News

An Arizona federal judge approved the use of psychological exams of asylum-seeking parents who are suing the U.S. government for damages due to separation from their children. The group primarily is bringing legal action due to actions at the southwestern U.S. border.

Federal Judge Sullivan of the Washington DC District Court issued a ruling vacating the controversial Title 42 policy, permanently enjoining the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from applying it to migrants crossing into the US. The ruling decided a lawsuit brought by a group of asylum-seekers against DHS, wherein the plaintiff group claimed that Title 42 was an arbitrary and capricious immigration policy that harms expelled migrants, and sought a court order prohibiting its application.

Several Democratic leaders in both the House and the Senate are making efforts to pass into legislation the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for this ‘lame-duck’ session. The session has many priorities, including passing a budget, addressing the U.S. debt ceiling, passing legislation to retain same-sex marriage, DACA, and other critical items. How many of these issues can be passed during this session is unknown.

Deportation protection and work permits for an estimated 337,000 immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua and qualifying individuals from Haiti and Sudan, are extended through the summer of 2024, per the Biden Administration.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, is available to file online for qualifying affirmative asylum applicants. USCIS also continues to accept the latest paper version by mail. See if you qualify for online filing.

USCIS announced the current DACA Final Rule implementation, with related holds, while the DACA program remains a topic of litigation. Limited implementation began on October 31, 2022.

For most people, navigating the U.S. immigration system can be challenging. There are so many eligibility requirements, and the application process itself can feel very complicated. This can be particularly overwhelming when the stakes are high, like when you are trying to obtain immigration status for your significant other so you can be together in the U.S. There are some different options, depending on the particular circumstances, which can make this task feel even more daunting. This article aims to clear up some of those questions, so you will have the confidence you need to move forward.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced updates to the CW-1 petitions. This is a clarification of a policy announced in August 2022. Certain limitations apply and as always, preparation is key.

The Fourth Circuit court is being asked to review a previous lawsuit claiming DACA status discrimination. The individual filing the lawsuit claims a large oil company rescinded an internship offer based on the individual’s DACA status. The basis for reviewing the matter is the U.S. Supreme Court ruling of a June 2020 decision. In that decision, Bostock v. Clayton County, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the definition of sex-based discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act includes LGBTQ rights bias, as the basis of discrimination is an individual’s sex. The DACA discrimination matter revival suggests using this same logic to their matter.

The U.S. Department of Justice welcomes additional immigration judges to immigration courts in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. In total, 32 incremental judges were added. The new judges have backgrounds in immigration law, advising clients on their legal status, as well as work experience with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The new judges were named in October 2022. In total, for the year, DOJ has added 81 immigration judges.