Upcoming Census May Include a Question About Citizenship
Last month the Justice Department asked the Commerce Department to add a question about citizenship status to the 2020 Census. The current Census asks questions about age, race, sex, and property ownership – but not citizenship. The Trump administration says a question about citizenship status is crucial for protecting the Voting Rights Act. Opponents of […]
» Read More...March 8, 2018
Philly’s ‘Sanctuary City’ Label Led to More Arrests
‘Sanctuary city’ is a term used to refer to any jurisdiction that does not actively assist immigration law enforcement. Although immigration law enforcement is exclusively a federal responsibility, states have been criticized by the President, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for their non-cooperation. However, cities such […]
» Read More...February 26, 2018
Workplace Raids and Tactics
Recently, the Trump administration authorized federal agents to raid a number of 7-Eleven convenience stores to check for undocumented workers. These federal raids are often accompanied by demands to see employee’s immigration papers. Undocumented workers are arrested if they do not have legal paperwork. These individuals suffer serious consequences, but the businesses themselves are rarely […]
» Read More...February 19, 2018
When to Seek Prosecutorial Discretion
Philadelphia immigration attorneys can advise immigrants when and under what circumstances to request prosecutorial discretion when facing deportation proceedings. Prosecutorial discretion is the theory that the person or entity prosecuting the undocumented individual has the discretion to withdraw prosecution. This can be requested in certain circumstances where the government may not have enough resources or […]
» Read More...February 12, 2018
Immigration in the National Security Strategy
The Trump administration released its National Security Strategy (NSS) which sets forth a strategic vision for protecting the American people, preserving their way of life, promoting prosperity and preserving the peace. The most recent NSS delves deeper into a topic that has been only briefly discussed in previous NSS documents – immigration. The administration submits […]
» Read More...February 7, 2018
Salvadorans Told They Must Leave U.S.
Nearly 200,000 people from El Salvador have been told they must leave the U.S. by September 2019 because their Temporary Protected Status (T.P.S.) has not been renewed by the Trump administration. El Salvador was one of the first countries participating in the T.P.S. program beginning in 1990 when their country experienced a civil war. Most […]
» Read More...January 24, 2018
DACA Future Uncertain
The Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) allows people brought to the U.S. as children to stay in the country, work and obtain drivers’ licenses. The program was terminated under the current administration, but recipients were allowed to keep their permits until they expired at the end of the two-year term. Those whose applications were […]
» Read More...January 10, 2018
Substantial Increase in Arrests of Immigrants Without Criminal Records
Since the introduction of new, more stringent anti-immigration policies, arrests of undocumented immigrants across the country have increased by nearly 40 percent compared to the same period the year before. According to a report released by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), more than 41,000 people were arrested in the first 100 days after […]
» Read More...January 3, 2018
Types of Visas Available
There are two ways a person can express intention to come to the United States. They can either obtain an immigrant visa or a non-immigrant visa. Non-immigrant visas are for people who intend to visit the United States for a limited amount of time with a specific purpose and then return to their home country. […]
» Read More...December 27, 2017
Getting at the Heart of Philadelphia’s “Sanctuary City” Status
The Philadelphia immigration attorneys at Surin & Griffin, P.C. are pleased to report on a November 2017 decision in the U.S. District court which supports Philadelphia’s current Sanctuary City status. The case involved the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which fought to get the city to cooperate more closely with federal officials regarding what information […]
» Read More...December 20, 2017