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Department of Justice investigating border security initiative

Posted on in family-based immigration

The Texas Department of Public Safety launched a program in March to target migrants crossing the Mexican border into the United States. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating this program for potential civil rights violations.

What are the alleged violations?

Alleged civil rights violations

The DOJ investigation is attempting to determine if the Texas DPS is not complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Information that indicates that the DPS is discriminating based on race or national origin prompted the investigation. The allegations assert that Operation Loan Star officials are targeting people for traffic stops and misdemeanor trespass violations based on their actual or perceived race or national origin.

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As a U.S. citizen, how can you help relatives come to the states?

Posted on in family-based immigration

If you are a U.S. citizen who moved here from another country, you may have both close and extended relatives that would like to join you in the states. You might also be planning to marry a non-U.S. citizen and would like him or her to be able to live and work in the country you now call home.

American immigration law is constantly changing. However, preserving family bonds remains a top priority when considering petitions for either visas or green cards.

What are the options for helping family members gain legal residency?

If you already have citizen status, you may be able to sponsor immediate family, extended family members, a current spouse or a future spouse. Options for helping family members gain legal residency include:

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Immediate Relative vs. Family Preference : Which type visa is easier to get?

Posted on in family-based immigration

Once you successfully emigrate from your country of origin to the United States, it is only natural for you to want to bring others of your family to join you here.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, advises that you have two visa options: Family Preference and Immediate Relative. The question then becomes: Which type of visa can you more easily obtain? The answer depends on who you need to obtain the visa for.

Immediate Relative visas

Assuming you are a permanent U.S. resident, Immediate Relative visas are easier to obtain than Family Preference visas. The U.S. government issues an unlimited number of IR visas each year. The downside, however, is that you can only obtain this class of visas for your immediate family members. The following lists the five types of Immediate Relative visas and your family members to whom each applies:

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What is a bona fide marriage?

Posted on in family-based immigration

One of the primary objectives of U.S. immigration law is to keep families together. Consequently, if you are a U.S. citizen and marry a person who lives elsewhere, you probably have a streamlined process for securing legal permanent residency for your spouse.

Even though the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wants to reunify families, immigration officials also want to prevent immigration fraud. Therefore, you can expect a USCIS officer to determine whether you have a bona fide marriage before approving your immigration paperwork.

Your marriage is for the right reasons

Everyone has his or her own reasons for choosing to walk down the aisle. To comply with U.S. immigration law, however, your marriage must not be for the purpose of securing immigration benefits. Therefore, you should provide evidence that shows your marriage has love and commitment as its foundation.

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Texas sheriff investigated for illegal money seizure

Posted on in family-based immigration

Immigrants face many challenges as they work to settle and build a life in Texas and the rest of the United States. These challenges are often exacerbated when the immigrants are undocumented and local law enforcement officials are not playing by the rules.

According to CNN, the Real County sheriff in Texas is being investigated for stealing money during traffics tops from undocumented immigrants. Although no charges were filed, the attorney general’s office and the Texas Rangers executed search warrants in the small county located close to 90 miles away from the United States and Mexico border.

Immigration disagreements often fuel allegations

Local government officials have often sparred and disagreed with the current presidential administration over issues such as immigration. In Texas, property and money can be seized during a stop if there is clear evidence that links it to some type of criminal activity. The allegations leveled against the sheriff suggest that he seized money that was not involved in any specific crime.

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