Nelson A. Castillo Of the nearly 12.5 million permanent residents living in the United States, nearly 8 million are eligible to apply for citizenship. Every eligible person should become a citizen because they will not only gain important benefits, but also political power by acquiring the right to vote. In my column this week in La Opinión, I explain the ... Read more
If you are the child of a person covered under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program you may be eligible for late initial registration if you were under 21 and unmarried during the initial registration period of the country of origin. The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) ... Read more
The U.S. government does not approve most asylum claims. To get an idea, of the nearly 33,000 asylum petitions filed in fiscal year 2010, less than 10,000 were approved. In the case of Mexican asylum seekers, only 49 of the more than 3,200 petitions filed were approved. In my column of ... Read more
In "Consulta Migratoria", my column in La Opinión newspaper, this week I answer questions from my readers. Find out what you can do if you paid a notary and he or she disappears without providing services, how to find a family member detained by immigration, and whether you should pay for the renewal of work permits if you have already been ... Read more
Federal, state and local authorities today announced the launch of a campaign to combat scams by notarios and immigration consultants targeting immigrants seeking legal help to fix their papers. The initiative, "The Wrong Help Can Hurt You - Avoid Immigration Scams," is spearheaded by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The goal ... Read more
Most immigration procedures require the payment of fees to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) - whether for renewing a permanent resident card, obtaining a work permit, or registering for the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, among other things, or for the ... Read more
In my most recent "Consulta Migratoria" column for La Opinión I answer questions from readers. Please note that each case is different and that the answers vary depending on each person's immigration history and other factors. In the column I answer general questions from readers. Please consult with an attorney ... Read more
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced yesterday that his state will suspend its participation in the Secure Communities program. The governor's office sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notifying him that due to numerous complaints and concern for the welfare and safety of residents of his state, New York is withdrawing from the program. In ... Read more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the launch of a federal initiative to educate and raise public awareness about the rights, responsibilities and importance of U.S. citizenship. The educational campaign will use print and digital media in Spanish and radio in a variety of languages to raise public awareness of the ... Read more
Receiving public assistance may affect an immigrant's ability to obtain U.S. residency or citizenship. This depends on whether the government considers you a "public charge". If so, you may be inadmissible for immigration benefits. In my most recent column for La Opinión I explain which benefits can hurt you and which cannot. You can read it by clicking ... Read more
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