Nassau Lawyer

“Immigration Fix Opens Door to spouses of U.S Citizens”

Illegal immigrants married to U.S. Citizens will soon be emerging from the shadows to apply for their green cards,  thanks to a powerful tweak in government regulations that will take effect on March 4.  This so-called “provisional waiver,” which was announced by the Obama administration last January, will potentially benefit hundreds of thousands of immigrant spouses and other “Immediate Relatives” of U.S. Citizens.  (Immediate Relatives refers to spouses of U.S. Citizens, minor children of U.S. Citizens and parents of adult Citizens. The final rule, published in the Federal Register on Jan. 2 this year,  clarified how Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) will implement the in-country provisional waiver.

Why couldn’t immigrant spouses – who entered the United States illegally — obtain Legal Permanent Resident (LPR, or green card) status before?  A harsh immigration law enacted in 1996, Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA), created a 10-year bar to re-entry for individuals who accrued more than one year of “unauthorized presence” in the United States before departing the country.  (The law also created a 3-year bar for those who accumulated 180 days or more of unlawful presence.)

This provisional waiver does not apply to visa overstays, who can “adjust status” in the United States.  Foreign nationals who entered illegally and were married to U.S. Citizens, however, had no recourse other than “consular processing.”  Therein lies the “Catch-22.” Once the bar was triggered (by leaving the United States), a foreign national needed a “waiver” for the unlawful presence to re-enter. This waiver was available only for those foreign nationals who were 1) married to LPRs or U.S. Citizens or had parents who were Citizens or LPRs and 2) could demonstrate that separation from the qualifying relative would result in “extreme hardship.”  In many cases, this was a highly subjective standard employed by embassy officials, from which there was no appeal.  Foreign nationals often had to wait five months or more for their waivers to be adjudicated.

Because of this snag, most immigration lawyers, including myself, almost never advised spouses of U.S. Citizens to return to their home countries for consular processing. In most cases, it was too risky and would in any case result in a long period of separation for the husband and wife. The result was that very few spouses departed the United States to obtain their legal status.

The provisional waiver, which takes effect on March 4, changes everything.  Now, once a spouse has an approved I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (as beneficiary), he or she can apply to CIS for the waiver in the United States. Once the waiver is approved, the spouse would then be scheduled for consular processing in his or her home country. The trip abroad would take no more than 2 or 3 weeks at most – to get fingerprint  clearances, a medical evaluation and consular interview. If all goes well, and there are no disqualifying factors,  the spouse would be granted LPR status and could immediately re-enter the United States.

In addition to spouses, some minor children and parents of U.S. citizens may also  be eligible for the provisional waiver.  However, “unauthorized presence” does not accrue until an individual turns 18 – before that age, a minor could undergo consular processing without requiring a waiver. Also, beneficiaries are required to have a U.S. Citizen or LPR spouse or parent that would suffer “extreme hardship” if they were to be deported.  Very few individuals others than spouses of U.S. citizens would qualify under this standard.

Of course, there are many Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens who  should not apply under this program. Specifically, this includes any immigrant who is “inadmissible” pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act because of certain criminal convictions. Disqualifying offenses include, of course, violent crimes and drug trafficking.  But they may also include such relatively minor offenses as shoplifting, marijuana possession and document fraud.  The range of these inadmissible crimes is  beyond the scope of this article; however, criminal-defense attorneys should always inquire into the immigration status of a non-Citizen client.  See Padilla v. Kentucky, 130 S. Ct. 1473 (2010)  the seminal Supreme Court case on the obligations of criminal-defense counsel to non-Citizen clients.)

This provisional waiver, along with the recently enacted DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program – benefiting illegal immigrants who arrived in the Uniteed States as children —  is part of a rapidly evolving political climate.

Illegal immigration used to be considered the deadly “third rail” in U.S. politics.  After the recent presidential elections, however, it has become clear to both political parties that the Hispanic vote is crucial.  No serious politician on the national stage will ever again speak of “self-deportation,” as Gov. Romney did, to his lasting regret.

Although President Obama has not shown any inclination to slow down the record pace of deportations during his administration – almost 400,000 per year, he is nevertheless creating openings for hundreds of thousands of hard-working, law-abiding but undocumented immigrants to escape the shadows and enter the mainstream.

The new few years should prove a time of rapid change, as the country prepares to legalize and assimilate many of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country.

  Los Momentos Culminantes de Inmigracion en 2012

Por

David M. Sperling

Abogado

El  año pasado fue decisivo políticamente, con la aplastante derrota del gobernador Romney en la elección presidencial, que muchos analistas atribuyen a la actitud hostil de los republicanos hacia los inmigrantes. Estoy seguro de que no volveré a oír a un político serio pronunciar la palabra “auto-deportación”.

La administración Obama introdujo el Programa de los Soñadores, modificado las disposiciones y ayudando a legalizar a cientos de miles de  inmigrantes indocumentados. El próximo año promete estar lleno de nuevas iniciativas favorables para los inmigrantes, que mantendrá unidas a las familias y fortalecerá la economía de los EE.UU.

Para nuestra abogacía también, fue el ano mas exitoso en nuestra historia. Gracias a  nuestro equipo de profesionales trabajando conjuntamente, pudimos expandir nuestros servicios en la comunidad inmigrante. Nunca hubieran sido posible sin el trabajo destacado  de nuestro equipo de profesionales.

Hulda Mazariegos, una de nuestras primeras jóvenes Soñadoras se convirtió en ciudadana de los Estados Unidos a principios de enero y su ceremonia de juramiento fue cubierto por Univision. Hulda es ahora nuestra asistente legal de supervisión y pronto volverá a la escuela de leyes para convertirse en abogada. (Echa un vistazo a nuestra página web para www.davidsperlinglaw.com videos, blogs, tweets y otros enlaces.)

Lia Suntoso, quien se unió a nuestra firma hace un año, ha hecho un gran trabajo en la ampliación de nuestra cartera de clientes a nivel internacional- en  Indonesia y otros países. Ella es nuestra líder en el trabajo con el Departamento de Labor, y en la lucha en los pasadizos en la Corte de Inmigracion el 26 Federal Plaza.

En junio pasado, fui muy afortunado de ser el invitado de Lia y su familia en Yakarta-Indonesia, una experiencia que nunca olvidaré. (Durante mi estadía en Indonesia, también visité Bali y conocí a una familia maravillosa a través del decano de mis años en la Escuela de Leyes, Howard Glickstein.  Yo escribí la historia de esta relación increíble para la  reciente publicación de  “Touro Lawyer”).   En Abril, yo viaje a Cuba en una  delegacion patrocinado por los abogados hispanos  de Long Island. Fue una isla congelada en los ’50.

Maurice Williams, otro de los miembros de nuestro equipo, graduado de Touro Law School  y pasó el examen en su primer intento, para ejercer como abogado. ¡Así se hace! Mauricio, como le llamamos, pronto se unirá a Lia en las trincheras. Gracias también a la encantadora esposa de Mauricio, Angie, su hermosa hija, Amber Rose, y su talentoso hijo Brandon por sus contribuciones al crecimiento de nuestra empresa.

Un reconocimiento especial  a los otros miembros destacados de nuestro equipo, sin el cual no seria posible nuestro éxito – o se divierten mucho en el proceso. Gracias, Flor Cruz, Laura Luna, Evelyn Henríquez, Yury Garcés, Arlene Gulino, Paula Mazariegos, Judith Garcés y Adrian Kreutzer.

Muchos de ellos me acompañaron en el Crucero de los Sonadores en la milla náutica de Freeport en mi cumpleaños, el 24 de julio. Alquilamos un yate de tres niveles, al cual invitamos a nuestros amigos a unirse, y poner en marcha la Fundación de los Sonadores DMS. La cual proporcionará becas a los favorecidos del Programa de Acción Diferida para los llegados en la infancia (DACA). Este programa puesto en marcha por el Presidente Obama, aunque no confiere ningún estatus permanente, por lo menos permite contar con una autorización de empleo y la protección contra la deportación para ciertos jóvenes que llegaron a Estados Unidos de manera ilegal a temprana edad. Nuestra oficina fue capaz de ayudar a cerca de 300 jóvenes de Long Island  obtener un estatus legal temporal y perseguir sus sueños educativos y profesionales.

El viaje tuvo un éxito contundente, y recaudó miles de dólares para becas. (Nuestra fundación espera obtener su estatus de exención impositiva en breve, y continuara sus actividades para la recaudación de fondos para este noble propósito. Espero nos acompañen en el próximo crucero este verano!)

El citado programa DACA valida mi fe en nuestros leales clientes. Prácticamente sin publicidad, cientos de jóvenes inmigrantes acudieron a nuestras oficinas para contratarnos. La mayoría de ellos eran hijos de antiguos clientes, otros fueron referidos a nosotros por el “boca a boca” – la mejor forma de la publicidad.

Durante los últimos 18 años, nuestra empresa ha construido la reputación de ser el mejor Bufete de Abogados de Inmigración  de Long Island. Los clientes confían en nosotros para darles un análisis justo, honesto y bien documentado de sus opciones legales y representación en sus casos de inmigración.

Así también, seguimos avanzando en nuestro objetivo de crear una oficina sin papeles que ofrezca respuestas inmediatas a nuestros clientes, que cada vez son mas. Con nuestros nuevos servidores internos (no hay registros perdidos en la “nube”), y  con nuestro eficiente programa de gestión de casos, ya no  necesitamos buscar físicamente los archivos de los clientes. ¡Qué alivio!

A principios de diciembre, asistí a un seminario de inmigración en Washington como representante del Comité Judío Americano. Los asistentes no eran los típicos defensores de los inmigrantes, que eran los líderes religiosos, líderes empresariales y funcionarios encargados de hacer cumplir la ley que tienden a votar por los republicanos. El seminario, patrocinado por el Foro Nacional de Inmigración, dejó en claro que la reforma migratoria es un tema del cual los estadounidenses se benefician en ambos lados del espectro político. Lo que es bueno para los inmigrantes es bueno para la economía.

Una iniciativa anunciada el pasado mes de enero por el presidente Obama va a abrir un camino hacia la residencia legal y eventualmente la ciudadanía a cientos de miles de inmigrantes indocumentados casados ​​con ciudadanos estadounidenses. Los esposos beneficiarios de este “Perdón en los Estados Unidos” ya no tienen que esperar muchos meses en el extranjero, sin garantía de que se les permitirá regresar a los Estados Unidos.

Parece un pequeño paso, pero este cambio normativo beneficiará a cientos de miles de inmigrantes indocumentados.

Como ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) continúa perfeccionando su política de “discreción fiscal”, tenemos la esperanza de que un menor número de familias serán destrozados por las deportaciones – que se mantiene en un nivel récord de aproximadamente 400.000 por año.

ICE seguirá centrándose en objetivos de alta prioridad, como criminales violentos, terroristas, delincuentes sexuales y “prófugos” (individuos que no salieron en virtud de una orden de deportación). Seguirá siendo nuestra misión hacer uso de todas nuestras habilidades legales y de defensa para representar celosamente a las personas que han sido injustamente atrapadas en redadas de ICE.

Con la creciente toma de conciencia por los republicanos y otros grupos,  que los inmigrantes representan nuestro futuro, esto sin duda va a ser un año interesante. Se comenzara quizás el camino conjunto a la reforma migratoria, o al menos a una serie de iniciativas nuevas de inmigración que beneficiaran a millones de inmigrantes legales e ilegales. Abróchense los cinturones de seguridad.

David Sperling es un abogado de inmigración con oficinas en Central Islip, Huntington Station y Hempstead. Se puede comunicar con su oficina a (631) 232-9555.

By David M. Sperling
Attorney

This past year was a watershed moment for immigration, with the crushing defeat of Gov. Romney in the presidential elections, which many analysts attributed to the Republicans’ hostile attitudes towards immigrants. I am certain we will never again hear a serious politician utter the word “self-deportation.”

The Obama administration introduced a DREAM-lite program and tweaked the regulations that will help legalize hundreds of thousands of other undocumented immigrants. This coming year promises to be filled with new, immigrant-friendly initiatives that will keep families together and bolster the U.S. economy.

For our law firm, also, it was the most successful year in our history. Thanks to our outstanding team of professionals, we were able to expand our services to the immigrant community. It would never have been possible without our loyal staff.

Hulda Mazariegos, one of the first DREAM Act poster kids, became a U.S. Citizen in early January, in a naturalization ceremony that was covered by Univision. Hulda is now our supervisory paralegal and will soon be headed to law school. (Check out our website at www.davidsperlinglaw.com for videos, blogs, tweets and other links.)

Lia Suntoso, who joined our firm one year ago, has done a tremendous job in widening our client base – to Indonesia and beyond, spearheading our employment-visa department, and fighting in the trenches at 26 Federal Plaza. I was very fortunate to be the guest of Lia and her family last June in Jakarta, an experience I will never forget. (While in Indonesia, I also visited Bali and met a wonderful family through my old law school dean, Howard Glickstein. I wrote the story of their amazing relationship for the recent issue of Touro Lawyer.)

Maurice Williams graduated from Touro Law, and passed the July Bar Exam on his first attempt. Way to go! Mauricio, as we call him, will soon be joining Lia in the trenches. Thanks also to Mauricio’s charming wife, Angie, their beautiful daughter, Amber Rose, and talented son Brandon for their many contributions to our firm’s growth.

A big shout-out to the other outstanding members of our team, without whom we would never succeed – or have so much fun in the process. Thank you, Flor Cruz, Laura Luna, Evelyn Henriquez, Yury Garces, Arlene Gulino, Paula Mazariegos, Chiquita Garces and Adrian Kreutzer.

Many of our team members joined me for the DREAM Cruise out of Nautical Mile in Freeport on my birthday, July 24th. We rented out a three-tiered yacht and invited our friends to join us as we literally launched the DMS Dream Foundation to provide college scholarships to beneficiaries of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program, while not conferring any permanent status, at least allows work authorization and protection from deportation for certain young people who came to the United States illegally at a young age. Our office was able to help nearly 300 Long Islanders gain temporary legal status and pursue their educational and professional dreams.

The cruise was a huge success, and we raised thousands of dollars for scholarships. (Our foundation expects to obtain its tax-exempt status shortly, and to continue raising funds for this very worthy purpose. Please join us for this summer’s cruise!)

We continue to advance in our goal of creating a paper-free office that provides instant responses to our growing clientele. With our new internal servers (no records lost in the “cloud”), and a powerful new case-management program, we will no longer have to physically search for clients’ files. What a relief!

The aforementioned DACA program validated my faith in our loyal clientele. With virtually no advertising, hundreds of young immigrants flocked to our offices to apply for this program. Most of them were children of former clients, or otherwise referred to us by “word of mouth” – the very best form of advertising. Over the past 18 years, our firm has developed the reputation as Long Island’s best immigration law firm. Clients trust us to give them a fair, honest and well-researched analysis of their legal options and zealous representation in their immigration cases.

In early December, I attended an immigration seminar in Washington as a representative of the American Jewish Committee. The attendees were not your typical immigrant advocates; they were religious leaders, business leaders and law-enforcement officials that tend to vote Republican. The seminar, sponsored by the National Immigration Forum, made it clear that immigration reform is an issue that benefits Americans from both sides of the political spectrum. What’s good for immigrants is good for the economy.

An initiative announced last January by President Obama will open a path to legal residency and eventual citizenship to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants married to U.S. Citizens. Spousal beneficiaries of this “stateside waiver” will no longer have to wait many months overseas, with no guarantee that they would be allowed to return to the United States. It appeared as a small tweak, but this regulatory shift will benefit hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants.

As ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) continues to refine its policy on “prosecutorial discretion,” we are hopeful that fewer families will be torn apart by deportations – which remain at a record level of approximately 400,000 per year.

ICE will continue to focus on high-priority targets such as violent criminals, terrorists, sexual offenders and “absconders” (individuals who did not leave pursuant to a deportation order). It will remain our mission to use all our legal and advocacy skills to zealously represent those individuals who have been unfairly caught in ICE’s dragnet.

With the growing realization by Republicans and others that immigrants represent our future, this will certainly be an interesting year. We may either be embarking on the path to common-sense immigration reform, or at least a series of new immigration initiatives that will benefit millions of legal and illegal immigrants. Fasten your seat belts.

by David Sperling, Esq.
The registration period for “DREAMers,” or undocumented immigrants who came to the United States during their childhood, started on Aug. 15. There is no deadline. Officially, the program is called “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA).

Basically, this program, announced on June 15, will give certain undocumented immigrants the opportunity to obtain employment authorization and to stop deportations. According to government officials, an undocumented immigrant may apply for consideration for Deferred Action if the applicant:

Was under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012;
Came to the United States before the age of 16;
Continuously resided in the United States for a minimum period of 5 years before June 15, 2012;
Was present in the country on June 15, 2012 and at the time of the application to be considered to receive Deferred Action;
Came to the U.S. without inspection before June 15, 2012 or legal immigration status expired on or prior to June 15, 2012;
Is currently enrolled in school, has graduated from high school or possesses a General Education Diploma (GED);
Has not been found guilty of a felony, a “significant” misdemeanor or three or more misdemeanors, and does not represent a threat to national security or to public safety.

An applicant is eligible notwithstanding a prior deportation order or a brief trip outside the United States.

According to my preliminary analysis, there are several important points to consider for candidates on Long Island.

Applicants have to demonstrate that they have completed high school, are currently enrolled, or are in a GED program or its equivalent. Many individuals who may be eligible have not completed high school or will have to enroll in a GED before they are eligible.

Salvadorans and Hondurans with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will not be currently eligible, but may qualify if TPS is terminated. No one who has legal status qualifies for this program.

Immigrants with a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DWI) in New York are not eligible – no matter the level of the offense. Immigration officials consider DWIs as a disqualifying “significant misdemeanor. However, an individual with up to two lesser misdemeanors may apply.

Youth who have not attained the age of 15 may apply once they turn 15 as long as they have been in the country for 5 years prior to June 15, 2012. There is no deadline date on which to apply.

Immigration officials have discretion in each case with respect to the final decision as to whether or not Deferred Action is proper.

The age of the applicant is “frozen” as of June 15, 2012. For example, if an undocumented immigrant is 30 years old today and obtains a GED in two years, he or she may apply in the future at any age.

Many people will ask: is it necessary to hire a lawyer for this process? As a lawyer with 17 years of immigration law experience, my response is that one should definitely hire a good attorney or a legitimate non-profit organization, such as CARECEN or Catholic Charities. This is an investment in the future – don’t risk it to save a few dollars. Avoid “notarios” and others who are not competent or, worse, those who are swindling young people. There is no “special list,” and no one can give “special” services. The fee to the government is $465, which includes a work permit.

It is especially necessary to have an attorney or a representative from abona fide non-profit agency if the applicant came to the United States five, six, or seven years ago, and the applicant does not have substantial proof of presence in the country. Also, an applicant should definitely retain an attorney if he or she has a criminal record.

Please remember that there is no deadline date for this program. The best practice is to do it correctly, not quickly.

Personally, I have no doubt that those who qualify for this program will qualify in the future when the DREAM Act finally passes Congress. The current program is a temporary step until the law is approved. This law will give permanent residency to those “DREAMers” who have completed at least two years of college or two years in the armed forces.

Now is the time to take advantage of this great opportunity for undocumented young people to obtain a good education and strive to realize their dreams.

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that effective immediately, certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

“Our nation’s immigration laws must be enforced in a firm and sensible manner,” said Secretary Napolitano. “But they are not designed to be blindly enforced without consideration given to the individual circumstances of each case. Nor are they designed to remove productive young people to countries where they may not have lived or even speak the language. Discretion, which is used in so many other areas, is especially justified here.”

DHS continues to focus its enforcement resources on the removal of individuals who pose a national security or public safety risk, including immigrants convicted of crimes, violent criminals, felons, and repeat immigration law offenders. Today’s action further enhances the Department’s ability to focus on these priority removals.

Under this directive, individuals who demonstrate that they meet the following criteria will be eligible for an exercise of discretion, specifically deferred action, on a case by case basis:

1.Came to the United States under the age of sixteen;

2.Have continuously resided in the United States for a least five years preceding the date of this memorandum and are present in the United States on the date of this memorandum;

3.Are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development certificate, or are honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;

4.Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety;

5.Are not above the age of thirty.
Only those individuals who can prove through verifiable documentation that they meet these criteria will be eligible for deferred action. Individuals will not be eligible if they are not currently in the United States and cannot prove that they have been physically present in the United States for a period of not less than 5 years immediately preceding today’s date. Deferred action requests are decided on a case-by-case basis. DHS cannot provide any assurance that all such requests will be granted. The use of prosecutorial discretion confers no substantive right, immigration status, or pathway to citizenship. Only the Congress, acting through its legislative authority, can confer these rights.

While this guidance takes effect immediately, USCIS and ICE expect to begin implementation of the application processes within sixty days. In the meantime, individuals seeking more information on the new policy should visit USCIS’s website (at www.uscis.gov), ICE’s website (at www.ice.gov), or DHS’s website (at www.dhs.gov). Beginning Monday, individuals can also call USCIS’ hotline at 1-800-375-5283 or ICE’s hotline at 1-888-351-4024 during business hours with questions or to request more information on the forthcoming process.

For individuals who are in removal proceedings and have already been identified as meeting the eligibility criteria and have been offered an exercise of discretion as part of ICE’s ongoing case-by-case review, ICE will immediately begin to offer them deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal.

For more information on the Administration policy reforms to date, please see this fact sheet.

January 4 was a historic day for our paralegal Hulda Mazariegos, who I first met 7 years ago when I represented her in deportation proceedings. Hulda became a U.S. Citizen.

This might not sound like such a great accomplishment, but Hulda overcame incredible obstacles to reach this stage. Univision did a terrific job in reporting on Hulda’s citizenship ceremony and even pulled out 2004 archival footage from when she was in deportation proceedings.  (That’s me with Hulda’s family members, waving their “papers” after winning their immigration cases at 26 Federal Plaza.)

Hulda’s family fled from the civil war in Guatemala nearly 20 years ago. They were caught by immigration agents and later ordered deported from the United States.  Hulda, who was just 8 years old when she crossed the border, did not let something as trivial as a deportation order stop her.  Living in poverty with her eight siblings in a 2-bedroom cottage in Wyandanch, she excelled in high school and became the school’s valedictorian. St. Joseph’s College offered her a full-paid scholarship, but when school officials discovered that she was not only illegal but also had a deportation order, they quickly withdrew their offer. She spent the year after graduation working at a deli.

Fortunately, the stars aligned and thanks to her father’s legal status, we were able to reopen Hulda’s case.  On July 28, 2004, Hulda and her younger siblings walked out of 26 Federal Plaza with their “papers” — proof that they had been approved for green cards.  The New York Times did an excellent front-page article about Hulda and other “DREAM Kids” on Long Island. She went on to complete college with honors and and start her family. Then then returned to work for our office as a paralegal. Her next goal — no doubt about it — is to go to law school and become an attorney (hopefully for our office!).

Please take a few minutes to watch Univision’s coverage.  Her story has been an inspiration to thousands of undocumented immigrants who have so much to offer to this country. They want to become Americans and to share our values and ideals. Let’s hope their dreams come true, also.

MORE INFORMATION HERE

January 4 was a historic day for our paralegal Hulda Mazariegos, who I first met 7 years ago when I represented her in deportation proceedings. Hulda became a U.S. Citizen.

This might not sound like such a great accomplishment, but Hulda overcame incredible obstacles to reach this stage. Univision did a terrific job in reporting on Hulda’s citizenship ceremony and even pulled out 2004 archival footage from when she was in deportation proceedings.  (That’s me with Hulda’s family members, waving their “papers” after winning their immigration cases at 26 Federal Plaza.)

Hulda’s family fled from the civil war in Guatemala nearly 20 years ago. They were caught by immigration agents and later ordered deported from the United States.  Hulda, who was just 8 years old when she crossed the border, did not let something as trivial as a deportation order stop her.  Living in poverty with her eight siblings in a 2-bedroom cottage in Wyandanch, she excelled in high school and became the school’s valedictorian. St. Joseph’s College offered her a full-paid scholarship, but when school officials discovered that she was not only illegal but also had a deportation order, they quickly withdrew their offer. She spent the year after graduation working at a deli.

Fortunately, the stars aligned and thanks to her father’s legal status, we were able to reopen Hulda’s case.  On July 28, 2004, Hulda and her younger siblings walked out of 26 Federal Plaza with their “papers” — proof that they had been approved for green cards.  The New York Times did an excellent front-page article about Hulda and other “DREAM Kids” on Long Island. She went on to complete college with honors and and start her family. Then then returned to work for our office as a paralegal. Her next goal — no doubt about it — is to go to law school and become an attorney (hopefully for our office!).

Please take a few minutes to watch Univision’s coverage.  Her story has been an inspiration to thousands of undocumented immigrants who have so much to offer to this country. They want to become Americans and to share our values and ideals. Let’s hope their dreams come true, also.

Una propuesta para corregir un notorio inconveniente en la ley de inmigración podría permitir a cientos de miles de inmigrantes indocumentados obtener una tarjeta de residencia permanente.

La propuesta, anunciada por el gobierno de Obama el 6 de enero, repararía la trampa burocrática que ha mantenido a los cónyuges y a los niños inmigrantes de ciudadanos de los E.U.  en situación ilegal.
La nueva norma, que se espera entre en vigor en aproximadamente un año, permitirá a algunos familiares indocumentados de ciudadanos de los E.U. solicitar un perdón de “presencia ilegal” en el país. Actualmente, la ley requiere que los inmigrantes que “entraron sin inspección” (EWI por sus siglas en ingles)  regresen a sus países de origen para tratar de obtener un estatus legal a través de procesos consulares.
Sin embargo, esta vía representa muchos riesgos, por lo que la gran mayoría de los beneficiarios que entraron ilegalmente (EWI) deciden quedarse en los Estados Unidos de manera ilegal en lugar de enfrentarse a la posibilidad de no poder retornar al país y ser abandonados en sus países de origen y separados de sus familias, si el perdón por presencia ilegal fuese finalmente negado.
El problema surgió con una ley del año 1996 que impone castigos de entre 3 y 10 años de espera para  re-entrar a los Estados unidos a cualquier persona que estuvo “ilegalmente” en el país durante seis meses o más .
La nueva propuesta permite a los cónyuges de inmigrantes y otros familiares cercanos solicitar un perdón por “presencia ilegal” dentro de los Estados Unidos. Una vez aprobado, el inmigrante podría regresar a su país de origen, lo que garantiza que su visa de no inmigrante sería aprobada.
Los inmigrantes que entraron con visas, se quedaron dentro del país  y posteriormente se casaron con ciudadanos de los E.U. …

no están sujetos a estas restricciones. Simplemente, pueden solicitar el “ajuste de estatus” en los Estados Unidos para obtener una tarjeta verde.
Beneficiados

Los beneficiaros principales de esta nueva regla serían inmigrantes indocumentados y menores de edad (21 años) que entraron el país ilegalmente y ahora tienen un cónyuge o padre (incluyendo padrastro y madrastra) ciudadano.  El anuncio no incluyó nada sobre otras categorías, pero es bien posible que se incluya a otros familiares, como cónyuges de residentes permanentes e hijos adultos de ciudadanos.
Aunque se desconoce el número de inmigrantes ilegales a quienes beneficiaría la nueva disposición, se calcula que esta propuesta podría beneficiar a más personas que el “DREAM Act”.

La nueva propuesta es parte de un cambio de política en la administración de Obama que  coincide con la campaña de reelección del presidente. Obama prometió impulsar una reforma migratoria integral en su primer año de mandato, sin embargo, ha acelerado considerablemente el ritmo de las deportaciones, cerca de 400,000 en cada uno de los tres últimos años.

En los últimos seis meses, el gobierno ha empezado a aplicar una nueva política que pone mayor énfasis en la deportación de recién llegados, criminales violentos, “fugitivos” (aquellos que no obedecieron una orden de expulsión) y otros ciudadanos extranjeros que poseen riesgos para la seguridad pública.
La última reforma de inmigración de importancia tuvo lugar en la administración Reagan. Desde entonces, millones de inmigrantes ilegales que entraron en los Estados Unidos se establecieron y iniciaron su familia; en la actualidad hay más de 11 millones de inmigrantes indocumentados en el país.

Hay que enfatizar que nada va a pasar al menos por un año.  Sin la menor duda, habrá “notarios” y otros “consejeros” que van a tratar de aprovechar esta noticia, por lo que .

es mejor es asesorarse de un abogado de confianza o una organización legal sin fines de lucro, como CARECEN o Caridades Católicas.
Hasta que el Congreso tome acción sobre el tema de la reforma migratoria, correcciones administrativas, como la propuesta de perdón para los parientes inmediatos de ciudadanos de los E.U., están proporcionando alivio provisional. SIn embargo, tarde o temprano el gobierno federal tendrá que aprobar una reforma integral de inmigración que sea justa y humana para los millones de inmigrantes respetuosos de la ley.
*David Sperling es un abogado de inmigración con oficinas en Central Islip, Huntington Station y Hempstead. Se puede comunicar con su oficina en el website, www.davidsperlinglaw.com.

      The past year was the most exciting, challenging and successful year in our firm’s history. 

      The stories of two of our clients, Emily Ruiz and Julia Caceres, make headlines around the world and put a human face on the issue of illegal immigration.   In a year dominated by hateful legislation and rhetoric, we were able to portray the cruel and inhumane consequences of the administration’s immigration policies.

       I have no doubt that our clients’ stories, along with the stories of millions of other law-abiding and hard-working immigrants, put pressure on the Obama administration to enact a new policy, encapsulated in a memo signed by ICE director John Morton.  The “Morton Memo”   — if properly implemented — will help keep mixed-status  families together and end the horrific unintended consequences of the administration’s deportation policies. Last year was another record year for deportations — nearly 400,000 in total,  the vast majority of whom were Latinos  from Central and South America.

       The story of Julia Caceres, a young mother from Ecuadorwith two U.S. citizen children, put a spotlight on everything that is wrong with U.S. immigration policy.  Julia was caught up in a workplace raid in 1996, and was ordered deported. She was pregnant at the time and did not leave. Her long-time companion held a Green Card, her father was a U.S. Citizen, and she had four USC brothers and sisters. That didn’t mean anything to the five  ICE agents who apprehended Julia in an early-morning raid on her house in Corona, Queens in October, months after the administration’s supposed new priority shift to hard-core criminals. 

         Julia’s  previously attorney had pleaded with ICE to stop the deportation, and provided voluminous proof of the hardship that her forced removal would cause the family.  ICE simply issued a boilerplate denial and put her on flight to Ecuador.  Once aboard, someone noticed that she had been bleeding and was pregnant.  She was pulled off the flight, given medical attention. Thanks to Univision and assistance of several key legislators, Julia was released and reunited with her family after a joyful reunion at a detention center in New Jersey.

     Emily Ruiz was a 4-yer-old U.S. Citizen, but her two parents were illegal immigrants from Guatemala.  When she was returning home last March with her grandfather, the plane was diverted to Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C.because of stormy weather conditions.  It was there that an officer from Customs and Border Protection determined that Emily’s grandfather had previously violated his immigration status.  The grandfather was ordered to return toGuatemala.  The officer then got in  touch with Emily’s father and came to the conclusion that he was here illegally. So he gave Emily’s dad a stark choice:  The girl would either return with her grandfather to Guatemala or be placed in a juvenile facility in Virginia. No other choice.

    So a U.S. citizen was, in effect, “deported” just because of her parents’ status. It was an outrage. Emily’s father went to Univision to plead for assistance to get her daughter back, and I was asked to provide legal commentary.  I was shocked that the government would mistreat an innocent young girl that way, and so took on their case pro-bono.  Two other members of our firm went with me toGuatemalalast March to bring Emily back. The story went around the world, and spotlighted the plight of mixed-status families and so-called “anchor babies.”  I am very proud that her story did not turn into a media circus and we were able to protect the family’s privacy. Not one outside reporter pestered Emily or came close to taking her picture.

   (A big tip of the cap to America’s Voice, a pro-immigrant lobbying organization that helped spread the story of Emily’s plight and organized news conferences in Guatemala City–my first press conference in Spanish! — and New York City.) 

        Although the “Morton Memo” emphasizes prosecuturial discretion and lenient treatment toward law-abiding unauthorized immigrants, not everyone has gotten the message. Indeed, the pace of deportations remains at a record level.  The  administration’s so-called “Secure Communities” policy has been very successful at netting unauthorized immigrants, though a small fraction of those are violent criminals or otherwise threats to public safety.

    In addition to the two cases cited previously, we have been very successful in obtaining the release of many immigrants held in ICE custody.  Their deportations would have resulted in untold suffering by their family members, many of whom are U.S.Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents.

     Last year was also a watershed moment in our firm’s growth.

    I am honored to work with a terrific, dedicated and loyal  staff that makes my job so enjoyable and rewarding.  We are honored that our clients place so much trust in our firm, and we will do whatever is necessary to help them acheieve their goals.

      Despite some unexpected personnel changes, we ended the year with our best team ever, and expanded to a third location, in Hempstead.  Our new satellite office is located in the Hempstead Law Center, owned by my long-time friends, Rafael Penate and Gary Miller. 

   Our two new associates, Marta Villacortaand Lia  Suntoso, have been great assets to our firm.  Marta, who was born in El Salvador,  came to theUnited States at an early age with her immigrant parents and settled in Central Islip. While in high school and college, Marta interned with our firm for three summers. She then went on to graduate from Boston College Law Schooland served as clerk to federal judges in Georgia and California before joining our firm.

     Lia Suntoso is nationally recognized expert in U.S. immigration law.  Born in Indonesia, she graduated from law school in theUnited States and has written and edited many articles and treatises on immigration law for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Her enthusiasm and passionate dedication to immigrant rights meshes perfectly with our firm’s advocacy efforts and zealous representation of clients.

     I am very proud of our staff for upholding the firm’s zealous and passionate representation of immigrants.  Without them, we would never have been so successful and earned the trust and confidence of the immigrant community.

    Last  but not least, we have a new website!   We are beginning the new year with a highly interactive website that will help further our firm’s mission of providing the best legal representation at reasonable fees.  I have always been a believer in high-tech as a means to improve productivity exponentially.  Our new website is part of our reliance on cutting-edge technology to better communicate with the pubic and our clients.  We are also involved in the new social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

    This past year was amazing, and we look forward to an even more successful and rewarding year in 2012.