Mar
13

Five Immigration Facts Every Judge and Attorney Should Know

The Hon. Alan F. Pendleton of the Anoka County District Court cites Wilson Law Group in his recent judicial training update, which discusses the intersect of criminal and immigration law.  You can read the full document here: 136-104-minnesota-judicial-training-update.pdf

May
15

If You Received DACA in 2012, It Is Time to Renew!

If you were one of the first recipients to receive Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in the fall of 2012, then your renewal date is rapidly approaching. 

DACA recipients, also known as “Dreamers,” have temporary relief from removal and qualify for work authorization for a two-year period.  At the end of the two-year period, DACA and work authorization will expire unless the recipient applies for renewal.  If you are not sure when your DACA expires, check your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and your Form I-821D Approval Notice for the expiration date.

USCIS has...

Jun
5

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson Announces Process for DACA renewal

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson today announced the process for individuals to renew enrollment in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has submitted to the Federal Register an updated form to allow individuals previously enrolled in DACA to renew their deferral for a period of two years.

Read the News Release.

Nov
25

Changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (a/k/a you may now be eligible!)

On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced several important changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  These changes mean more people will now be eligible for DACA.

No More Age Limit:

Those who entered the U.S. before their 16th birthday can now apply for DACA no matter how old they currently are.  Previously, applicants needed to be under the age of 31 on June 14, 2012 to be eligible, but this requirement has been eliminated.  This means that if you were born prior to June 15, 1981, you may now be eligible for DACA.

Note: This change will take effect no...

Apr
9

Justice Scalia's Death: What It Means for United States v. Texas

The Supreme Court of the United States is set to decide United States v. Texas, the case regarding the constitutionality of President Obama's new immigration policies, in June 2016. When Antonin Scalia---one of the nine Justices on the Supreme Court---passed away, the outcome of this monumental case became more uncertain.

President Obama proposed a new immigration policy in November 2014. The name of these programs is expanded DACA (expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of American and Lawful Permanent Residents). These programs would allow...

Apr
8

The Latest Immigration Rumors - Truth v. Fiction

The past few months have been a busy time in the world of immigration law.  We know many people are struggling to filter truth from rumor.  In a climate like this, it can be hard to know what to believe and how to plan for the days ahead.  Here is what we know today, and possibly expect tomorrow under the current administration.   

The Travel Ban(s)

The Executive Orders addressing refugees and issuing visas has understandably caused a lot of confusion. The situation with this order is changing as litigation continues around the country to stop the travel ban(s) and at the moment the...

Jun
18

What Is Taking So Long! Current USCIS Processing Patterns

Slow.  The government is moving slow.   That is the pattern that is emerging in the first half of 2017.  Applications that moved quickly in the past are now taking longer, and USCIS keeps moving applications from one location to another one to balance its workloads.   

U Visas

The government can only issue 10,000 U visas every year. This means that there is a waitlist to be granted this type of visa. If the government believes an applicant’s submission is approvable, it can grant that person “deferred action” ahead of time, and allow them to get a work permit.

Currently, the...

Sep
6

Sessions Rescinds DACA - what next?

On September 5, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a “wind-down” of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Naturally, many people are questioning what that means, and so we have prepared a brief summary of the DACA rescission information, based on what is currently known.

The DACA program is scheduled to officially end on March 5, 2018. Beginning September 6, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will no longer accept initial DACA requests. This means that if someone has never applied for DACA in the past, they will not be able to apply now....

Dec
3

Crimes and DACA - common issues that cause real problems

DACA recipients benefit from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program which provides some immigration relief for children brought to the United States illegally at a young age.  If you have DACA, then the U.S. government essentially overlooks your illegal entry into the country and you can obtain a driver’s license, work permit and are protected from deportation – unless you get into certain kinds of trouble with the law.  What should you do if you have DACA and get charged with a crime?

While DACA offers protection from deportation, it is a fragile type of...