Asylum and Protection Law

I APPLIED FOR CITIZENSHIP OR A GREEN CARD AND FOUND OUT I HAVE AN ORDER OF REMOVAL OR DEPORTATION, WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Published on: December 18, 2023 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

It happens way more often than you would think. A person applies for lawful permanent resident status (also known as a green card) and during the process they find out they are not eligible because there is an order of removal or deportation in their file. Sometimes, a person with an order of removal can obtain lawful permanent resident status because of an oversight by USCIS, but when the same person applies for U.S. citizenship, they are denied because of the old order of removal. Most of the time, the person has no idea they were in immigration court removal proceedings or that they had an order of removal. Many times, that order of removal was issued by an immigration judge because the person did not show up for court, usually because they had no idea they were scheduled to appear for court. In either scenario, there is a solution . . .a motion to reopen.

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We are contacted all the time by people who had I-485 Applications to Adjust Status denied or closed because of an outstanding removal order. Sometimes the caller knows they had the order of removal already, but many times they had no idea. We also receive calls from people who have green cards for years and then applied for citizenship and were denied because USCIS sees an old order of removal in their file. The good news is, there is a solution.

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We have been successful in numerous cases going back to reopen and terminate or dismissing the old immigration court cases. Once the old case is reopened, the order of removal is gone and if the case is terminated or dismissed, we refile for lawful permanent residence or citizenship and the path is now clear for success.

WHAT DOES THE U.S. SUPREME COURT’S RECENT IMMIGRATION DECISION IN U.S. V. TEXAS MEAN FOR NON-CITIZENS?

Published on: July 13, 2023 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

On June 23, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its long-awaited immigration opinion in the case of U.S. v. Texas. The justices agreed 8-1 that the states who filed the lawsuit against the federal government over what the states perceived as the non-enforcement of immigration laws could not sue the government in this case. The eight justices disagreed on exactly why the federal courts could not handle this case and give the states what they wanted, but all eight agreed that the lower courts were wrong in getting involved in this matter.

So, what was U.S. v. Texas about and how does this decision affect non-citizens in the United States? In 2021, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, issued a memo regarding what types of cases the federal immigration officers should focus their efforts on for detention and removal from the United States. By listing groups of non-citizens who immigration officers were to focus on, this automatically created a group of non-citizens who became “non-priorities.” Multiple states like Texas did not like the “Mayorkas Memo” and sued in federal court to stop the federal immigration officers from using this memo in making detention and removal decisions. The first two federal courts who heard the case agreed that states like Texas were harmed by immigration officers prioritizing certain non-citizens for removal and thereby potentially ignoring other non-citizens who were subject to detention and removal but were not priorities. The courts initially stopped the Department of Homeland Security from using the memo in immigration enforcement decisions.

The Mayorkas memo remained sidelined until the Supreme Court decided that NO court has jurisdiction to even hear this case, let alone strike down the Mayorkas Memo. The Supreme Court held that the federal courts were not the place for states to sue the federal government to force them to use their “prosecutorial discretion” to detain and deport every non-citizen they could. The Supreme Court listed multiple other ways that this perceived non-enforcement or prosecutorial discretion issue could be addressed, including through elections and in the Congressional oversight and funding context.

I Was Granted Parole and I am in the United States; Now what do I do?

Published on: May 26, 2023 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced that its special parole program for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan nationals has become so popular that demand has far exceeded availability and DHS would start using a lottery system to choose who would receive parole. This program, which began in early 2023, has allowed nationals of these countries to seek parole to lawfully enter the United States if they meet certain requirements.

Qualified beneficiaries who are outside the United States and lack U.S. entry documents may be considered, on a case-by-case basis, for advanced authorization to travel and a temporary period of parole for up to two years for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. To participate, eligible beneficiaries must:

Have a supporter in the United States;

Asylum for Afghan Nationals Resettling in the United States

Published on: November 24, 2021 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

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Fee Exemptions, Streamlined Process for Afghan Nationals Resettling in the U.S.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently announced that filing fees will be exempted and application processing will be streamlined for Afghan nationals who were paroled into America for humanitarian reasons on or after July 30, 2021. This decision by the DHS will help to facilitate the resettlement of Afghan nationals in the United States by streamlining the processes of several requests including those for work authorizations, Green Cards, and other relevant services according to the federal agency.

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A New Asylum Office has opened in Tampa, Florida

Published on: July 27, 2021 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

USCIS—the government agency that receives most of the country’s asylum applications—has opened a new office in Tampa, Florida. Before this happened, everyone who was not in immigration court and who applied for asylum in the entire state of Florida had to go to Miami for their asylum interview. Sure there were exceptions, on occasion, asylum officers would go to Jacksonville, Florida to conduct interviews, but those interviews were few and far between.

Now, people from Pensacola to Jacksonville to Tampa no longer have to make the long and expensive trip to Miami for an asylum interview. Now, people from the Tampa Bay area, parts of Central and all of North Florida will head to Tampa for their interviews to see if they will be granted asylum. This is great news for everyone involved. This will make it easier for asylum applicants to travel to their interviews, this will make asylum interviews happen more frequently for all Floridians as there are now two offices and more officers conducting interviews. This will also make it more cost-effective for asylum applicants to bring their attorneys to their asylum interviews.

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USCIS has not yet released all the details or the exact geographical boundaries for the Tampa asylum office. What we do know is they are already open as of June, 2021 and they are already conducting interviews. The office is in the same building as ICE, so if you have been reporting to the Tampa ICE office for check-ins and you are called for an asylum interview, you will go to the same building. The address of the office is 524 W Cypress St, Tampa, Florida, 33607 right near the Tampa International Airport.

NEW TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR HAITI!

Published on: May 24, 2021 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

TPS is back for citizens of Haiti! USCIS announced that as of Friday May 21, 2021, Haitians in the United States may qualify for Temporary Protected Status, also known as TPS.

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/05/22/secretary-mayorkas-designates-haiti-temporary-protected-status-18-months

WHO WILL QUALIFY FOR THE NEW HAITIAN TPS?

TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR VENEZUELANS IS COMING!

Published on: March 8, 2021 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

It has finally happened, President Biden is set to announce that as of Monday, March 8, 2021, Venezuelans in the United States may qualify for Temporary Protected Status, also known as TPS.

WHO WILL QUALIFY FOR VENEZUELAN TPS?

The exact requirements for Venezuelan TPS have not yet been published (they should be soon), but based upon the TPS law and past TPS announcements, here is what I anticipate will be the TPS requirement for Venezuelans:

PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED DEFERRED ENFORCED DEPARTURE FOR VENEZUELANS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Published on: January 20, 2021 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

On his last full day as President, Donald Trump issued a “Memorandum on Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Venezuelans.” There is much confusion about what this means for Venezuelan citizens in the United States. USCIS, the agency that handles applications for immigration benefits like Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), has not yet issued guidance or instructions for how to apply for Deferred Enforced Departure. However, other countries and regions have benefited from Deferred Enforced Departure in the past and that can provide guidance for how Venezuelan Deferred Enforced Departure will be rolled out by the Department of Homeland Security.

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Here is what we do know about Venezuelan Deferred Enforced Departure:

It will last for at least 18 months and can be renewed;

Asylum-Seeking Domestic Violence Victims Denied Refuge By Attorney General Sessions

Published on: June 18, 2018 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

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In another recent decision that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has assigned to himself, the Attorney General has foreclosed refuge for countless immigrants attempting to escape domestic violence in their home countries. In Matter of A-B-, 27 I&N Dec. 316 (A.G. 2018), the Attorney General overruled a Board of Immigration Appeals decision which granted asylum to the victim of domestic violence in El Salvador. The Attorney General also overruled a binding Board of Immigration Appeals decision, Matter of A-R-C-G-, 26 I&N Dec. 388 (BIA 2014), which held that “married women in Guatemala who are unable to leave their relationship” could constitute a “particular social group.”

What is asylum?

Asylum is a discretionary benefit that can be granted to those who:

ICE is Denying Bonds to Asylum Seekers

Published on: April 6, 2017 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

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Despite Emma Lazarus’ poignant words inscribed at the Statue of Liberty suggesting a welcoming embrace to asylum seekers, a troubling new implementation of policy is in direct conflict with our nation’s ideological fascination with freedom. Immigration attorneys throughout the country are finding that people seeking asylum at our borders and within are being held in custody without parole or bond pending their asylum cases. Not only is this a strong deterrent to those who are being persecuted in other countries from finding freedom in the greatest free country in the world, it directly contradicts our longstanding ideals as a nation.

The United States was founded on the idea of freedom. Religious freedom. Political freedom. Freedom in our daily lives. Give me liberty or give me death. We welcome the best and brightest from other nations and other cultures. We incorporate the best ideas and the best practices from those best and brightest minds. That is how we became the greatest nation on earth. A melting pot of brilliance. Yet, the message we see now coming from our government is very clear. Asylum Seekers – You are not welcome.

I LIFT MY LAMP BESIDE THE GOLDEN DOOR!