Immigration

If you are a citizen of the United States who is twenty-one or older and would like to assist in the immigration of your family members, you may file an I-130 petition. Approval of this form allows immediate relatives to immigrate to the U.S., including wives, husbands, children, and parents. It is your responsibility to properly and correctly fill out the necessary paperwork to prove the familial relationship between you (citizen) and your immigrant family member. There are certain restrictions regarding who may be eligible to immigrate by means of a family petition; therefore an immigration attorney in Los Angeles should be consulted to provide you with accurate advice on how you can assist in the immigration of your immediate family.

Child Status Protection Act

The Child Status Protection Act (“CSPA”) was created in 1996 to solve INS problems that affect children under the age of 21. Before this important law was passed, young people’s citizenship was dependent on the time when their paperwork was processed, not when it was submitted. Through no fault of their own, many children under twenty-one were denied visas as the result of delays in processing their petitions. This problem caused many young people to become ineligible for relative visas. Since the passage of the CSPA, young people no longer have to pay the consequences for INS paperwork processing errors.

Deportation

When the U.S. government decides that an alien should no longer stay in this country, it utilizes a civil proceeding called deportation or removal. Grounds for deportation are not limited to entering the country illegally but also include failing to register or providing falsified documentation, being identified under a security threat assessment, voting illegally in U.S. elections, or becoming a public charge. Persons who entered the U.S. legally but are presently residing in the country illegally due to a change in status are also frequent subjects of deportation procedures.

An alien at risk of deportation may avoid removal by seeking an adjustment of status, requesting deferred action, claiming asylum, or seeking a waiver or cancellation of removal. Sonia S. Amin, an immigration law attorney helps her clients understand the different options available to them and choose the path most likely to be successful in their particular case. Another common trigger of deportation proceedings is conviction of a criminal offense. Legal immigrants may be subject to deportation in this situation.

Naturalization and Appeals

If you are an immigrant who would like assistance preparing for your naturalization proceedings you should contact a naturalization attorney as there are many requirements which you must fulfill to become a citizen, such as permanent residence in America, the ability to read and write in English, good character, never having been convicted of an aggravated felony, and understanding the U.S. government and history. We have the knowledge to assist you in all areas of naturalization law, including helping you get ready for the interview, filing legal documents, and developing other strategies that will help you become a citizen of the United States. If you have already applied for citizenship and have been denied, we are skilled in the area of naturalization appeals and can help you become a citizen!

Permission to Reapply

Every year, many immigrants are unexpectedly and abruptly removed from the United States for various reasons, with no other choice than to return to their country of origin. If you have been removed from the country and want to return, you may seek permission to legally return to the U.S. You must file form I-212 to request readmission to the U.S. This may be done at your time of arrival at a port of entry in the U.S. or in a foreign country before you come to the United States. To ensure that your permission to reapply to the United States is done successfully, you should hire an immigration lawyer in Los Angeles to assist in the process of filing the form and any other legal matters that may arise.

Discretionary Waivers

In certain situations, discretionary waivers may be granted to lawful permanent residents (LPR) who have been convicted of criminal offenses, although this practice occurs less and less as a result of the changes regarding section 212(c) that took place in the mid-1990s. If you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States and have been convicted of a crime you may be able to receive relief and avoid deportation. There are many factors that are involved in determining if you will be approved for a discretionary waiver, such as the type of crime committed, when the crime was committed, and how long you have been residing in the U.S. There are a variety of waivers which may prove to be beneficial to lawful permanent residents, as well as non-immigrants who live in foreign countries and desire to come to the United States for a short period of time. If you would like to find out more about how a discretionary waiver can help you, please contact The Law Office of Sonia S. Amin today for a free consultation.

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