FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW DEFERRED ACTION POLICY
It has been a busy week. Our firm has received dozens of calls and emails about the new deferred action policy. Here is the first round of frequently asked question (FAQ): 1. Is this the DREAM Act? No, it is NOT the DREAM Act. Do not call it the DREAM Act, because if you do, you […]
DEFERRED ACTION: THE STORY SO FAR
It’s been two weeks since the program opened. We have helped dozens of people prepare and file their applications. Some of the cases were simple. Most were not. Your case might not be as simple as you thought, either. Here are the top 5 issues that have come up: 1. I bought a social security […]
SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION TO FILE MY DEFERRED ACTION (DACA) CASE?
No, you should not. Many of the deferred action (DACA) clients who’ve come to see us have expressed fear that if Obama loses the election in November, President Romney will revoke their deferred action work permits. Many people are in fact waiting to file. There is scarcely a month left before we will know […]
PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE
Or at least, that’s about as bumper-sticker short as I can make my point. First, a disclaimer: I am decidedly pro-immigration. My background and profession play on each other, strengthening my resolve to fight for the rights of those who have come here from elsewhere. As a lawyer who focuses much of my practice in […]
“SECURE THE BORDER FIRST” AND WHY THAT MAKES NO SENSE
I never understood this nonsense about “secure the borders first.” According to some lawmakers, there should be no path to citizenship (which really means no reform) until we know the border is secure. I agree that border security is important. I also agree that the border should be secured. But how will we know when […]
NEWLY RELEASED WHITE HOUSE IMMIGRATION PLAN PROVIDES A CLEAR PATH TO CITIZENSHIP
This past weekend, an Obama Administration official leaked a partial draft of a White House immigration proposal. It is just a draft, it is not complete, it is not yet law, but it still gives us an idea of what the White House is thinking about immigration reform. So far the White House has been […]
ALL IN FOR CITIZENSHIP MARCH – WE WILL BE THERE!
On April 10, the HMA Law Firm founder Hassan Ahmad will join thousands on the Mall in Washington, DC to take part in the “All In For Citizenship” rally planned by nearly 50 immigrant rights groups. This is a timely rally, and an important opportunity to show the need for immigration reform. As we’ve blogged about […]
CITIZENSHIP RALLY: SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
I attended the All In For Citizenship rally – the so-called “April 10 Movement” last week on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Thousands of people attended. As a practicing immigration lawyer, it was a welcome and long-overdue recharge. Those who are against reform – or those who are just against immigrants – frequently talk […]
NEW IMMIGRATION BILL SHOULDN’T PRIORITIZE BUSINESS OVER FAMILY IMMIGRATION
Family unification has long been the foundation of the U.S. legal immigration system. This reflects our American values of keeping families united and strong. The HMA Law Firm therefore applauds the Senate’s efforts to decrease the backlogs in the family-based immigration system. Current backlogs keep U.S. citizen parents apart from their adult children for, on average, about seven years, and brothers and sisters […]
COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM (CIR): FROM PROPOSAL TO LAW
Two weeks ago, Vice President Biden said that he hopes that “Congress will show the wisdom to pass the bipartisan immigration bill by the end of the summer. They must, and I’m optimistic.” Like Vice President Biden, we are also anxious to see Congress pass immigration reform as soon as possible. For the last two weeks, the […]
