In less than cool news for recreational drug users and sock wearers alike, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently upheld a broad interpretation of what constitutes 'drug paraphernalia' as that term could be construed as "relating to a controlled...
Immigration Law
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Month: July 2013
Federal courts take a new and friendly approach to Chinese coercive population control asylum claims
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently decided in a case entitled Zheng v. Holder that an asylum applicant who was the victim of a forced abortion deserved to have her asylum claim reconsidered after the Immigration Judge denied her asylum...
In gay Filipino asylum/withholding of removal claim, Federal Court holds that Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) committed legal error in evaluating the facts of the claim
An individual is eligible for asylum if he or she can prove that they were persecuted in their home country on account of their race, religion, membership in a particular social group, nationality or political opinion. In sexual orientation claims, the applicant would...
Chinese Christian Indonesian asylum applicant can claim past persecution based on harm to child
Chinese Christians have historically been persecuted in Indonesia on account of their race and religion. The recent boat that sank off the coast of Australia is a reminder of the country conditions that Chinese Christians flee when they pursue asylum claims....
President Obama turns to Latinos to kick immigration reform into high gear
Latino.foxnews.com reports that President Obama is pushing immigration reform into high gear. The article reports the following: With House Republicans holding the fate of immigration reform, for now, in their hands, President Barack Obama is turning to Latinos for...
Brief Comment about the Family 2A Preference Category.
As posted in our YMF blog by my partner, Donald F. Madeo, Esq., the Family 2A Preference Category is now current as of August 2013. This is wonderful news indeed, and this change will help many individuals and families. It is especially good news for those who have...
Good News for Immediate Family Members of Green Card Holders !!
As expected, the Family 2A preference category is now CURRENT as per the August, 2013 Visa Bulletin. This represents a "jump" of close to 2 years! The July Visa Bulletin showed that visas were available for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents who had...
CIS Ombudsman’s Office working on the implementation of same sex marriage adjustments
In further good news for our clients in same-sex relationships, it has been announced that the Ombudsman's Office will work closely with USCIS as they begin to process applications and petitions impacted by the Supreme Court's decision that overruled DOMA. Any...
Same sex marriage sponsorship
DHS FAQs on the effect of the Supreme Court's ruling that Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional. USCs and LPRs in same-sex marriages can now sponsor their spouses for immigrant visas. In evaluating the petition, USCIS will generally look to the law of the place where...
“Hey – – We All Have to Eat”
News out of California is that you can obtain your citizenship for the low, low price of 200 egg rolls! The New York Post reports in the link below that an immigration officer in Santa Ana, California, has been indicted on charges of accepting bribes from applicants...
