Can a Saturday or a Sunday be a “business day”? It depends on who you ask. The U.S. Department of Labor says yes, while the Department of Homeland Security thinks otherwise. What’s an employer to do? On October 12, the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) issued a decision “In the Matter of Il Cortile Restaurant”. This […]
Persons sponsoring a relative for a green card must submit an affidavit of support on their behalf. They must meet a minimum income level, called the Poverty Income Guidelines, in order to financially sponsor a visa applicant. The Poverty Income Guidelines in effect on the filing date of an Affidavit of Support are used to […]
On August 20, John Morton, the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), released a memorandum entitled “Guidance Regarding the Handling of Removal Proceedings of Aliens with Pending or Approved Application or Petitions”. The ICE memo applies to persons in removal proceedings who meet the following criteria: The alien must be the subject […]
Many of our clients have been crying tears of joy because of the September Visa Bulletin. The best news is the advance in the family-based 2A category. Just one year ago, the wait exceeded five years. Now, the wait is down to just 8 months! This is very important to persons who were granted green cards […]
On August 26, 1998, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals suspended the preliminary injunction in CSS 2. This means that effective immediately the INS is under no obligation to issue work permits to, or defer the deportation of, CSS 2 class members. In all likelihood, the INS will resume confiscating the work permits of […]
On July 28, Federal District Court Judge Susan Bolton granted a preliminary injunction against major sections of Arizona’s new immigration law which were scheduled to become effective the following day. In a 36-page decision, Judge Bolton found that the United States is “likely to succeed on the merits in showing that the following sections of […]
As everybody knows by now, recently, Arizona’s Governor signed a law requiring local law enforcement officials to take into custody persons when they have a “reasonable suspicion” that they are present in the U.S. illegally. The person would be turned over to the Immigration Service, and be released from jail if they could demonstrate their legal status. Last […]
May 2010 promises to be a very good month for persons born in the Philippines who wish to immigrate to the U.S. through their relatives. Of course, when you are born in a country with some of the longest waiting times in the world for family-based immigration, “good” is a relative term. Want to immigrate through […]
The Highway Patrol officer pulls over a speeder on the freeway. It’s a young woman in a Red Camaro. “Do you know how fast you were going?”, he questions her. “I don’t know, officer”, she stammers, “I’m late for a job interview, and I wasn’t paying a lot of attention. I’m really sorry.” “Not as sorry as I am” replies the officer, […]
Have you and your friends ever smoked marijuana? If you wish to immigrate, your visas are denied! Immigration attorneys are all too aware that U.S. immigration laws are so overly strict that our last three Presidents would all be ineligible to even visit our country, much less to qualify for green cards. Think I’m exaggerating? […]
