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Category: Immigration

Time’s Running Out for Voter Registration: Are You Eligible If Born Outside the U.S.?

Time’s Running Out for Voter Registration: Are You Eligible If Born Outside the U.S.?

People born in countries outside the United States but currently living here cannot, in most cases, vote in U.S. elections unless they’ve first been lawful permanent residents (with a green card) for some years then successfully applied for naturalized U.S. citizenship. This is frustrating for many who’ve applied for citizenship, because processing government delays currently stretch months and even years. The clock is ticking for anyone wishing to vote in the next U.S. election, especially since many states require registration…

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Coronavirus: Employers Can Now Inspect I-9 Documents Remotely

Coronavirus: Employers Can Now Inspect I-9 Documents Remotely

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that employers can now remotely inspect workers’ identity and employment authorization documents for Form I-9 purposes. Form I-9 is used to verify each newly hired employee’s legal right to work in the United States. Ordinarily, an employer (or authorized representative) must conduct an in-person review of these documents. The government has made clear that remote inspection is a temporary measure and available only to employers who…

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“Florida Woman,” and the Reality of Fake Lawyers

“Florida Woman,” and the Reality of Fake Lawyers

Sometimes I feel like a lecturing parent, telling people that before hiring a lawyer they should check references, ask lots of questions, and check the person’s state bar membership. That’s particularly true in the immigration law setting, where a vulnerable population and lack of oversight (or interest) from law enforcement has led to all manner of scams and ripoffs. But then a news report like this one recently out of Tampa comes along. (And further solidifies Florida’s status as the…

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Is Julian Castro Suggesting We Amend U.S. Law to Open the Borders?

Is Julian Castro Suggesting We Amend U.S. Law to Open the Borders?

As anyone who watched or heard snippets of the first Democratic presidential debate likely knows, candidate Julián Castro, former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, proposed a repeal of the portion of U.S. law (8 U.S.C. § 1325) that makes it a crime to cross the border into the U.S. without authorization. People found guilty of a violation under § 1325 can currently be fined up to $5,000 (under the terms of 18 U.S.C. Section 3571) and/or sentenced to a maximum…

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White House Thinks Joining Family in the U.S. Is a “Random Chance” Path to a Green Card!?

White House Thinks Joining Family in the U.S. Is a “Random Chance” Path to a Green Card!?

The White House’s recent proposal for radically restructuring the U.S. immigration system is widely considered a non-starter, unlikely to draw Congressional interest, much less lead to legislation. Nevertheless, it has filled the public airwaves with generalizations about immigration law that are just plain wrong. (And they’re not getting any more correct for having been oft repeated.) I’m not talking about the philosophy behind the old or proposed new immigration policy, nor about what statistics indicate about the benefits of immigrants…

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