Supreme Court Grants Stay of Injunction Allowing Trump Administration’s New Asylum Restrictions to Take Effect

Trump Administration’s New Asylum Restrictions Take Effect
Oct16

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. While the Federal judiciary has generally been the principal obstacle to the anti-immigration efforts of the Trump administration, the Supreme Court has sometimes overruled lower Federal courts and upheld the anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration.  For example, the Supreme Court has upheld the “Trump travel ban” and allowed the use of Department of Defense funds to build the United States-Mexico border wall. As another example of the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Trump administration on an immigration issue, on September 11, the Supreme Court granted a stay

October 16, 2019
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Important Dates Forthcoming Before End of Year 2019 for United States’ Residency by Investment Program

Residency by Investment Program EB-5 In United States
Oct14

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Would you like to be a resident of the United States?  The United States, often referred to as the “land of opportunity”, is considered an attractive destination for many immigrants, with its strong economy, high level of education, health care, and standard of living, political freedoms, and diverse culture.  If you are interested in residing in the United States, you should note that important dates will be forthcoming before the end of year 2019 for the United States’ residency by investment program (known as the “EB-5 program”). On July

October 14, 2019
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District Court Judge Reinstates Nationwide Injunction Blocking Trump Administration’s New Asylum Restrictions

Trumps Asylum Restrictions Blocked by Nationwide Injunction
Oct11

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. The U.S. federal governmental system is based on 3 branches of government – the executive (the President), the legislative (the Congress), and the judicial (the federal courts).  On immigration issues, during the Trump administration, with Congress taking little action, it generally has been the executive branch (President Trump) vs. the judicial branch (federal judges).  This “executive vs. judicial” battle has arisen on the issue of asylum, with the latest development being that a District Court judge has reinstated a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration’s new asylum restrictions. On July

October 11, 2019
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Top U.S. Asylum Official Reassigned As Part Of Trump Administration’s Anti-Asylum Policies

U.S. Asylum Official Reassigned As Part Of Trump Policies
Oct09

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Asylum has been a basic feature of the U.S. immigration system for immigrants seeking humanitarian refuge in the United States.  Asylum has been under attack by the Trump administration, including President Trump’s comment in a speech that “[t]he asylum program is a scam”.   As further evidence of this attack on asylum, the top U.S. asylum official has been reassigned as part of the Trump administration’s anti-asylum policies. According to an email sent to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) staff on September 4, John Lafferty, who had been

October 9, 2019
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H-1B and L-1 Petition Denials and Requests For Evidence Have Increased During Trump Administration

H-1B and L-1 Petition Denials & Requested Evidence Increased
Oct07

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Much has been said about the hostile policies of the Trump administration toward undocumented immigrants.  While the issue probably receives less attention, the Trump administration also has not proceeded favorably with legal immigration alternatives.  Specifically, based on U.S. Citizenship and Investment Services (USCIS) updated data issued on August 7, H-1B and L-1 petition denials and requests for evidence (RFEs) have increased during the Trump administration. During the first 3 quarters of the current October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019 fiscal year (through June 30, 2019), USCIS

October 7, 2019
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DHS To Move $271 Million, Including $155 Million From Fema’s Disaster Relief Fund, To Support President Trump’s Immigration Enforcement Efforts

DHS To Move $271 Million, Including $155 Million From Fema
Oct05

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Government positions on immigration issues are often expressed in ideological or political terms.  However, more practically, it is the authorization of funds that actually implements these government positions.  For example, “Build the Wall” is just a political argument; unless funds are actually authorized to build a wall at the southwest border, the government will not actually construct any wall.  The importance of funding authorization by the government is exemplified by the action of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to move $271 million, including $155 million from the Disaster

October 5, 2019
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Largest Workplace Immigration Raids In At Least A Decade Result In 680 Arrests

Largest Workplace Immigration Raids In At Least A Decade
Oct03

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. The Trump administration has proposed many new anti-immigration policies against undocumented immigrants in the United States.  However, a traditional approach to limit undocumented immigrants in the United States is to conduct a raid of a business where undocumented immigrants are known to be working and arrest them.  The Trump administration is also willing to use this traditional method of restricting undocumented immigrants in the United States, as on August 7, the largest workplace immigration raids in the United States in at least a decade resulted in 680 arrests. These workplace

October 3, 2019
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USCIS Says Certain Children of U.S. Government Employees And U.S. Armed Forces Members Born Overseas Are Not Automatically U.S. Citizens

Government Employees Born Overseas Not Automatically Citizen
Oct02

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq.  While one can easily criticize many of the anti-immigration policies issued by the Trump administration for their substantive positions, to the extent that government policy consistency is beneficial, you cannot fault the Trump administration for lack of general consistency on immigration issues.  Whatever the immigration issue, from migrant rights to green card rights to citizenship rights, the Trump administration will generally consistently adopt the position on the issue that restricts, and is adverse to, such migrant rights, green card rights, or citizenship rights. As another example of the Trump administration’s generally consistent

October 2, 2019
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Trump Administration Announces Final Rule To Change Flores Settlement And Allow Longer Detention Of Migrant Children

Changes To Flores Settlement Allow Longer Detention
Oct01

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. The anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration have especially harsh consequences when applied to migrant families.  This point is especially true when these policies are applied to migrant children. As another example of the adverse policies of the Trump administration toward migrant children, on August 21, the Trump administration announced a final rule to change the Flores settlement and allow the longer detention of migrant children. The Flores settlement arose from the 1997 case of Flores v. Reno. 

October 1, 2019
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Trump Administration Changes “Medical Deferred Action” Program

“Medical Deferred Action” Program & Trump Administration
Sep30

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. While it is often asserted that immigration programs can involve “life or death” consequences, this argument is especially applicable to the “medical deferred action” program.  The “medical deferred action” program allows immigrants to remain in the United States for two-year periods if they can prove extreme medical need. Many of the immigrants covered by the “medical deferred action” program came to the United States through a visa or other permitted status for a period of time and are requesting to stay beyond this period of time to receive necessary medical treatment. 

September 30, 2019
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