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USCIS ADOPTS NEW POLICY FOR NTAs

July 6, 2018

USCIS ADOPTS NEW POLICY FOR NTAs

Author: New York Immigration Lawyer Alena Shautsova

USCIS changes policy on how and when it will be referring applicants to court. Now, all persons who applied for Immigration benefits and were denied will be issued Notices to Appear. A Notice to Appear is a charging document that means that the person is going to be placed in removal proceedings in Immigration Court. 

Under the new policy, the following cases will be referred to court: 

  • Cases where fraud or misrepresentation is substantiated, and/or where an applicant abused any program related to the receipt of public benefits. USCIS will issue an NTA even if the case is denied for reasons other than fraud.
  • Criminal cases where an applicant is convicted of or charged with a criminal offense, or has committed acts that are chargeable as a criminal offense, even if the criminal conduct was not the basis for the denial or the ground of removability. USCIS may refer cases involving serious criminal activity to ICE before adjudication of an immigration benefit request pending before USCIS without issuing an NTA.
  • Cases in which USCIS denies a Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, on good moral character grounds because of a criminal offense.
  • Cases in which, upon the denial of an application or petition, an applicant is unlawfully present in the United States.

The revised policy does not change the USCIS policy for issuing an NTA in the following categories:

  • Cases involving national security concerns;
  • Cases where issuing an NTA is required by statute or regulation;
  • Temporary Protected Status (TPS) cases, except where, after applying TPS regulatory provisions, a TPS denial or withdrawal results in an individual having no other lawful immigration status;
  • DACA recipients and requestors when: (1) processing an initial or renewal DACA request or DACA-related benefit request; or (2) processing a DACA recipient for possible termination of DACA.

What Happens After ICE Arrest

February 9, 2018

What Happens After ICE Arrest

Deportation attorney Alena Shautsova

Recent news brings worry and anxiety to Immigrants: ICE arrests non-citizens in courts, at work, in their homes.  But what actually happens after an individual is taken into ICE custody? The answer to this question depends on individuals’ Immigration history and the exact reason for the arrests.

Individuals with Prior Orders of Deportation/Removal

If ICE picks up a person who has a prior order of removal/deportation, ICE may either reinstate the order of removal and try to physically remove the person from the US; or, if a person has any possibility of relief from the physical deportation, ICe may issue an order of supervision.  A person would have to file an application for administrative stay of removal and ICE would release such a person on an order of supervision.  If the application for stay is granted, a person will be allowed to remain in the US, wait for the resolution of his/her applications here, and legally work in the US.

Individuals Charged With Aggravated Felony 

If ICE arrests someone who does not have an order of removal/deportation but is deportable due criminal conudct, and especially due to an agrevated felony, ICE may choose to remove such a person using an expedited procedure tool,  and will serve on an individual a “Notice of Intent to Issue Final Administrative Removal”.  If an individual does not successfully contest such a notice, he/she may be removed out of the US without seeing a judge.

Other Cases

In the majority of other cases, ICE will have to place a person in INA 240 removal proceedings where an individual will have a right to present a defense to removal in court before an Immigration Judge. A person is likely to be detained for a month or so until the bond hearing takes place, and then a person will be released (once the bond is paid.) Some immigrants, are not eligible for the bond (but even this law provision has been challenged in courts.)

In many cases, I would say in the majority of cases, long-time US residents may have defenses to deportation/removal. Depending on their exact situation, they may qualify for adjustment of status (with a waiver, for example); cancellation of removal; SIJS benefits (for children); or else.

If you need a consultation regarding possible defenses, please call us at 917 885 2261.

 

Statute of Limitations For Green Cards Rescission

July 25, 2016

Statute of Limitations For Green Cards Rescission

Author: Green Card Attorney Alena Shautsova

In law, there is a statue of limitations or period during which one can bring a legal action with regard to almost all rights, regulations, incidents, accidents or actions. For example, if you happened to be in a car accident, you have 3 years to sue. If you became a victim of fraud, you have 6 years to sue your offender.

Now, believe it or not, there is  a statue of limitations as to how long the government can wait before taking your green card from you if it was issued in error. The bad news is that there is only one Circuit Federal Court in the whole United States which follows this five-year statute.

This Court is the Court for the 3rd Circuit, and it covers New Jersey! Only this Circuit court held that  the government cannot take someone’s green card away if the government issued it in error after five years passed since the issuance under 8 U.S.C. § 1256(a):

 

If, at any time within five years after the status of a person has been otherwise adjusted under the provisions of section 1255 or 1259 of this title or any other provision of law to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the person was not in fact eligible for such adjustment of status, the Attorney General shall rescind the action taken granting an adjustment of status to such person and cancelling removal in the case of such person if that occurred and the person shall thereupon be subject to all provisions of this chapter to the same extent as if the adjustment of status had not been made. Nothing in this subsection shall require the Attorney General to rescind the alien’s status prior to commencement of procedures to remove the alien under section 1229a of this title, and an order of removal issued by an immigration judge shall be sufficient to rescind the alien’s status.

Interestingly enough, there is no time limitation on when the government may start deportation or removal proceedings against a person, so in reality, if the government really wants to take the green card or lawful permanent status away, it may “find” a valid basis for removal, and very often such a basis is determined to be fraud.

Moreover, if a person became a U.S. citizen, and the government still has time to rescind its decision regarding the person’s permanent resident status, the person would lose the citizenship as well.  In reality, however, just like with the rescinding or removal of a person in  permanent resident status, the government is not bound by the five-year statute and often, naturalized citizens of many years, and decades may lose their citizenship if a mistake is uncovered.

To rescind one’s LPR status, the government would:

1. Would send a notice with intent to rescind

2. A LPR has 30 days to contest the notice and then there will be a hearing with the Immigration Judge. The result of the hearing is appealable.

If a LPR does not respond to the notice within 30 days, he will not be afforded a hearing with  an Immigration judge. Important: a request for more time is not a request for hearing! See Ali v. Reno, 22 F 3d 44 (2n Cir. 1994).

3. The government has to prove their case by clear, convincing and unequivocal evidence.

If you  receive a notice of intent to rescind your LPR status, call an attorney right away. You can reach us at 917-885-2261.

 

 

 

 

Facing Deportation, Detained or Released?

April 3, 2013

When Facing Deportation, What Determines Whether You Are Detained or Released?

Author: Deportation lawyer Alena Shautsova

The Department of Homeland Security (DOHS) weighs two main factors when deciding whether to detain or release an immigrant who faces deportation: flight risk and risk to the community. The most heavily weighed factor is risk to the community, which aligns with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memorandum that addresses prosecutorial discretion and the focus on deporting immigrant criminals over immigrants with other violations. Those immigrants with aggravated felonies are top priority for detainment. ICE has limitations on how many immigrants it can detain, because it has 34,000 detention beds nationwide. Recent sequestration budget cuts resulted in ICE releasing detainees.
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Deportation Caution

March 6, 2013

Deportation Caution: Be Wary of Plea Bargains for a Misdemeanor Offense

Author: Law Office of Alena Shautsova

A recent article about deportation in the Washington Post alerts immigrants to a situation they may be unaware of that can lead to deportation. According to the article, when undocumented immigrants plead guilty to a misdemeanor, they often find themselves in the same category as defendants charged with violent crimes.

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