Merits Hearing in Immigration Court vs. Master Calendar Docket There are two different types of court hearings during removal proceedings involving non-detained individuals. The first is known as the Master Calendar hearing and the other is known as the Individual hearing or Merits hearing. In past posts, I have discussed the…
A Republican Congress What will this mean for Immigration Reform? This is the new reality: in 2015 and 2016, Republicans will control both houses of Congress – the House of Representatives and the Senate. And to that, I say: It’s time for the Republicans to show us – the American…
In Immigration Court, What You Don’t Say Can And Will Be Used Against You Seemingly Non-Immigration-Related Documents Can Be Used Against You in Immigration Court The Board of Immigration Appeals recently determined that a seemingly non-immigration-related document can be used as evidence by the Department of Homeland Security to support…
Ebola: There Are Scarier Things Happening This Halloween Immigrants from West Africa are Not the Ebola Bogeyman This week as Halloween approaches, there is all sorts of scary stuff going around. For starters, Ebola! Ebola! Ebola! There isn’t a front page newspaper story or a broadcast news segment that doesn’t involve…
Not too long ago, I was sitting in jail with my client the night before his first hearing. I told him that once I got him out of custody, I would buy him a beer. He says “But Mr. Aquino, I don’t drink.” “Well,” I asked him, “what would you…
Felony conviction for actor Joe Giudice will likely result in removal proceedings Hollywood sit-com writers occasionally air episodes where the storyline has an immigration subplot. But sometimes, you don’t need fiction writers! Joe Giudice, from “Real Housewives of New Jersey”, was convicted on federal charges that will likely trigger immigration…
MAVNI program extended to individuals granted DACA immigration status Living amongst us in the United States are hundreds of thousands of children who grew up as Americans but lack immigration status because of the way that they entered the United States. Many of these DREAMers have been given a chance…
John Lennon’s US immigration case was not won without challenges The possibility of executive action on immigration (and deferred action for parents of DREAMERs) was in the news recently. Unfortunately, not for the reason that many immigrants had been hoping for. Any executive action will be delayed until after Election…
In the past, I have written about people of modest means who have been bamboozled by unscrupulous attorneys, “consultants,” and “notarios.” For example, I wrote about the fraudulent asylum applications submitted by attorneys and paralegals in New York City. Unfortunately, even wealthy investors can be victims of scams. The “EB-5 visa”…
Over the last several months, I’ve been breaking down the process of what happens in immigration courts. This week, KPCC took a closer look at the busiest immigration court in the nation: Los Angeles. (Read KPCC’s full story). Nationwide, the number of cases in immigration court have risen, but the…