Virtual Office Attorney

Folk who think you've fooled the USCIS with a fake marriage pay attention to the following paragraph from the article below:

But authorities aren't done with their investigation. They are now trying to track down the scores of immigrants who used sham marriages to obtain permanent residency.

USCIS is looking for the immigrants so that they can remove their green card status.  Worst case scenario, I'm seeing deportation in some immigrants future.

Why....so much time has passed?  The immigrants have their green cards.  Can't we let bygones be bygones?

The law says anyone who fraudulent receives some immigration benefit (green card, citizenship, etc.) can have it taken away.  For example, if you marry someone to get a green card and later on divorce them.  Later you re-marry and help that person get a green card.  All could lose their status. 

Best course of action if you are tempted to marry to get a green card -- Just don't do it! 

Feds: Texas green card scam was all in the family | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle.

Another example of the complications related to immigration law.  It is always a tangled web of facts that are unique to each situation.  The marriage was what the US citizen spouse (now deceased) wanted.  I think it is enough pain stress on the wife, child and parents.  I only hope that immigration laws will not keep this family apart. 

Proxy wedding means Marine's widow, baby unwelcome - Yahoo! News.

Congratulations to Martin Miles Ulsano who became the first child naturalized overseas!  See the link below fromt he USCIS website. 

First Child Becomes a U.S. Citizen Overseas<br /><i>USCIS Naturalization Ceremony Held in Japan</i>.

Thank goodness that some immigration love stories end with a happy ending.  See the link below about the Boyettes in Florida.


True love: Tampa couple prove it to immigration judge - St. Petersburg Times.

The Los Angeles Times featured this difficult story for one family of a Mexican national, his United States Citizen wife and United States citizen children.  Because of 10 year bars, the family has made a difficult choice so that the family can be together. That choice has been to live in the dangerous city of Tijuana, Mexico.

Should families like this one be forced to suffer?   Or is comprehensive immigration reform that would allow this family to reunite in the US the answer?  Let me know what you think. 

The Department of Homeland Security - USCIS announced it has changed address for private courier deliveries (non-United States Postal Service).  Please note the Post Office Box address is the same.

The new address for deliveries by private courier is:
USCIS:

Attn: Please check Form Instructions for the proper Attn: information
131 South Dearborn, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be revising the filing instructions for the Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (Form I-751) to require filing at the California or Vermont Service Centers, where all Forms I-751 are currently adjudicated.   

Since 2004, for one particular client, I have been generally pleased with the professionalism of the USCIS & the Department of State.   This client has had to apply for a waiver that had to be recommended by USCIS then sent to the Department of State for final action.  To add to the drama, the USCIS recommendation was not a guarantee of approval by the Department of State.  However, once this client's waiver was approved, he was fortunately able to take advantage of a pilot program available in his District Office for family based immigration cases that significantly reduced the usual delays in his type of case.

The client's road was not always smooth (contradictory letters from USCIS directing next steps, multiple repeats of biometric testing, travel to and from Application Support Centers to comply with requests from USCIS, short notice for appointments with USCIS, lost income from time away from work to appear at appointments with USCIS, etc.)   

UItimately, I believe due to the professionalism of the immigration attorney (me), the client's particular facts and other factors that cannot be predicted, the client was pleased with the end result and the speed of the results.

Amazingly, this client got actual phone calls from staff at USCIS and Department of State informing of approval of his petitions and waiver.  This was an unexpected "human touch" for an immigrant who was used to being treated unprofessionally throughout his multi-year odyssey.

Hopefully, additional resources allocated from the increase of fees approved in 2007, will produce similar results for other immigrants.  It is my desire that treating immigrants with dignity and humanity will become the rule.....not an exception.