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ICE Detainers Targets

February 21, 2013

TRAC Immigration releases report on subjects of ICE detainers.

http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/310/

Surprisingly, the prevailing majority of those for whom the detainer is issued do not have criminal record: the charges either were dropped prior to os subsequently to the filing of the detainer.

Only a small percentage of all detained by the ICE committed a Level 1 serious offense.

What Do Statistics Say About U.S. Asylum and Refugee Immigration?

February 15, 2013

Author: Asylum Lawyer Alena Shautsova

Every year the Office of Immigration Statistics issues an Annual Flow Report that offers information about U.S. refugee and asylum statistics. The most recent statistics available are for 2011 and the annual flow report indicates that 56,384 persons gained admission to the United States as refugees during 2011. Burma, Bhutan and Iraq were the leading countries for the flow of immigrants and there were 24,988 individuals granted asylum by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ).

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Problems with E-Verify

February 5, 2013

The E-Verify program

Author: Deportation Lawyer Alena Shautsova

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), E-Verify uses online databases to compare employees’ information filled out on an I-9 form with data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The comparison allows the government to verify employment eligibility in terms of valid immigration status.

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Can I File For Asylum if my Visa Expires?

February 4, 2013

Author: New York Asylum Attorney

Many asylum applicants are confused regarding the procedure of filing for asylum. Let’s say someone came here from Egypt (a country with recent change in country conditions) and now they face a question: shall they file for asylum in the US or shall they do it from their home country. Many potential applicants are afraid that by the time they prepare their application in the US, their visas will expire, and they become illegal.
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Obama’s Immigration Reform

January 30, 2013

Obama’s Immigration Reform

It seems that the White House is serious this time about a comprehensive Immigration reform, that would not just “patch” a torn tuxedo, but will give it a million dollar “face- lift.”

Here you can find a transcript of Obama’s today’s speech on Immigration Reform.

Immigration Reform: is it Possible?

January 29, 2013

We all agree that we need an Immigration reform.  It seems that a real breakthrough was achieved today… However, is it really possible to have a reform, and what main areas of law I believe need to be “reformed”?

First, I believe the rules of the adjustment of status have to be changed, allowing EWI (those who crossed the border) to get their green cards. I am not encouraging this type of “immigration”, but for many people who honestly worked and paid taxes and do not have criminal convictions, it would be a great help in trying to concentrate on their US citizen families and not on whether or not there is ICE behind the door.

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USCIS 800 Number Saturday Hours are Not For Attorneys

January 28, 2013

Author: New York Immigration Attorney Alena Shautsova

I was very excited to learn a couple weeks ago that the USCIS will provide its 800 service on Saturday.

I was very disappointed yesterday to learn that the Saturday service is useless if you are an attorney. A “TIER 2” Rep is required to answer the call when an attorney is on the online, and because a “TIER 2” Rep is not available on Saturdays, hence, I have to call back during the week.

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North Carolina Will Have To Issue Driver’s License To DACA Benefices

January 19, 2013

It’s just not so long ago, that DACA beneficiaries received hope that they will be able to get driver’s license and ability to travel outside the US.

But some States  do not support Federal decisions, and refuse to issue driver’s license to DACA beneficiaries. This seems to be absurd in the light of the fact that it is Federal government that decide whether or not somebody is legal in the US. Of course, issuing a driver’s license is  a state prerogative, but it is based on Federal determination of whether or not somebody is granted a status in the US. As such, States should not be allowed to deny valid applications for license to otherwise qualified applicants.
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Asylum Denials Rates Are At Historic Low

January 17, 2013

What are the odds of getting asylum in the United States? According to the latest report, they are pretty good.

Asylum denials rates are at their historic low. The statistics released by TRAC Immigration shows that  the odds of an asylum claim being granted  reached a historic high  in FY2012, with only 44.5% being turned down.
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