Los Angeles Immigration Judge Stephen Sholomson retires after 43 years of service One of the reasons that I enjoy immigration law (there are many, but I’ll save those for future blog posts) is the camaraderie and professionalism of its practitioners — on both sides. I don’t see the other immigration…
What do the current discussions on immigration reform mean for immigrants? Last week, on Tuesday, the President gave his fifth SOTU address (State of the Union for hashtag challenged among us). In each of his prior SOTUs, the President mentioned the need for comprehensive immigration reform. And so it was…
Should you file a motion to reopen your case with the court or with ICE? Last week, I discussed the use of prosecutorial discretion by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to allow certain individuals in removal proceedings to have their cases taken off the “active docket” of the immigration court.…
Prosecutorial discretion: What it means and how it can affect immigration cases The Los Angeles Times recently reported that immigration court case closures due to prosecutorial discretion appear to be on the rise. This means more cases are being temporarily closed due to the artful use of prosecutorial discretion. Although…
What changes can we expect to see in immigration law in 2014? New laws affecting immigrants have already gone into effect as of January 1, 2014. Previously, under the “Secure Communities” program, many immigrants were placed on an “ICE hold” even for low-level offenses. Under the California Trust Act, state…
New laws benefitting same sex couples can assist in immigration cases. Looking back on 2013, in my humble opinion, the biggest change in immigration law occurred on June 26, 2013. On that day, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Windsor v. United States that section 3 of the Defense of…
What does the recent USCIS “Parole in Place” memo mean for family members of military service people? I am a military brat. My father served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years. While he was in the service, I moved around a lot, I got to fly on some cool…
Appreciation and Giving Back Community service has always been an important part of my life. For me, as someone who has been blessed with many favorable opportunities, it is a way to give back to those who may not have been as fortunate. I can probably trace it back to…
Will there be immigration reform in 2013? Every now and then, when a judge is writing a decision, that judge will add a footnote about a question that is NOT being considered by the court. It’s a way of signaling that a particular legal issue remains an open question. Or…
How automatic citizenship can keep children from being deported Over the years, I have met with families whose sons or daughters have been placed into removal proceedings. During the course of our meetings, I will learn that Junior (or Junior-ette) came to the United States as a lawful permanent resident…