Immigration Law › Family Law

What Gay Couples Can Expect If DOMA Falls

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) before its summer recess, and legal experts are already in disarray over what the ruling could mean for same-sex...more

DOMA Project Explains Green Card “Basics” for Same-Sex Couples

The DOMA Project, a non-profit group fighting to stop deportations and separations of same-sex bi-national couples who are immigration casualties of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), has created a video about “green card...more

Judge Rules for Same-Sex Marriage Partner Who Was Denied Immigration Benefits

On Friday, April 19, 2013, U.S. District Court Judge Consuelo Marshall in Los Angeles, CA, ruled that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (the “USCIS”) denied Jane Deleon equal protection of the law when it refused...more

New Year….New Laws: A Preview of 2013 Family Law Statutes

Each new year brings us new laws, and this year is no different. Some years there are more significant law changes than in others, but regardless of the significance or insignificance, each and every person is responsible...more

ICE Defines Same-Sex “Family Relationships”

On October 5, 2012, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (“ICE”) published criteria for determining when individuals in committed, long-term, same-sex partnerships may avoid removal (i.e., deportation) from...more

Non-Citizens in LGBT Marriages Avoid Deportation

Immigrants who are part of stable, same-sex couples in the United States will face a lower chance of deportation if the policies of the Department of Homeland Security and the Obama administration are actually written down....more

First Circuit Holds DOMA Unconstitutional

The First Circuit, in a recent landmark decision, Massachusetts v. United States Department of Health and Human Services, held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) violates the Equal Protection Clause of the...more

I Do (Want My Green Card) - Permanent Residency Based on Marriage to a US Citizen

This article discusses how to file for permanent residency (also known as a green card) based on marriage to a U.S. citizen. You can learn the process for filing for permanent resident status if you get married in the United...more

The Hazards of Tourist Season for Your Betrothed

The warmer weather and sunny skies of spring have arrived in the U.S., opening the gates to tourists from around the globe, but one group of tourists should be especially mindful of the legal hazards of visiting the...more

Changes to the Procedures for the 3 and 10 Year Bar Waivers Proposed

On January 6 DHS announced, in a notice to be published in the Federal Register on January 9 that it will be issuing new regulations for how unlawful presence waivers will be processed for certain immediate relatives who are...more

El Dinero: A guide to help you manage your finances and assets in the event you are detained or deported

Often, only one person is responsible for maintaining the family budget and managing the household’s finances. What if that person is you . . . and you suddenly become detained or deported? What if you leave a child in...more

Niños: A guide to help you protect your US-born child in the event you are detained or deported

The purpose of NIÑOS is to protect US-born children of illegal immigrants, increase family stability, promote mental health, and give the immigrant family an increased sense of security in an uncertain...more

Johnson v. Whitehead, et. al

Equal Protection challenge to Citizenship Law w/ Classifications based on Illegitimacy & Sex

Today, the UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic at American University Washington College of Law filed a petition for Writ of Certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging, on Equal Protection grounds, a federal...more

Same Sex Marriage and DOMA - Immigration and Divorce Issues

This article reviews the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and how state law legalizing same sex marriage conflicts with the federal law. It examines two areas specifically: immigration and divorce. This is becoming a legal...more

The Double-Dip Recession is Here - Top 10 Ways It Will Affect You

We're definitely in a double-dip recession, and it will affect consumers clients in divorce, credit cards, bankruptcy, real estate, traffic tickets, job discrimination, litigation, immigration, wills and crime....more

conversione del permesso al compimento della maggiore età, novità legislative.

In seguito alla novella legislativa, possono ottenere un permesso di soggiorno al compimento della maggiore età i minori stranieri non accompagnati che si trovino in una delle seguenti condizioni: a) essere affidati o...more

ICE - New Immigration Detainer Form

Immigration Detainer - ICE may issue a document commonly referred to as a “detainer” to a local jail or correctional facility when it is seeking custody of an individual in that facility for purposes of instituting removal...more

Prosecutorial Memorandum from John Morton at Immigration and Customs Enforcement -

ICE Memo on Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion Consistent with the Civil Immigration Enforcement Priorities - ICE 6/17/11...

One of ICE's central responsibilities is to enforce the nation's civil immigration laws in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). ICE, however, has...more

GAY MARRIAGES GET RECOGNITION: CIS OFFICES ACCEPT SAME SEX MARRIAGE GREEN CARD PETITIONS - Whoever said that hell would not freeze...

GAY MARRIAGES GET RECOGNITION: CIS OFFICES ACCEPT SAME SEX MARRIAGE GREEN CARD PETITIONS - Whoever said that hell would not freeze over? There is a great deal of hype on the web that seems to have its genesis in a report...more

Same Sex Marriages and Immigration

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a federal law which defines marriage as a “legal union between one man and one woman.” The law states that this definition of marriage must be used to determine the meaning of any Act of...more

cittadina nigeriana

art. 31 T.U. Immigrazione autorizzazione al soggiorno nell'interesse dei minori

Secondo la suprema corte infatti tra i "gravi motivi" che devono legittimare la permanenza del genitori straniero in Italia sono da comprendere tutte le situazioni che possano provocare qualsiasi danno effettivo, concreto,...more

Travel during the Holidays - How To Avoid the Immigration Trap

As many foreign nationals begin plans for travel during the holidays, it is important to remember that travel without the appropriate immigration documents could result in an abandonment of an immigration case or even trouble...more

Seijfula / Ministero Interno

permesso ex art. 31 permesso CE per soggiornanti lungo periodo

Secondo il Tribunale Amministrativo della Lombardia, i titolari di permesso di soggiorno per assistenza minore, ex art. 31 T.U. Immigrazione, possono ottenere il rilascio del permesso CE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo in...more

Pro Bono Newsletter - Summer 2010

In This Newsletter: - Schnader Successfully Obtains Complete Acquittal on Murder Charges Against Pro Bono Client Stemming from 1966 Shooting and 2007 Death - Awards and Accolades - Schnader Continues Its...more

In the Matter of Mai Luong

In Removal Proceedings = Respondent's Written Pleading

Although this pleading is still pending, it appears that the merits are in its favor. USCIS has yet to interview the married couple involved. But it would appear that the facts of their bona fide marriage are sufficient to...more