban Struck Down by Judge

By Katy Murdza, Immigration Impact A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to resume issuing diversity visas on September 5. Each year, the State Department uses a lottery system to select visa recipients from a broad array of countries. In April, President Trump banned diversity visa recipients from entering the country. What is the diversity visa? Congress established the Diversity Visa Program through […]

USCIS Wants To Increase the Amount of Biometric Data It Collects by Over 60%

USCIS Wants To Increase the Amount of Biometric Data It Collects by Over 60%

By Jorge Loweree, Immigration Impact The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to dramatically expand the personal information that it collects in support of immigration petitions and applications. This new rule will increase the total number of people who are required to submit biometric data from 3.9 million currently to 6.07 million—an increase of more than […]

1 10 11 12 13 14 18