Yesterday I had the opportunity to participate in the Central American Immigration Fair in Los Angeles, where I provided free legal assistance to several people. The event was organized by the Central American and Mexican consulates and several non-profit organizations. Unfortunately, in several cases, people seeking advice came to me too late. I say ... Read more
Beginning August 15, 2011, individuals living in countries that do not have USCIS offices will be required to submit their family-based Form I-130 petitions to the Chicago Lockbox facility. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that this change will improve the efficiency of the process for those filing family-based petitions from the Chicago Lockbox facility. Read more
Due to a computer error, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery have been voided, affecting and disappointing thousands of people who thought they had won a visa through the lottery. Apparently, the computer program conducting the lottery mistakenly caused the 90% of winners to be from applications submitted in the first 2 days - and not ... Read more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the launch of the Spanish version of its E-Verify website. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows businesses to determine whether their employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S. USCIS says it will add information to the website as it ... Read more
San Francisco Sheriff Michael Hennessy announced that he will begin releasing undocumented immigrants who are in jail for minor crimes, even if federal authorities request that they remain in detention for a deportation hearing. San Francisco is a "sanctuary city," as established by an ordinance passed in 1989. The ordinance ... Read more
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced yesterday that his state will no longer participate in the Secure Communities program. The governor sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notifying them that the state is withdrawing from the program because the federal government is applying it in a discriminatory manner, and because it is not complying with ... Read more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today assured that it will not conduct raids, arrests, or other immigration enforcement in areas affected by the tornadoes. DHS stated that as in other emergency situations, they will devote their resources to provide operational assistance ... Read more
A federal judge ruled that Juana Villegas' civil rights were violated when prison authorities kept her handcuffed to a bed during the final stages of her labor and postpartum recovery. U.S. District Court Judge William Haynes Jr. must now set a hearing to determine the ... Read more
Every Monday starting today, there will be a column that I will be writing in the Los Angeles La Opinión newspaper, offering advice and answering questions that the public may have regarding immigration. It is important for every immigrant to be well informed regarding his or her rights and responsibilities under immigration law ... Read more
In Sunday's edition of The Post Standard newspaper, there was a story about the abuse of a group of immigrants recruited in Mexico to work in Syracuse, New York at a fair. The account of the abuse and mistreatment suffered by 19 Mexicans horrified me. It also infuriated me to learn that there are such inhumane people willing to practically enslave and ... Read more
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