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Beach-Oswald is a full-service law firm, concentrating on immigration law. We have special expertise in work visas, family based visas, visa waivers, green cards through family and employment and asylum. We have staff members who speak many different languages to assist you.
We succeed when others don't!
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Ms. M was referred from the Asylum Office to the Baltimore Immigration Court. In August 2010, the compelling facts of her case lead to a grant of asylum before the Honorable Judge Williams.
Mr. R was granted adjustment of status based on validity of marriage, at its inception, to a US Citizen at the Baltimore Immigration Court.
After being transported to three different detention facilities, Mr. W's petition for custody review was granted. He was released from Immigration Custody and reunited with his wife and children.
Ms. M, a native and citizen of Cameroon, was granted asylum by Judge Gossart of the Baltimore Immigration Court, after roughly 8 years of waiting. Ms. M hired BOILA to appeal a previous denial by Judge Gossart after being represented by former Counsel. BOILA successfully appealed the Judge's decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals and represented Ms. M during new removal proceedings. Ms. M had been tortured by the Cameroonian government on account of her political activities and presented convincing evidence to overcome the Court's previous credibility concerns with her case.
Ms. D was granted asylum by Judge Williams of the Baltimore Immigration Court. After losing her prior asylum case several years ago, Ms. D retained BOILA to file a brief on appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals. BOILA's appeal was successful, as the Board agreed with BOILA's arguments that the Judge's denial of her case was in error. During her recent de novo hearing, Ms. D presented convincing testimonial and documentary evidence, establishing that as a result of her political activity, she was arrested and detained by the Cameroonian government, forcing her to flee Cameroon in fear of her life.
Ms. K was finally granted asylum by Judge Dornell of the Baltimore Immigration Court. Ms. K had initially applied for asylum in 2002. While being represented by previous Counsel, Ms. K was denied asylum by Judge Dornell. She hired BOILA many years ago to file an appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals, which was successful. However, after the appeal won, the Judge refused to allow more testimony or additional evidence, and the Judge again denied her application for asylum. BOILA submitted a second appeal on Ms. K's behalf, which was also successful. In its second decision, the Board agreed with BOILA's arguments that the Judge abused her discretion in denying Ms. K's application for asylum. BOILA also negotiated with the Department of Homeland Security, which consented to Ms. K's grant of asylum.
Mr. A had filed an application for permanent residence. USCIS then issued a Notice of Intent to Deny this application based on criminal charges. BOILA responded to this Notice and Mr. A's application was finally approved.
Mr. M was granted Removal of Conditional Residence, after BOILA successfully submitted a hardship waiver on his behalf.
Mr. K was granted under Article 3 of the Torture Convention based on persecution by an organized criminal group that operates in Benin. Extensive research was performed on the issue of organized crime conditions in Western Africa and in Benin, and how these groups receive the support of corrupt politicians. After a lot of hard work and effective testimony, Mr. K was granted asylum by the Immigration Judge.
Ms. T had an I-601 Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility approved because BOILA was able to prove that her departure from the US would cause extreme hardship to her US Citizen husband.
Dr. O was granted asylum by the Immigration Court based on her fear of political persecution if she were to return to Ivory Coast, because of her political activities and FGM. Three government attorneys appeared against Respondent to convince Judge Bryant that giving medical care to rebels was a "persecutor bar". However, through testimony and documentation, government Counsel conceded asylum grant.
Ms. C-B was granted permanent residence through her marriage to a US Citizen. Ms. C-B is from Trinidad and Tobago, and has found happiness and a wonderful husband here in the US.
Ms. B from Belgium was granted her Adjustment of Status although she had entered on a visa waiver.
Ms. A was approved for a U Visa because she was the victim of a crime.
Ms. C was granted naturalization in just a couple of months after applying with USCIS.
Ms. H was an old case that has been pending for many years, as the Immigration Judge kept continuing it. She was finally granted asylum by Judge Burman based on political persecution.
Ms. M won her marriage case in the Philadelphia Court. Her case was rather complex due to two prior husbands' deaths.
Ms. L was a pro bono child case from Mexico who had her visa approved based on her US Citizen mother.
Ms. A was approved for her green card, which she was eligible for based on her US Citizen son.
Mr. E was granted asylum at the Baltimore Immigration Court by Judge Gossart. Mr. E had some difficulties in his case, but his testimony was very strong, resulting in Judge Gossart granting him asylum.
Mr. M had potential fraud issues from a previous I-730 that was revoked as a derivative asylee. His asylum case was a tough one. At first his case was joined with his wife's, but after getting them separated, BOILA successfully assisted Mr. M in having his asylum granted despite the one year issue.
Ms. L-D is a United flight attendant from who won her marriage case. BOILA was able to expedite her travel document within two weeks.
Ms. M-G was also a marriage case that had to be expedited, as Ms. M-G needed to go France for her wedding within two weeks of retaining BOILA. After many long hours and hard work, BOILA helped to get the case approved in time for the bride to make it to her wedding. |
BEWARE OF IMMIGRATION FRAUD OF NON-LAWYERS |
Over the years, many people seeking legal immigration advice have fallen victim to people claiming to be lawyers. In fact, only recently, a man named Robert Mejia was arrested for claiming to be a lawyer, and charging people for legal services that he never carried out on their behalf. He and his accomplice cheated somewhere between 50 to 250 people in the Virginia and Washington DC, and made anywhere between $400,000 and $1,000,000.
To make sure that something like this doesn't happen to you, you should always check if the attorney you're going to see is an actual attorney. You can do this by visiting your state's bar website. For attorneys in our area, you can look up attorneys using the links below.
Click here if you live in Maryland.
Click here if you live in Virginia.
Click here if you live in Washington DC. |
SIX NEW IMMIGRATION JUDGES APPOINTED ACROSS USA
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The US Attorney General, Eric V. Holder, has appointed six new immigration judges to several immigration courts throughout the US. All of them have vast experience in their field and will be welcome additions to the Immigration Courts. These six new judges are:
· Honorable Immigration Judge Saundra H. Arrington, who is now appointed to the Stewart Immigration Court in Georgia. Judge Arrington started off her career as an assistant district attorney and state prosecutor for the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, then proceeded to work as a senior attorney for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and finally she served as associate counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel before becoming an immigration judge.
· Honorable Immigration Judge Rebecca L. Holt, who is now appointed to the Memphis Immigration Court in Tennessee. Judge Holt was in private practice for over thirty years before being appointed an immigration judge.
· Honorable Immigration Judge Keith E. Hunsucker, who is now appointed to the Port Isabel Immigration Court in Texas. Judge Hunsucker began his career in private practice, then became a law clerk for the Ohio Court of Appeals, after which he worked as an attorney for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and finally he worked as senior instructor for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia before becoming an immigration judge.
· Honorable Immigration Judge Steven P. Logan, who is now appointed to the Eloy Immigration Court in Arizona. Judge Logan started off his career with the US Marine Corps, after which he became an assistant US attorney until his recent appointment to the position of immigration judge.
· Honorable Immigration Judge Anibal D. Martinez, who is now appointed to the San Antonio Immigration Court in Texas. Judge Martinez launched his career as assistant chief counsel for ICE, after which he served as the deputy chief counsel for ICE until he became an immigration judge.
· Honorable Immigration Judge Robert L. Powell, who is now appointed to the Port Isabel Immigration Court in Texas. Judge Powell began his career by serving in the US Army Judge Advocate General Corps, following which he was in private practice, and then worked as an administrative law attorney for the US Department of the Army, after which he served as an administrative judge for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission until he was appointed an immigration judge.
The recent addition of these immigration judges will, no doubt, help to reduce the backlog of immigration cases waiting to be heard. For more information, please click here. |
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USEFUL NATURALIZATION FACTS | |
If you are ready to apply for Naturalization, there are a few things you should know to make sure that you are eligible to file for Naturalization. Make sure that all the following apply to you:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You must have a green card.
- You must have lived in the US for at least five years after you got your green card, unless you got your green based on your spouse, in which case you would only have to wait for three years.
- You must have been physically present in the US for a minimum of three and a half years, unless you are a member of the military who served for at least one year.
- You must be able to show good moral character.
- You must be fluent in English and know US history and government.
- You must agree to take the Oath of Allegiance.
On average, about 680,000 immigrants become naturalized every year. Most of them come from the states with the largest populations, especially from the metropolitan areas. The number of naturalizations has been steadily increasing year by year - from 888,788 in 2000 to 743,715 in 2009.
To read the full article, please click here.
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USCIS GRANTS $7.8 MILLION FOR CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION PROGRAMS | |
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will be giving grants of almost $8 million to organizations that prepare immigrants for the citizenship process.
Last year, USCIS only awarded $1.2 million to 13 organizations that help to prepare immigrants for citizenship. This year, however, USCIS is awarding $7.8 million to 75 organizations in 27 different states. This money is divided between two granting programs. One of them provides funding to local community-based organizations who help prepare immigrants for the naturalizations process, while the other gives funding to national, regional, and statewide organizations that help immigrants on the path to naturalization. In addition to all the money USCIS gave out in grants, it also launched an online Citizenship Resource Center that provides free resources not only for immigrants, but also for educators. These resources include lesson plans, practice tests, and various teaching tools for the naturalizations civics and language tests and for the interview itself. To read the full article, please click here.
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HIT THE VISA JACKPOT: HOW TO APPLY FOR THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY-ONLINE ONLY FROM OCTOBER 5, 2010 UNTIL NOVEMBER 3, 2010
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The Green Card Lottery, or the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, as it is formally called, awards 50,000 green cards to individuals from counties with low immigration rates to the United States. Lottery winners get the rare opportunity to apply immediately for permanent resident status. This status will also apply to the spouses of the winners, in addition to any of unmarried children under the age of 21.
The online registration for DV-2012 DV Lottery begins noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT -4), Tuesday, October 5, 2010, and ends noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT -4), Wednesday, November 3, 2010.
Who can enter the Green Card Lottery?
Only members of eligible countries can enter the lottery, who have either completed a high school education or its equivalent OR two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.
Which countries are not eligible?
If you are a member of the following countries, you CANNOT apply to the lottery:
- Brazil
- Canada
- China (not including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.)
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- India
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Phillipines
- Poland
- South Korea
- United Kingdom, excluding Northern Ireland.
- Vietnam
UNLESS your spouse or both of your parents were born in an eligible country.
How do I enter?
Submit an E-DV form electronically at www.dvlottery.state.gov. Forms can only be submitted between the period starting October 5th 2010, and November 3, 2010. The form asks for basic information such as biographical data of you and your spouse and children, if applicable. Information on your education and digital photographs are also requested.
Do not submit more than one entry form, or else you will be disqualified. You and your spouse may both submit individual entry forms, if you both qualify by yourselves to enter the Green Card lottery.
Is there a fee to enter?
No. Entering the Green Card lottery is free. The program is run by the government and employs no outside consultants or private services.
What qualifies as "two years of work experience in a field that requires two years of training"?
If your job is in a Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher. To find out what Job Zone your occupation, falls under, do the following:
Step One: Go to the Department of Labor's website at http://online.onetcenter.org/find/
Step Two: Under "Find Occupations" select "Job Family" from the pull down menu. Then browse by "Job Family". (For example, select Architecture and Engineering) and click "GO".
Step Three: Click on the link for your specific occupation. (As an example, select Aerospace Engineers. At the bottom of this Summary Report for Aerospace Engineers, under the Job Zone section, you will find the designated Job Zone 4, SVP Range, 7.0 to 8.0. This means using this example, Aerospace Engineering is a qualifying occupation.
How are the winners selected?
The lottery visas are given out according to apportionment in terms of region. Regions with the lowest number of immigrants get the highest number of visas, and regions with the highest number of immigrants get the lowest number. No country, however, is allowed more than 7% of the year's allotment of visas.
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ARMENIAN CONSULAR EMPLOYEE FRAUD | |
Five ex-Armenian consular employees have been accused of immigration fraud and are currently on trial. Hakop Hovanesyan, Norair Ghalumian, Margarita Mkrtchyan, Oganes Nardos, and Elvis Madatyan are being sued for selling "letters of refusal" to illegal Armenian immigrants living in California.
Letters of refusal are a means of blocking a person's deportation to a particular country. Embassies and consulates issue these letters to individuals for whom travel documents will not be issued to travel to the particular country that the embassy or consulate represents. Likewise, when letters of refusal were issued by the Armenian consulate to Armenian nationals who were illegally present in the United States, they prevented the Armenian nationals from being deported back to their country.
The five ex-Armenian consular employees are suspected to have sold these letters for as much as $37,000. To make matters worse, some of the illegal Armenian immigrants that the letters were sold to were dangerous criminals who were being deported for felony offenses.
Click here to read the full article.
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OBAMA SIGNS BORDER SECURITY ACT; RAISES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPOSITION AND INCREASES FEES FOR H-IB AND L-IA AND L-IB TO PAY FOR EXPENSES. | |
On August 13, President Barack Obama signed the Southwest Border Security Act, which invests $600 million for border security, according to the Washington Times. The bill increases the number of border patrol officers and agents, deploys more immigration judges and attorneys, and aims to work closely with the Mexican
government to combat the border drug trafficking, according to a copy of the act.
The act will receive funding from an increase in the visa fee applications.
·The bill will be funded in part from an increase in the fees of visas for temporary skilled workers, as reported by the New York Times. The U.S. government will receive around $20,000 in increased revenue by incrementing the
fees paid for H-1B and L-1 visas applications.
·According to PL 111-230 this means that an additional fee of $2000.00 for certain H-IB petitions and $2,250.00 for certain L-IA and L-IB petitions postmarked on or after AUGUST 14, 2010 will be required
· Those petitioners who will be subject to this new fee include employers with 50 or more employees in the US for which 50% of their workforce is on H or L visas.· This fee will remain in effect through September 30, 2014
FOR GUIDANCE with H or L visas contact
www.boilapc.com
The increase of the visa fees has raised international business opposition.
·Indian companies in the U.S. oppose the bill for blocking the outsourcing of skilled workers from India, according to the New York Times. Indian international companies, such as Tata, Rahul Khullar and Mahindra Satyam, run operations in the United States, but rely heavily on workers brought from India.
· The Indian Commerce Secretary Infosys, Wipro said that the increaseD fees will contradict the regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in which both India and the United States are members.
·"The US cannot pass a law that clearly hurts India's interests and then expect
us to accommodate their commercial interests," Kullar was quoted saying in the Times of India newspaper.
·According to the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services, the movement of labor is a vital component of the Trade in services, and should be encouraged.
·A statement from the U.S. administration said that it will investigate whether the increase on the visa fees complies with the WTO law.
How does the Border Security Act combat Mexico's drug activity?
In an official White House statement, Pres. Obama said that securing the Southwest border has been "a top priority since [he] came to the office." According to the
statement, the act will "strengthen our partnership with Mexico in targeting the gangs and criminal organizations that operate on both sides of our shared border."
·The bill will train around 5,462 Mexican prosecutors and investigators on how to target and convict leaders and people supporting drug transactions.
·Around $80 million will be redirected to construct and repair the border fence.
·The act will also support the Mexican Law enforcement operations by assisting with ballistic analysis, and DNA analysis.
·In order to strengthen cross-border investigations, the act will deploy 20 U.S. marshals to the Mexican Investigative Liaison Program, which aims to
identify and apprehend international fugitives in either side of the border.
·A prosecutor and $50 million will be directed to cross-border cooperation to combat money laundering and cash smuggling.
What are the other provisions that the border act entails?
The Department of Homeland Security will receive $394 million
· $244 million will be employed to hire border patrol agents and customs
officers.
· $80 million will be invested to hire new immigration agents.
· $32 million will be destined to buy two new aerial units to detect immigrants from the air.
The Department of Justice:
· $196 million will allow this agency to hire 400 federal law enforcement
agents and to arrange 220 personnel to work in areas along the border
with high criminal activity.
· The new staff will also include seven alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and
explosives team that will focus on fighting firearms trafficking, five FBI
squads for intelligence recollection, and 26 positions to review wiretap
and extradition requests.
· More than 30 immigration judges and prosecutors will be hired to take
immigration cases.
· The department will add five DOJ attorneys to focus exclusively on
extradition requests from Mexico.
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The information contained on this email is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The transmission of information to or from this email does not create an attorney-client relationship between the sender and receiver. We take our privacy policy seriously and will never sell, rent or share our email list. View our Privacy Policy here. To schedule a consultation with one of our immigration lawyers, please click here. Copyright 2010. |
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| October 2010 |  | |
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| QUOTE OF THE MONTH | |
"There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss. It is necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live."
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WINNER OF LAST ISSUE'S CROSSWORD
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We are pleased to announce that the winner of last month's crossword is Ms. Grace Jeong. Ms. Grace Jeong was the first person to get all the answers correct and has won a free consultation at BOILA. The answers for last month's crossword are as follows:
Answers
1. World War Two
2. George Washington Zeus
3. Samuel Francis Dupont
4. Comte Jean de Rochambeau
5. Christopher Columbus
6. Winston Churchill
7. Kryptos
8. Don Quixote
9. Torch of Freedom
10.Michelangelo
11.Chess Players
12.Apotheosis of Washington
13.Awakening
14.Iwo Jima
15.Eternal Flame | |
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HALLOWEEN |  | |
Halloween, or "All Hallow's Eve" is celebrated on October 31st. It originated in Ireland and Scotland as a festival that occurred to mark the last day of summer, which was usually the day before November.
According to Irish legend, spirits of the dead revisit the Earth on this day, and the only way to ward them off is through massive bonfires, or "fire festivals". Villagers would all gather on this night and participate in the bonfire, in addition to wearing scary masks or costumes so they could trick the evil spirits into thinking they were one of them. They would also take hollowed out turnips, and carve faces on them before slipping in a lighted candle. These "Jack o' Lanterns" were put on window sills as a way to ward off evil spirits.
Notable Halloween Events This Year
Markoff's Haunted Forest- Dickerson, MD
Commonly acknowledged as one of the scariest haunted forest attractions in the United States. Located in an isolated farm in Poolesville, Markoff's Haunted Forest opens only one month a year, in October.
The attraction features two trails filled with assorted frights and thrills. Once you buy your ticket, you will wait for around forty minutes for your number to get called. While you wait, you can enjoy Haunted Hayrides, a Haunted Busride, fair food such as funnel cakes, fortune tellers and ghost hunts.
After your number gets called, you and your party get put into a group of around 15 people, and then guided through the trail, which will take around 20 minutes but will feel like a fraction of that amount. Chosen by Washington Post as an "Editor's Pick".
Go as early in the month as possible, in order to avoid the rush: Friday 8th ($25), Saturday 9th ($25), Friday 15th ($25), Saturday 16th ($25), Thursday 21st ($20), Friday 22nd ($25), Saturday 23rd ($25), Thursday 28th ($20), Friday 29th ($25), Saturday 30th ($25), & Sunday 31st ($25). Call 301-216-1248 for tickets and more information.
Fright Fest at Six Flags America- Mitchellville, MD
A family friendly event with street entertainment, roller coaster rides in the dark, costumes, and trick or treating trails for kids. This is a classic attraction that merits at least a half day, if not a full one. Open October 2-31. Tickets are $25 if you buy online at sixflags.com/America/tickets.
Boo at the Zoo- National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
See our nation's favorite zoo get in costume for Halloween. Boo at the Zoo lets you get up close and personal with bats, spiders, owls, and other animals at the zoo while taking the youngsters trick or treating. In addition to animal encounters, there will be special Halloween trails and games. Costumed volunteers will hand out candy at more than 40 treat stations. The National Zoo is located on the Red Line at Woodley Park/Adams Morgan stop. October 22-24, 2010, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Greenbelt Pumpkin Walk and Carving Festival- Greenbelt, MD
Great for kids and families. Carve pumpkins one night, while listening to live music, and then see them the next night lit up and made a part of the nighttime trail walk in the woods. October 22 & 23, 2010
Visit a Pumpkin Patch or Corn Maze
Walk through a field of bright orange pumpkins, or try to find your way out of a ten-foot tall corn maze. Pick pumpkins, enjoy crafts, take a hayride, and fall food carts.
Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD has one of the biggest pumpkin festivals in the area. Weekend throughout October, 10-5 p.m. 22200 Davis Mill Road, Germantown, Maryland (301) 972-3299. Annual Pumpkin Festival is held weekends throughout October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on Markoff's Haunted Forest, click here.
For more information about all other events, click here. |
NEW RESOURCES ON BOILA WEB PAGE
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In order to make the immigration process less confusing for our clients, BOILA has a "Resources" page designed to help you along. We are constantly improving it to make it more useful for you.
Just recently we made two new additions to the "Resources" page - "Visa Wait Times" and "Airport Inspection Wait Times." Read to find out how long you will have to wait for an interview at a US embassy or consulate if you are applying for a visa to US. Then proceed to wait how long you will have to wait in an airport while on your way into the US. To go to our "Resources" page, please
click here. |
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USCIS 10% FEE INCREASE GOING INTO EFFECT ON NOVEMBER 23, 2010 | | |
As explained in our July 2010 issue of the newsletter, USCIS has proposed a 10% filing fee increase for certain applications. After much discussion, the fee increase will become effective on November 23, 2010.
If you need to file an application with USCIS, do so now. To avoid delay and to avoid having your application rejected as a result of errors, come to BOILA where we will file your applications for you in a prompt manner. If you do not hurry, you will end up having to pay more for applications later.
For more information, please reference "10% Proposed USCIS Fee Increase" in our August edition of the newsletter, or click here. |
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PUERTO RICAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 30, 2010
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As stated in our August 2010 issue, Puerto Ricans who were born before July 1, 2010 will have to obtain new birth certificates. The date that the old certificates were to become ineffective was previously September 30, 2010. However, now USCIS has extended that deadline to October 30, 2010. After this date, only new birth certificates will be recognized, and old ones will become invalid.
For more information, please reference "New Puerto Rican Birth Certificate Law Required After September 30, 2010" in our August 2010 issue.
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NO CONCURRENT RELIGIOUS WORKER I-360/ I-485 APPLICATIONS AFTER OCTOBER 11 | | |
A three judge panel of the Ninth Circuit court ruled, on August 20, 2010, that religious workers will not be allowed to apply at the same time for permission to enter to and stay in the United States and for their adjustment of status, as reported by the American Immigration Lawyers Association. In so doing the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded the district court decision allowing religious workers to file concurrent applications thus saving much time to the applicant as well as the religious organization.
The injunction ordering USCIS to accept concurrent filing was vacated but will not take effect until the mandate around October 11, 2010. Thus, theNinth Circuit decision will overturn the Ruiz-Diaz v. USA case, in which the court previously ruled that religious workers could fill their I-360 and their I-485 petitions at the same time. Ruiz-Diaz v. USA, No. 09-35734 (9th Cir. Aug. 20, 2010).
Those who desire to submit both applications at the same time should do immediately and well before October 11, 2010, when the court's decision becomes effective. Concurrent applications can be filed directly with Phoenix or Dallas Lockbox depending on residence.
We at Beach-Oswald Immigration Law firm can help religious workers and their employees if they are experiencing difficulty obtaining a decision on their case. Contact us Toll-Free at (877) 526-8540 or at 202 331 3074 |
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SIGNIFICANT DROP IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POPULATION IN THE U.S. REPORTED |  |
Amongst the heated debate on immigration, the population of undocumented immigrants in the United States decreased significantly in 2009, in part due to a deep recession and tougher immigration enforcement, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
Up until 2005, 850,000 people on average entered the United States without a legal authorization. As the economy sunk in the past years, that number plunged to 300,000 in 2009, according to the report.
In 2007, 12 million undocumented immigrants resided in the United States, but in 2009 that amount decreased to 11 million. Many of these illegal immigrants have been deported.
From what countries do undocumented immigrants in the United States come from?
- From the 11 million, 60 percent came from Mexico,
- 20 percent came from other parts of Latin America,
- 11 percent from Asia, and
- 9 percent from Africa, Europe, Canada and other countries.
Virginia, Florida and Nevada experienced the most significant declines in the illegal immigrant population. In Florida and Nevada, the decrease is, for the most part, due to a housing crisis, and the loss of thousands of construction jobs, which are usually taken by immigrants, as reported by The Washington Post. In Virginia, the decline on undocumented immigrants is greatly caused by its tough immigration policies, including the checking of the immigration status of drivers, and people involved in any crime offense, according to The Washington Post.
What are some of the factors that diminished the population of illegal immigrants?
- A deep economic recession, along with a harmed housing market, significantly decreased the job offers that immigrants had to support their families.
- A rise in the guest-worker visas allowed more immigrants to enter the country legally. In 2000, around 104,000 guest-worker visas were granted, while in 2009 the number increased to 302,000, as reported by The Washington Post.
- Tougher immigration policies-including an all-time high hike in deportations and stricter legislation against immigrants.
- A growing number of undocumented immigrants returning to their home countries, and travel less often, as back-and-forth travel became more dangerous and expensive for immigrants.
For more information, please click Source 1, Source 2, and Source 3. |
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THE BLUE LIST: CHILDREN OF DIPLOMATS | | |
Are the diplomats' children born in the United States granted U.S. citizenship?
No. As derived from the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, children of foreign diplomats are not under the jurisdiction of the United States law and, subsequently, are ineligible to be considered U.S. citizens at birth, according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Can a child of a diplomat be granted a green card?
USCIS allows children of diplomats to be considered permanent residents if born in the United States. The diplomats' children can also receive a green card if they were born in the United States, if they have resided in the country continuously since their birth, and if they have not abandoned their residence in the United States.
How can someone know if he/she is considered the child of a diplomat?
To be considered the child of a diplomat the parent needs to be included in the State Department Diplomatic List, or Blue List, which the U.S. Department of State updates constantly.
Are the staff members who accompany diplomats included in the Blue List?
Yes. The Blue List includes the diplomatic staff members who accompany foreign diplomats and their spouses, according to the U.S. Department of State. Ministers, secretaries, counselors, and other diplomatic staffers are a part of the list, as disclose by the U.S. Department of State.
Can members of the Blue List be held accountable for their actions under U.S. Law?
As set forth by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the diplomats, their spouses and children are not under the criminal, civil and administrative jurisdiction of the United States.
Nevertheless, blue list members are hold accountable under law for cases of ownership of private property, for people who are heirs or successors of diplomatic positions-and become private people-, and for cases when the member is involved in any commercial activity, outside of his/her official functions.
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