Tag: lawful status

CA9 Says TPS Recipient is Eligible to Adjust to LPR Status

TPS Recipient is Eligible to Adjust to LPR Status

The Ninth Circuit in Ramirez, et al. v. Brown, et al. found a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipient is deemed to be in lawful status as a nonimmigrant — and has thereby satisfied the requirements for becoming a nonimmigrant, including inspection and admission — for purposes of adjustment of status under INA §245(a). [read the opinion here 17033104]

Temporary protected status is a temporary immigration status to the United States, granted to eligible nationals of designated countries. It first requires a designation. When the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that a foreign state (or any part of a foreign state) faces an ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent aliens from returning safely, the Attorney General may designate that state (or part of the state) for TPS. USCIS may grant TPS to eligible nationals of certain countries (or parts of countries), who are already in the United States.  

The Ninth Circuit found that a TPS recipient is considered “inspected and admitted” under § 1255(a), and is eligible for adjustment of status because he also meets the other requirements.

Current TPS countries are:

Designated Country Most Recent Designation Date Current Expiration Date Current Re-Registration Period Current Initial Registration Period EAD Extended Through
El Salvador March 9, 2001 March 9, 2018 July 8, 2016 – Sept. 6, 2016 N/A Sept. 9, 2017
Guinea* Nov. 21, 2014 May 21, 2017 N/A N/A May 20, 2017
Haiti July 23, 2011 July 22, 2017 Aug. 25, 2015 – Oct. 26, 2015 N/A July 22, 2016
Honduras Jan. 5, 1999 Jan. 5, 2018 May 16, 2016 – July 15, 2016 N/A Jan. 5, 2017
Liberia* Nov. 21, 2014 May 21, 2017 N/A N/A May 20, 2017
Nepal June 24, 2015 June 24, 2018 Oct. 26, 2016 – Dec. 27, 2016 N/A June 24, 2017
Nicaragua Jan. 5, 1999 Jan. 5, 2018 May 16, 2016 – July 15, 2016 N/A Jan. 5, 2017
Sierra Leone* Nov. 21, 2014 May 21, 2017 N/A N/A May 20, 2017
Somalia Sept. 18, 2012 Sept. 17, 2018 Jan. 17, 2017 – March 20, 2017 N/A Sept. 17, 2017
Sudan May 3, 2013 Nov. 2, 2017 Jan. 25, 2016 – March 25, 2016 N/A Nov. 2, 2016
South Sudan May 3, 2016 Nov. 2, 2017 Jan. 25, 2016 – March 25, 2016 Jan. 25, 2016 – July 25, 2016 Nov. 2, 2016
Syria Oct. 1, 2016 March 31, 2018 Aug. 1, 2016 – Sept. 30, 2016 Aug.1, 2016 – Jan. 30, 2017 March 31, 2017
Yemen March 4, 2017 Sept. 3, 2018 Jan. 4, 2017 – March 6, 2017 Jan. 4, 2017 – July 3, 2017 Sept. 3, 2017

Check USCIS website for the most up-to-date information.

最新国防局备忘录将对美国移民系统带来巨大变化

国土安全部秘书约翰·凯利本周发布了两份备忘录，执行川普总统关于边境安全 border security (memo-1) 和 境内执法 interior enforcement (memo-2) 的行政命令。除了川普总统承诺建造的边界墙以外，我们在未来几个月可能会看到大规模的执法行为，并扩大拘留和加速递解出境的过程。

以下是我总结的几点：

  1. 国土安全部（DHS）将试图驱逐任何“对公共安全或国家安全构成威胁”的人，但DHS没有明确定义这两个术语，理论上讲，DHS可以说某人是“公共安全隐患”，即使他或者他没有因犯罪被起诉或被定罪。
  2. DHS将重点关注那些（1）已被定罪或甚至被指控犯有刑事犯罪，这其中可能包括只受到过轻微交通违规的无证移民，（2）滥用任何与接受公共福利相关的计划，包括获得任何政府援助，如果你在美国没有身份但享受过政府福利，你可能面临一定风险，（3）如果你在和政府机构打交道有任何的欺诈或故意的失实陈述，包括使用虚假的社安号码在工作的I-9表格上对你的移民身份撒谎。
  3. 国土安全部备忘录还说，将延长加速遣返期限。从2周扩大到2年，并取消了移民在边境100英里内被捕的要求。现在来说， 如果你是新到美国两年以内，都有可能加速遣返。加速遣返的人不会通过遣返程序，涉及在移民法官面前举行听证会。所以说，我建议大家保持两（2）年的在美国生活的记录，以便您不被加速遣返。
  4. 对没有美国签证或没有资格获得签证的人来说， 之前当局允许使用的假释过程将受到极大的限制。
  5. 国土安全部将寻求遣返所有无证外国到达者，包括无人陪伴的儿童。如果他们从毗邻美国的外国土地进入，当局会把他们送回他们来到的地方。这意味着，不论他们的国籍，如果他们从墨西哥进入，DHS将返回他们到墨西哥。
  6. DHS将雇用另外10,000名移民执法官员。我们很可能在全国看到更多的驱逐出境和拘留。
  7. DHS希望扩大继续并增加州和地方执法机构在边境地区的参与，从而帮助移民执法。

Maya King 律师事务所将随时通知您美国移民制度的最新变化。如果您或您的家人需要任何建议或帮助，请致电（913）717-7112 与我们联系，免费咨询。

“Bar Removal of Immigrants Who Dream and Grow the Economy” or the “BRIDGE Act” Introduces Provisional Protected Presence

Bar Removal of Immigrants Who Dream and Grow the Economy

We have seen a lot of legislations and executive orders being introduced in the past few weeks that are not so immigrant-friendly. Non-U.S. citizen are particularly worried about their future in this country. Among the concerned and confused are the 750,000 participants of the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

On January 12, 2017, the Senate and the House of Representatives separately introduced a bill called “Bar Removal of Immigrants Who Dream and Grow the Economy” or the “BRIDGE Act” [S. 128] (17021434) and [H.R. 496] (17021433). The BRIDGE Act authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant provisional protected presence for three (3) years. Provisional protected presence is granted if the alien—

(1) was born after June 15, 1981;

(2) entered the United States before attaining 16 years of age;

(3) continuously resided in the United States between June 15, 2007, and the date on which the alien files an application under this section;

(4) was physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and on the date on which the alien files an application under this section;

(5) was unlawfully present in the United States on June 15, 2012;

(6) on the date on which the alien files an application for provisional protected presence—

  • (A) is enrolled in school or in an education program assisting students in obtaining a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent under State law, or in passing a general educational development exam or other State-authorized exam;
  • (B) has graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school;
  • (C) has obtained a general educational development certificate; or
  • (D) is an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;

(7) has not been convicted of—

  • (A) a felony;
  • (B) a significant misdemeanor; or
  • (C) three or more misdemeanors not occurring on the same date and not arising out of the same act, omission, or scheme of misconduct; and

(8) does not otherwise pose a threat to national security or a threat to public safety.

Provisional protected presence looks extremely similar to DACA (except for a few word changes). A person qualifies for DACA is he or she:

(1) Was under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;

(2) Came to the United States before reaching 16th birthday;

(3) Has continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;

(4) Was physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;

(5) Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012;

(6) Is currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and;

(7) Has not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor,or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

If granted Provisional protected presence, the alien is not considered to be unlawfully present in the United States.

What Happens Next if Your Student or Work Visa is Revoked? 如果您的学生或工作签证被撤销，接下来会发生什么？

Visa revocation can have serious consequences. The U.S. State Department confirmed that Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) Volume 9 now provides the authority to revoke visas based on driving under the influence (DUI) arrests. U.S. consular abroad can revoke a visa when the foreign visa holder is in the United States. Revocation carries grave consequences as it can disrupt the foreign individual’s work, school, and cause distress.

However, despite revocation, foreign individual remains in lawful status throughout the end of admission date. School or employer should not conclude that the person is out of status and thus subject to termination. However, foreign traveling is not advised.

撤销签证可能会产生严重的后果。 美国国务院证实，“外交事务手册”第9卷现在提供了撤销基于受影响下驾驶（DUI）逮捕的签证的权力。 美国境外签证持有人在美国时，美国领事馆可以撤销签证。 撤销签证会影响到工作，学习，并造成极大压力。

我们办公室的意见是，尽管签证被撤销，外国人在签证日期结束前仍然处于合法身份。 学校或雇主不应得出错误结论认为该人员身份实效，因此裁员活着拒发I20表。 但是，被撤销签证的外国人不应当出国旅行。

USCIS to Allow Additional Applicants for Provisional Waiver Process 美国移民局允许更多的申请人申请临时豁免

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced a final rule expanding the existing provisional waiver process to allow certain individuals who are family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and who are statutorily eligible for immigrant visas, to more easily navigate the immigration process.  The provisional waiver process promotes family unity by reducing the time that eligible individuals are separated from their family members while they complete immigration processing abroad, while also improving administrative efficiency。

美国移民局（USCIS）最近宣布了一项最终法规扩大现有临时豁免程序的法令。 新的政策允许一些美国公民和合法永久居民的家庭成员，具有法定资格可以移民的人，可以更方便的经历美国移民过程。这项新的豁免程序允许符合条件的个人减少在境外等候完成移民的处理时间，同时也提高了行政效率，促进家庭团结。

Until now, only immediate relatives of U.S. citizens were eligible to seek such provisional waivers before departing the United States for the processing of their immigrant visas.   The new regulation expands eligibility for the process to all individuals who are statutorily eligible for the waiver. To qualify for a provisional waiver, applicants must establish that their U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouses or parents would experience “extreme hardship” if the applicants are not allowed to return to the United States.

之前来说，只有美国公民的直系亲属有资格寻求豁免。某些由于在美国有过非法居留不能在境内调整身份（adjustment of status）而必须到境外美国使领馆办理移民签证的目前居住在美国的美国公民的直系亲属可以在新规定生效后先在美国境内向移民局提出临时豁免申请并在申请获准后再出境办理移民签证手续。新的规定扩大了此类申请人的资格。现在来说，要获得豁免，申请人必须证明如果申请人不能返回美国的话，他们是美国公民或合法永久居民的配偶或父母会经历“极端困难” 。

If you would like to find out more about the new rule or if you think you have a case, please call us today.

如果您想了解更多关于新规则，或者如果你认为你的案子符合这样情况的话，请给我们打电话吧。本文仅为有关法律知识简介，不为本所法律意见。