Immigration Visa Attorney Blog

Chile: an 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile today. Lasting 90 seconds it was 500x more powerful than the one that shook Haiti. Tsunami warnings and alerts are now in place from South America to Asia and throughout the Pacific. Evacuations have already begun in Hawai'i. Fong & Chun, LLP sends a message of hope and support to our Chilean clients who may have relatives or loved ones in the country.

Like Haitians present in the United States after the devastating earthquake in their home country, Chileans in the United States may soon be eligible for "Temporary Protected Status" or "TPS" if Congress designates Chile as a country where nationals cannot return safely because of dire conditions impacting the country. Haiti was designated a TPS country on January 21, 2010, only nine days after the January 12 earthquake.

Travel back to Chile may be impossible for quite some time, however those who have H-1B1 or other temporary visas, and who want to travel to the country in the weeks to come should review the Department of State website for all warnings on travel conditions.

Please contact Fong & Chun, LLP if you are from Chile and your visa has expired or if you have other questions about possible TPS status. ---ecf

USCIS published guidance this week helping adoptive parents with pending adoptions of orphaned children from Haiti. To help families whose adoptions were not finalized before the earthquake, a separate category now allows for the parole of children into the United States even before the adoption is final.

For families who want to bring their children into the US before the adoption has been finalized, once here, adoptive parents will need to choose between adjusting their child's status as an orphan or as an adopted child. Few immigration attorneys have handled cases of orphaned children or adoptions made in the United States.

The attorneys at Fong & Chun, LLP have extensive experience in helping families to immigrate both orphaned children and children already present in the United States. If you would like a free consultation about the the options you may have for your family, call us for a free consultation. As we have in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Fong & Chun, LLP has encouraged clients to give to the relief efforts for Haiti in lieu of consultation fees. We thank those who have given to the Red Cross and to Doctors Without Borders. ---ecf

As immigration attorneys with very strong roots in the immigrant communities of Los Angeles, the lawyers at Fong & Chun stay current on legislative developments that could affect our clients and their families. On 15 December 2009, over ninety House Democrats unveiled a comprehensive immigration reform bill. The bill is called the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR-ASAP).

President Obama has said there should be comprehensive immigration reform. The bill includes an "earned" legalization program. The program as currently proposed would allow undocumented people in the USA as of 15 December 2009 to apply for legalization. There would be special, more lenient rules for young persons. Many people want to call this an "amnesty," but it is important to see all the details about the program before getting too excited.

There are other provisions for "visa recapture" to reduce waiting times and backlogs. This bill would also put a new employment-eligibility-verification system into place. There would be harsh penalties for hiring unauthorized workers.

These proposed changes are very exciting; however, we must remember that this bill is only a PROPOSAL. It will have many reincarnations before a final bill passes, if a bill passes at all. The President has said he wants CIR on his desk by the end of 2010, but there are obviously many other things occupying the attention of Congress at this time. Stay tuned. --jcf

Beginning January 4, 2010, applicants for visas or greencards will no longer be considered inadmissible for being HIV positive. Early last month, the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) removed HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) from the definition of a "communicable disease of public health significance."

This marks a major success by immigration advocates like Fong & Chun, LLP and HIV/AIDS health advocates. J Craig Fong was cited in a recent Los Angeles Times article as one of the few immigration attorneys in the nation who work with HIV positive immigrants and who has been extremely successful in HIV waiver applications with the USCIS to overcome this ban.

Fong & Chun, LLP applauds the Centers for Disease Control, the HHS, and USCIS in recognizing that the ban against nonimmigrant visa and permanent residency applications by HIV positive individuals was wrong. --ecf

Jon and Kate Plus 8, the once-popular TLC reality program about the Gosselin family, their twins and their sextuplets is kaput. But that's old news. Today, the Gosselins officially closed the chapter on their 10 year marriage with the announcement their divorce becoming final.

Divorce is always difficult. Kate says she looks forward to her future. No word from Jon...yet. For the Gosselins, they can and should move on.

But what if Jon or Kate were immigrants? What if Jon or Kate faced deportation because their marriage failed? If Jon or Kate had been granted a greencard based on their marriage, what would happen to them once their marriage ended?

This is an immigration concept called conditional residency. We represent many individuals who apply for permanent residency through their marriage to a US citizen. These are usually great cases because we are helping happy new couples stay together, and "move forward" in their lives. But what happens if the happy couple separates or divorces? In the worst scenario, USCIS will revoke or terminate the foreign spouse's conditional residency, leaving the spouse vulnerable to deportation proceedings, standing alone and at best, with competent immigration counsel at his/her side.

In revoking conditional residency and initiating deportation proceedings, USCIS looks into the nitty gritty details of what happened in that marriage, was the marriage entered into for the immigration benefit rather than purely for love? Who's fault was it that the marriage ended? And could you (the foreign national) prove it? Imagine the reality show going behind the scenes to investigate, whether it was Kate's nagging that led to the failure of the marriage, or whether Jon's alleged affairs were the actual cause of the breakup and divorce. And would you feel comfortable knowing that USCIS is your final arbiter? If you married, got conditional residency and are now in divorce proceedings or separated from your spouse, think about calling Fong & Chun, LLP for a free consultation. ---ecf

On 14 October 2009, Congressman Luis Gutíerrez of Illinois released a set of principles which he hopes will be incorporated into any Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) package. As advocates for immigrants, the attorneys at the Los Angeles-based immigration law firm of Fong & Chun, we watch closely any progress on CIR.

Central to his approach are:

1. a rational and humane approach to resolving or legalizing the status of the undocumented population,

2. a mechanism to protect US and legal immigrant workers,

3. allocation of sufficient visas to stop immigrants from trying to "cut in line" or "jump the queue" and get to America earlier but illegally,

4. enhancements to protect the US homeland,

5. establish a wise border enforcement policy that reflects America's needs and values,

6. keeping together and unifying American families,

7. promotion of immigrant integration,

8. inclusion of the DREAM Act and AgJobs bill, and

9. protection of fundamental rights.

Representative Gutíerrez' statement of principles is an excellent first step as the debate over CIR begins. --jcf

Because the debates about Health Care Reform are taking so much of the Congress' energy, the Obama Administration believes that Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) will not be considered by the Congress until the beginning of 2010. The immigration law firm of Fong & Chun has many clients in Los Angeles, CA and throughout the nation who would benefit from the passage of CIR. In a recent article, President Obama restated his commitment to humane immigration law reform.

Two of the most anticipated provisions of CIR would be the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) and the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).

The DREAM Act would allow the normalization of the immigration status of certain undocument students who were brought prior to age 16 to the United States by their parents or guardians. These students have lived and been educated in the USA, and it would be fundamentally unfair to deny them immigration status, when they did not come to the USA through their own decision, and when the USA is often the only country these students have ever really known.

UAFA would correct a long-standing inequity under immigration law and would permit US Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents to petition for and bring their permanent partners to the USA on the same footing and subject to the same conditions as traditional married couples.

Although CIR will not be debated in Congress until the beginning of 2010, we are still urging Americans to be ready to write both of their Senators and their Congressional Representative in support of CIR. Further, we are also asking Americans also to write their state governors and full city councils, encouraging them to contact Washington to urge passage of CIR.

For more information about CIR, also see the Fong and Chun blogs of
29 June 2009
26 June 2009
--jcf

With the passing of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson yesterday, the news about the "launch" of the immigration reform policy discussion passed under the radar for most people. As immigration attorneys in Los Angeles, the Fong & Chun law firm advocates for a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system in the USA.

The President, Vice President, and pivotal cabinet members met with members of Congress from both parties to discuss the timing for and shape of a Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill expected to be introduced before the end of 2009.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will be in charge of evaluating the proposed bill.

There has also been speculation that because of the difficulty that the administration is having passing health care reform, serious discussion of CIR will be delayed until early 2010. Whether Congress gets to CIR this year or not, it is now time to contact officials to let them know you support CIR. Most especially, people should demand change that will:

- Allow gay and lesbian Americans to petition permanent resident status for their permanent domestic partners. This provision is known as the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).

- Allow some undocumented students who graduate from American high schools, have good moral character, came the USA as children, and have been in the country continuously for at least five years to obtain legal permanent resident status. This provision is known as the Dream Act.

- Make provisions so that American businesses can obtain visas for talented foreign workers who can make US business more vibrant, competitive, and creative.

- Reduce the waiting time of families who have petitioned to bring loved ones to the USA. From certain countries, the wait time can be as long as 20 years.

Fong & Chun supports the Obama administration's efforts to reform and streamline the immigration process. --jcf

As the pioneering Los Angeles immigration law firm that has always welcomed inquiries and consultation from members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities, Fong & Chun has been tracking the progress of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) in the US Congress.

The New York Times is reporting that the White House will begin pushing Comprehensive Immigration Reform soon.  The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA )must be included in the reform package.  

UAFA will permit US citizens to petition for and immigrate their same-sex partners, on an equal basis as traditional spouses.  

A comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system will be controversial.  There are possible provisions that will please some and displease others.  Reasonable minds can disagree about these provisions.  What is clear to me, however, is that CIR must include provisions for UAFA.

The one hope is that enough people contact their Senators and Representatives to encourage them to vote in favor of CIR, and especially for UAFA. Even if you believe your Senator or Representative is already "on board," write anyway.  There will be lots of radical right-wing pressure to jettison any benefit for same-sex couples, and your legislator will need the political cover to stand firm..

Also, you should write to your state legislators, too.  Why state legislators, when immigration is a Federal issue?  Because you should ask your state senator, state legislator, and governor to themselves contact Washington DC, to pressure the Congress to do the fair and equitable thing and support UAFA.

Most observers and other immigration attorneys here in Los Angeles believe that the issue will hit full force sometime in late summer, or early autumn.  The time to let your legislators know your sentiments is now.  Encourage your friends and family, all over the nation -- not just in Los Angeles -- to write to their senators and representatives! --jcf