Immigration & Criminal Blog

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) is a powerful legal tool designed to protect immigrant children in the United States who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both of their parents. This immigration relief allows eligible minors to apply for lawful permanent residency, also known as a green card, without having to leave […]

For many families, the U.S. immigration system offers a valuable opportunity to reunite with loved ones and establish permanent roots in the United States. Family-based immigration remains one of the most common ways individuals obtain lawful permanent residency, more commonly known as a green card. However, not every family member is eligible for sponsorship, and […]

Overstaying a visa is more common than many people realize. According to recent DHS statistics, visa overstays account for nearly half of all undocumented immigration in the United States. If you’ve remained in the country past the expiration date on your I-94 and now want to apply for a green card, you may be asking, […]

Becoming a U.S. citizen is a major milestone for immigrants living in the United States. It provides a sense of belonging, security, and access to the full benefits of American life. U.S. citizens can vote in elections, obtain a U.S. passport, petition for relatives to immigrate, and are protected from removal or deportation. For many […]

Having a green card provides lawful permanent residence in the United States, but it does not offer immunity from deportation. Many green card holders are surprised to learn that certain criminal convictions, even those that may seem minor, can result in removal proceedings. In some cases, the government initiates deportation shortly after a conviction, leaving […]

For individuals facing deportation, receiving a removal order is one of the most stressful and uncertain moments of their lives. A deportation order, officially referred to as an order of removal, is issued by an immigration judge and directs the Department of Homeland Security to remove the individual from the United States. Many people mistakenly […]

¿Que ha cambiado? El domingo 12 de abril de 2020, el gobernador Northam firmó un proyecto de ley que elimina el tiempo en la cárcel como un posible castigo por posesión de marihuana, haciendo que la posesión de menos de una onza de marihuana sea una infracción civil que se castiga con una multa. Es […]

What has changed? On Sunday, April 12, 2020 Governor Northam signed a bill eliminating jail time as a possible punishment for marijuana possession, making possession of less than one ounce of marijuana a civil infraction punishable by a fine. It is important to note that this is not full legalization. The sale of marijuana, and […]

¿Qué pasó? Este verano, la administración Trump anunció una nueva norma provisional que requeriría que los solicitantes de asilo demuestren que solicitaron y se les negó el asilo en al menos uno de los países por los que pasaron antes de llegar a los EE. UU. La ACLU (Unión Americana de Libertades Civiles) y otras […]

What happened? This summer, the Trump administration announced a new interim rule that would require asylum seekers to prove that they had applied for and been denied asylum in at least one of the countries they passed through before reaching the US. The ACLU and other organizations filed a lawsuit in the Ninth Circuit to […]