Three pointless things that should stop.

Monday, February 24th, 2014

Immigration law, as immigration lawyers (and their clients) say often, is quite complex. There are a lot of hoops people have to jump though to get a benefit. Forms on top of forms asking the same things over and over. Fees on top of fees. Petitions, applications, security checks, medical exams, interviews, investigations, verifications. With all the stuff that is deemed necessary, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State should, one would think, want to eliminate pointless…

USCIS to ameliorate situation for some impacted by the 3 and 10 year bars.

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

In the jargon-rich world of immigration law, an important new phrase came out of amendments to the immigration law in 1996, the 3 and 10 year bars. What these bars say is that if a person accrues more than180 days of unlawful presence in the United States and departs he or she cannot return to the United States for 3 years. If the person accrues a year or more of unlawful presence, this person cannot return for 10 years. A…

The INA § 212(a)(9)(C) ‘permanent bar’ becomes even broader and harsher

Sunday, June 26th, 2011

In changes to the immigration laws in 1996, called The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA),  a new concept was introduced in immigration law called “unlawful presence.” The concept came into force on April 1, 1997, when the reforms came into effect – or so we thought. We thought unlawful presence before April 1, 1997, would not have immigration consequences. For the immigration agencies to figure out what it meant – Congress did not define it…

A disappointing immigration consultation

Saturday, January 1st, 2011

Instead of a written post today, I made a movie — a dramatization of a conversation I must have at least five times a week. I hope it is informative. A disappointing immigration consultation