Entry & Exit Issues

June 10, 2011

Arrival Procedures – Secondary Inspection and Criminal Records

plane+jetway.jpg Recently, I toured the Federal Inspections area at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). As an attorney affiliated with Romben Law, APC in Los Angeles, I routinely get questions from clients about “what happens to me when I land after my international flight? What will the procedures be like for me?”

Although my visit was to LAX, it is fair to say that the same immigration procedures and data bases are in place at all international airports in the Southern California region: Orange County, San Diego, Ontario, Palm Springs, and other international airports nationwide.

Every day, thousands of people pass through the Tom Bradley International Terminal and the other international arrival terminals at LAX. After deplaning and waiting in the seemingly interminable queues, most passengers will only see one immigration officer. Then they will collect their luggage and see a customs officer. And then, they will go up a ramp where they are greeted by a smiling photo of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa welcoming them to the United States.

April 27, 2011

Consequences of Drug-Related Convictions

by Romben Law, APC

Los Angeles-based immigration attorneys at Romben Law, APC have received a recent string of consultations from the Palm Springs and Inland Empire area involving the immigration consequences of drug convictions.

One individual is a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) who was convicted in 2000 for possession of drug paraphernalia. The conviction did not come to the government’s attention until the gentleman returned from a vacation abroad and he re-entered the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has placed him into removal proceedings, charging that he had been convicted of a controlled substance offense.

Another man recently walked in with a Notice to Appear in which the DHS alleged that he entered the United States in 1965. “That’s wonderful!”, I thought, “I’ve got one of the few people in America that is eligible for registry.” My excitement waned when I discovered that the man had a conviction for possession of drugs in the 1980s.

March 28, 2011

Homeland Security Suspends Deportation of Japanese Nationals — for now

by Romben Law, APC

Bridge Cables.jpg Immigration lawyers at Los Angeles’ Romben Law, APC have learned that, in view of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the related devastation, clean-up, possible radiation concerns, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has temporarily suspended removal of Japanese citizens who may have been ordered deported.

It is expected that ICE will be deporting Japanese nationals again, as soon as conditions in Japan stabilize. Should you have questions about this, or any other immigration or nationality law concern, please do not hesitate to contact us. –jcf

March 11, 2011

USCIS Announces Relief for Japanese and Other Nationals Stranded in US Because of Earthquake and Disaster Abroad

by Romben Law, APC

The immigration lawyers at Romben Law, APC in Los Angeles have many, many Japanese clients. In response to the devastation caused by the earthquake around Sendai, Japan yesterday, the US Citizenship and Immigraiton Services (USCIS) issued an advisory to Japanese nationals and others who cannot return to their home countries due to earthquake and tsunami disruption in the Pacific region. This is of particular importance to those who are here on visitor visas (B-1 or B-2), visa waiver, or other non-immigrant visas such as H-1B, L-1A, L-1B, E-1, E-2, F-1, J-1, M-1, etc.

From time to time, the US government permits citizens from certain countries to remain in the USA — even after their visas or landing permits have expired — due to emergency circumstances in the home country. This special designation — which is called Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — is made by the US government. At the present time, Japan has not yet been designated a TPS-eligible country by the US government.

However, the USCIS advisory, issued at 5:35pm today advises that people should visit their local USCIS office if they have overstayed their I-94s or will become an overstay because they cannot now return to their homes in the Pacific. In certain cases, the USCIS may allow for an additional 30 days be granted in order to depart without facing unlawful presence or other serious immigration violation. USCIS will likely control such applications with high scrutiny and enforcement. We do not recommend that Japanese citizens go to USCIS to obtain assistance without first consulting an immigration attorney.

March 11, 2011

Earthquake in Japan: Tsunami Warnings for Hawaii and West Coast

by Romben Law, APC

Japan: an 8.9 earthquake has rocked Japan today, marking the most powerful earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. This quake is the fifth most powerful in the world since 1900, says the U.S. Geologic Survey. Tokyo reports massive aftershocks. Narita Airport, Sendai Airport remain closed, although Haneda Airport has reopened already. The immigration attorneys at Romben Law, APC who practice in business immigration, family-based immigration, removal defense and appellate work extend sympathy and concern to all our Japanese clients and those with family and friends abroad who are affected by this devastating disaster.

Over the years, the immigration attorneys at Romben Law, APC have worked proudly in the Japanese immigrant community, having represented multinational executives and managers for some of Japan’s largest corporations, professors providing invaluable research and teaching in top U.S. universities, professional employees working in companies based in Little Tokyo and in Japanese American non-profit organizations, and of course, countless individuals and families of Japanese descent.

With early reports of the death toll, the true damage the earthquake has caused remains unknown at this moment. We do know that this earthquake may cause tsunamis powerful enough to engulf or wash over small islands in the Pacific causing more damage and posing continued danger to those in the Pacific. For clients wishing to return to Japan in the weeks to come, please call the attorneys at Romben Law, APC for guidance on how to check the US Department of State for travel warnings and other restrictions. —ecf

January 27, 2011

“Are we there yet?” — Ready Lanes open for RFID-Documents

by Romben Law, APC

toll booth.jpg The most important initial concern for any visitor to the USA is being able to enter the USA. at Romben Law, APC, our immigration law clients want to be able to clear customs and immigration — here in Los Angeles, or at any other port of entry — as quickly as possible; our job as immigration lawyers is to help them do so.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has started a test program, running until about 19 March 2011, at the US border crossing at El Paso/Ysleta, permitting use of a “Ready Lane” by those who have certain approved documents. The documents must be approved Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology-enabled travel cards, documents, and passports. Only those with RFID-compliant documents may use the dedicated “Ready Lane.”

To use the “Ready Lane,” each passenger over age 16 in the vehicle must have an approved RFID-enabled document, such as a US passport card, the new Border Crossing Card, the new green Permanent Resident card, and other approved documents. Then:

January 20, 2011

What DOES the Computer Say?

by Romben Law, APC

As an immigration law firm, Romben Law, APC in Los Angeles receives questions about “what does immigration know about me” or “what does the computer at the airport show.”

As a matter of national security, this information is not officially made available; however, a recent discussion with a client has provided a few clues. A young, female client was entering the USA at an international airport, and the officers saw entries in the computer, and they knew:

* all of her entries to and exits from the USA,

December 1, 2010

DREAM ACT in Congress Again!

by Romben Law, APC

Just last night, Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) filed a new version of the DREAM Act in an effort to get the 60 required votes to pass the Senate where a vote may occur as early as Monday.

This new version of the DREAM Act includes the following provisions:

Excludes from eligibility those with certain criminal convictions, such as for offenses punishable by a maximum term of more than 1 year (felony) or 3 misdemeanors

August 25, 2010

Elin Nordegren: Her Side of the Story

by Romben Law, APC

Elin Nordegren broke her silence today and gave her side of the story today telling the world how shocked and embarrassed she was by Tiger’s infidelity. She also defended the marriage, saying that the marriage was real, not orchestrated for the cameras and sponsors.

In our practice at Romben Law, APC, we have seen many marriages, like Elin and Tiger’s which were entered into for love, completely genuine marriages and yet within years (sometimes a lot sooner), the marriage goes awry. For those immigrants whose conditional greencards were based on marriages to US citizens, these men and women find themselves in a situation like Elin, telling their stories to the USCIS, actually defending themselves from deportation, that even though their marriage didn’t survive the test of time, it was not a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes.

If a marriage fails anytime before someone naturalizes, a person who immigrated through marriage will later be summoned by the USCIS for an intense and very uncomfortable interview in order to maintain their permanent residency – even at the time of applying for citizenship. Such interviews can even occur years after the marriage and divorce, so recounting the facts of a relationship and providing the documentation to verify the facts of the courtship, the wedding or civil ceremony, then detailing the timeline of marriage, separation and divorce is more than just burdensome, it’s sometimes impossible. attorneys at Romben Law, APC have defended clients in such interviews, which can take several hours! Not to mention the legal briefing and the administrative review that can take months to years in the most complicated cases.

July 28, 2010

Arizona Law, Ruling by Judge

by Romben Law, APC

Although the controversial Arizona immigration law will still go into effect tomorrow, portions of the law have been blocked by the Federal District Court Judge Susan Bolton. Judge Bolton has issued a preliminary injunction to “put on hold” the proposed part of the law that would require Arizona law enforcement to determine whether a person is here in the country legally or not. Mistaken arrests of US citizens have already been made since the law’s proposal.

The Court ruled in favor of the preliminary injunction primarily on federal preemption grounds, as our nation’s immigration law is a matter of federal jurisdiction. This means that immigration law is governed and enforced by the federal government, not by individual states in the union. It is expected that Arizona will appeal, allowing the Ninth Circuit to review the issue as the nation’s debate over immigration continues to roar. –ecf