Fourth Circuit Joins Ninth Circuit In Ruling That Trump’s Efforts To Rescind DACA Were Improper

Efforts To Rescind DACA Were Improper by Trump
Jun12

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration program established by President Barack Obama in 2012 generally to permit undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before the age of 16 to avoid deportation and receive work permits for a period of 2 years, renewable upon good behavior.  President Donald Trump has sought to rescind DACA. On May 17, the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals joined the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (which had ruled on November 6, 2018) in ruling that President

June 12, 2019
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Ninth Circuit Upholds Trump Administration’s “Remain in Mexico” Program

Trump's “Remain in Mexico” Program Upholds Ninth Circuit
Jun10

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. In the face of continuing anti-immigration policies from the Trump administration, it has been the judicial branch of the Federal government (the courts) that immigrants have often relied upon to protect immigrant rights.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in particular, has issued various decisions in defense of immigrant rights. However, even the Ninth Circuit is not a guarantor of a “pro-immigration” decision, as evidenced by its May 7 opinion upholding President Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols program (known as the “Remain in Mexico” program). Based

June 10, 2019
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Israeli Nationals Now Eligible for United States E-2 Visa

E-2 Visa Now Available For Israeli Nationals
Jun07

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Given the hostile, anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration, the immigration news recently coming from the United States generally involves some additional restriction on immigration rights.  As a result, it is noteworthy when the Trump administration takes action that can permit more foreigners to come to the United States. Such is the case with the April 11 announcement that Israeli nationals can now qualify for the United States E-2 visa. The U.S. Embassy in Israel stated, “The U.S. Embassy in Israel is pleased to announce the implementation

June 7, 2019
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Trump Administration Proposal Could Evict Citizens and Legal Immigrants Living With Undocumented Immigrants From Public Housing

Evicting So-Called “Mixed-Immigration Status” Families.
Jun05

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Imagine having to choose between living with a beloved family member or remaining in your current residence.  Such a difficult choice may soon be faced by US citizens and legal immigrants who live in public housing with undocumented immigrant family members as a result of a recent proposal by the Trump administration.  On April 17, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a rule that could evict so-called “mixed-immigration status” families (at least one family member is a citizen or legal immigrant, and at least one

June 5, 2019
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Trump Proposes New Restrictions on Asylum-Seekers

Asylum-Seekers Will See New Restrictions Proposes Trump
Jun03

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. “Asylum, you know I look at some of these asylum people, they’re gang members.  They’re not afraid of anything . . . and they say ‘I fear for my life,’ they’re the ones causing fear for life.  It’s a scam, it’s a hoax”. These prior comments by President Trump from early April clearly show that he opposes immigration to the United States based on asylum.  Thus, it was no surprise when, on April 29, he issued “Presidential Memorandum on Additional Measures to Enhance Border Security and Restore Integrity

June 3, 2019
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ICE Sets Record For Arresting Undocumented Immigrants Without A Criminal Background

May31

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Some records, such as winning the most Super Bowls or scoring the most points in an NCAA college basketball game, receive universal praise.  Other records garner a more mixed reaction. Such is the case with the recent news that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) set a record in December, 2018 by arresting the highest percentage of undocumented immigrants with no criminal background.  Specifically, 36.5 percent of the undocumented immigrants arrested by ICE in December, 2018 had no criminal record – the highest such percentage since ICE started categorizing arrests

May 31, 2019
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Lack of Competent Interpreters In Foreign Indigenous Languages Creates Problems In U.S. Immigration Courts

May29

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Have you ever heard of Q’anjob’al, Mam, and K’iche’?  Probably not. They are 3 languages indigenous to the country of Guatemala.  What makes them significant for United States immigration law purposes is that they have become 3 of the 25 most common languages spoken in US immigration courts in recent years.  The lack of competent interpreters in Q’anjob’al, Mam, and K’iche’, and other foreign indigenous languages, is creating significant problems in the US immigration courts. Many of the migrants who have come to the United States in recent years

May 29, 2019
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El Paso Immigration Court Accused Of “Culture of Hostility” Toward Immigrants

El Paso Immigration Court Accused Of “Culture of Hostility”
May27

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. A recent report by the American Bar Association described the US immigration courts as “facing an existential crisis . . . irredeemably dysfunctional and on the brink of collapse”.  Besides requiring a major overhaul for inefficiency, the US immigration courts may suffer from another fundamental problem – bias against immigrants. This point was made in an administrative complaint filed yesterday by the American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association with the US Department of Justice with respect to the El Paso, Texas Service Processing Center immigration court.

May 27, 2019
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Albence Selected to Be New Head Of ICE

Matthew Albence Selected to Be New Head Of ICE
May24

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Could the selection of a new person to head U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) signal a change in the Trump administration’s approach on immigration?  Specifically, could the selection of a new person to head ICE represent a departure from the harsh, anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration? Unfortunately, the selection of Matthew Albence to be the new head of ICE likely will only lead to even more adverse policies harming the rights of immigrants. In an April 11 email to ICE staff, Acting ICE Director Ronald Vitiello wrote,

May 24, 2019
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Denver Mayor Protests Legal Immigrants Being Denied Citizenship for Marijuana Jobs

Legal Immigrants Denied Citizenship for Marijuana Jobs
May22

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Oswaldo Barrientos emigrated to the United States from El Salvador when he was a baby 29 years ago.  He received his green card at age 13 and currently remains a legal immigrant in the United States. Barrientos has no criminal record and a stable job.  Does he seem like the type of person who should be rejected when he applied for US citizenship? You probably would think no, but unfortunately such is not the case.  Barrientos in fact was recently denied US citizenship, and told that he “lacked moral character”, because

May 22, 2019
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