A Brief Guide to I-9 Compliance

If you're an employer in the United States or an individual who has worked at a job in this country, then you might have some knowledge of the I-9 form. The I-9, or the Employment Eligibility Verification Form, is needed to verify the identity of an employee and to ascertain that a worker is legally eligible to accept employment in the US. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides this form Read More

A Brief Q&A on Prosecutorial Discretion

Prosecutorial discretion can be a great benefit to law enforcement agencies, allowing them to manage their own resources in more efficient ways. It can help criminal law enforcement to save on the space and money they allocate to prisons, for instance, and encourage police officers to prioritize their actions in different cases of unlawful activity. While it works to the advantage of law enforcement, prosecutorial Read More

Nonimmigrant Visas: A Brief Introduction to the O-Visa for Extraordinary Abilities

When it comes to temporary work in the United States, certain advantages are afforded to outstanding individuals. US law gives priority to celebrated athletes, distinguished scientists, award-winning novelists, among other people with remarkable achievements. The O-Visa is a relatively fast way for nonimmigrants to enter the country for short term employment with an O-Visa sponsor. How do you ensure that you have Read More

Deportation Relief: Understanding Motions to Suppress

Law enforcement misconduct is a serious issue facing non-citizens of the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers can sometimes violate your rights under the assumption that you don't know the law. This could have to do with anything from personal bias, or discrimination, to a simple misunderstanding. When a federal immigration officer places you under arrest, you may have to face a formal Read More

The K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa

If you are an American citizen engaged to someone from another country and you want them to travel to the United States to marry and reside with you, the first step is to file a Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) in the United States. Once United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), approves it, the petition is processed and sent to the consulate or embassy where your fiancé(e) will apply for a Read More

Understanding VAWA: Deportation Relief for Victims of Abuse

Every day, thousands of men, women, and children are subjected to physical and emotional abuse at the hands of those they love. This traumatic situation is especially terrifying when the victim is an immigrant. Immigrants are particularly vulnerable because their status in the United States is so tenuous. Many of them fail to report violent treatment for the same reason other victims stay silent: embarrassment, Read More

Understanding DACA—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, is a policy that was announced in 2012 to help children of a certain age who were illegally brought to the United States. The program is designed to help allow those who are here at no fault of their own to stay in the country. This program does not grant them legal status, but simply ‘defers’ any removal proceedings. In addition, it can make it possible for these Read More

A Brief Overview of the Removal Process

Whether you are in the United States legally on a visa or illegally as an undocumented alien, the idea of having to go through the removal process (commonly called deportation) can be quite frightening. While this is certainly something that you want to avoid at all costs, going through the process does not always mean you will have to leave the country. If you have a good immigration attorney fighting on your Read More

Understanding the H-1B Visa

The H-1B Visa is one of the most popular employment based non-immigration visas available today. It is set up to allow a company to bring in foreign nationals to work temporarily in a specialty occupation. There are a wide range of different rules and regulations surrounding the H-1B Visa so it is important that both the employer bringing in the talent and the individual looking to come to the US for work understand Read More

President Obama’s Immigration Accountability Executive Action Plan

President Barack Obama’s Immigration Accountability Executive Action Plan On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a series of immigration reforms known as Immigration Accountability Executive Action.  These reforms will impact all major parts of the immigration system, and include: A deferred action program for part of the unauthorized population living in the U.S. Changes to border security and Read More