Immigration Benefits and Relief
The immigration laws and regulations provide some avenues to apply for lawful status from within the U.S. or to seek relief from deportation. The eligibility requirements for these benefits and relief can be stringent, and the immigration agencies often adopt overly restrictive interpretations of the requirements. Learn about advocacy and litigation that has been and can be undertaken to ensure that noncitizens have a fair chance to apply for the benefits and relief for which they are eligible. Providing avenues for legal status, protection, and family reunification is vital to ensuring humanitarian protection for immigrants. We are leading policy changes that open more opportunities like asylum, visas for victims of crime or human trafficking, and relief for long-term residents. Explore the resources below to learn more.
Virginia Allows DACA Recipients to Pay In-State Tuition
Young immigrants in Virginia who receive temporary legal status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program now qualify for in-state tuition at state colleges and universities. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring made the announcement Tuesday at the Northern Virginia Community College. “We should welcome these smart,… Read More
USCIS Releases Information About DACA Renewal Process
Yesterday, USCIS posted an update shedding light on what the renewal process for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program will look like. Though the notice is preliminary and subject to change, it offers over half a million DACA recipients vital information about what they should do… Read More
What Does More Discretion and Less Deportation Look Like?
Following President Obama’s announcement that administration officials will review enforcement policies to see how to make them more humane, NBC News reports that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has compiled a list of recommendations for Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on what actions could be taken to slow… Read More
American Immigration Council Urges Court to Rule that TPS Recipient Is Eligible to Adjust Status
Last week, the American Immigration Council and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) filed an amicus curiae brief urging the court to find that noncitizens granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence (i.e., adjustment of status), even if they originally entered the United States without… Read More
Justice Department’s Losing Battle Over Deportation Waivers for Permanent Residents
For more than five years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has defended a policy that deprives long-term lawful permanent residents (LPRs) of the opportunity to apply for a waiver that would allow them to remain in the United States. The waiver—known as the 212(h) waiver (referring to section 212(h)… Read More
Petition Challenges DHS on Enforcement Priorities
Last week, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) along with six individuals, submitted a formal request to the Department of Homeland Security asking the agency to temporarily suspend the deportation of low-priority undocumented workers and their families and grant them “deferred… Read More
What Does the Anti-Immigrant Movement Have Planned for the States in 2014?
As Congress continues their protracted debate on immigration reform, state governments are taking the lead on moving positive measures forward. Thus, anti-immigrant groups like the Federation for American Immigration Reform and Numbers USA will be on the defensive in 2014, devoting time and resources towards preventing pro-immigrant state policies from taking root. They are certain to keep their eyes on the federal debate this year however, they have made public their intent to help repeal driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Oregon, organize against the Maryland TRUST Act (they were behind efforts to stop Maryland’s DREAM Act in 2012), and work where they can to block Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from accessing driver’s licenses and higher education. Read More
Why Is There a Disparity in DACA Application Rates Among Different Nationalities?
A year and a half in, nationals from nearly every country have applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), President Obama’s deportation reprieve program for certain undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children. Despite this diverse participation, nationals of some countries are dramatically underrepresented… Read More
Top Five Immigration Stories from 2013
From the beginning, it was clear that 2013 was going to be a big year for immigration. The results of the 2012 Presidential Election were widely interpreted as a rebuke to Mitt Romney’s enforcement-only “self-deportation” policy, and President Obama’s huge victory among minority communities was seen as a… Read More
Senate Confirms Mayorkas as DHS Deputy Secretary
Following the confirmation of Jeh Johnson as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary on Monday, the Senate approved Alejandro Mayorkas as DHS deputy secretary on Friday by 54 to 41. Mayorkas has served as the director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services since 2009. During his… Read More
