They started slow, but it appears that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made progress in processing deferred action cases. According to information released today by USCIS, 179,794 requests for deferred action have been received. A total of 4,591 cases have been approved and another 6,416 are under review. This is a large increase, as ... Read more
This week in my column in La Opinión, I explain what legal residents and naturalized U.S. citizens must do to obtain public benefits. Before you can receive a public benefit such as a Social Security card, Medicaid, food stamps or even a driver's license, the government agencies that grant these benefits must verify the ... Read more
Governor Jerry Brown on Sunday signed a bill (AB 2189) that will authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue California driver's licenses to thousands of young undocumented immigrants who are approved for the deferred action program. The Governor's action is important because, as currently stipulated, it requires ... Read more
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today ruled that federal immigration law gives priority to children of legal residents who became adults while waiting years for a visa. This ruling is not final, but if affirmed, it could change the situation for thousands of children of legal residents. For years, the ... Read more
This week in my column in La Opinión I answer the question of a reader interested in knowing about the process of a family petition after submitting an application. Here I provide a general answer to their doubts. Each case is different, so you should consult an attorney for personalized legal advice. I am ... Read more
I just participated in a conference call with Director Alejandro Mayorkas of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and other senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) where they provided more details on eligibility, exceptions and the forms to be completed for the deferred action request. USCIS confirmed that ... Read more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) has extended its hours of operation to better serve the public. The new hours now include Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm. Agents will be available to answer your questions live ... Read more
In my column this week in La Opinión, I give more details about the requirements that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is imposing to implement the deferred action program for undocumented youth and explain why it is necessary to consult with an attorney to complete the process. In addition to reaffirming that the ... Read more
Today I participated in a call with Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who provided more information on the implementation of the deferred action program that will benefit hundreds of thousands of undocumented youth. Under this directive, certain young people will not be able to be deported from the country for a period of ... Read more
Questions continue to be raised about the various aspects of eligibility for the deferred action that the federal government recently granted to hundreds of thousands of undocumented youth. In my column in this week's La Opinión I continue to answer some of the questions I have received from readers. Here I provide a general answer to your questions. ... Read more
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