Let’s be honest. When it comes to immigration reform, both sides of the political aisle in Congress are engaged in a cynical game that treats migrants as campaign fodder for election purposes.  In so doing, they create a public impression that immigration is an intractable issue which, they claim, the other side is causing by their stubbornness to rigidly adhere to demands that are unacceptable.  Lost in this immature exchange of absolutism is the failure to craft sensible policies that help human beings in desperate need of stability and security. Related Podcasts: Episode 144: Flaw ..read more

Immigration decisions are rarely simple.  For instance, take a couple who fall in love.  One person is a U.S. citizen living in the United States, the other lives in another country.  They decide to get married. They have two options. They can get married abroad. Then the U.S. citizen can file a marriage-based petition for their spouse. Or the citizen could petition their loved one as a fiancé to enter the U.S. and get married her To make their decision, such couples have six items to weigh: three legal requirements and three personal considerations. Related Podcasts: Episode 13 ..read more

Since I started paying attention to politics in junior high school, I’ve considered myself to be a liberal – and often a so-called “radical” liberal. But as time has passed, I have noticed that my views do not always jive with the opinions of those considered liberals in the media.  Take immigration.  Like my colleagues, I am angry at what is going at our country’s southwest borders. I am angry with the mistreatment of poor, starving, luckless folks by border agents, and the shameless grandstanding of politicians who only care to manipulate the public to vote for them.  But I am ..read more

What happens when a lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen - while the application they filed for their immigrant spouse is pending? Is it revoked and they have to start over? Is it automatically changed to a new category? Well, neither. Allow me to explain. Related Podcasts: Episode 111: What Does Conversion Of Immigrant Petitions Mean? Episode 74: Immigrant Adoption Potholes Recommended Links For More Information: What Family Members Can You Sponsor For A Green Card? How To Understand The I-130 Form For Immigrant Relative Petitions ..read more

Once upon a time, you would use the Yellow Pages to hire a local attorney to help you. Back then, the internet and technology had not yet shattered barriers to international communication. Driving to a brick-and-mortar office to meet with your attorney, however far away, was the only game in town. These days, many folks buy books, clothes, household items, bank, make flight reservations, and download music online through internet and phone technology. Why should high quality immigration legal services be any different? Related Podcasts: Episode 53: Never Buy The Pessimism Of Others Episode 42 ..read more

Too, too often when clients visit me, I can hear the negative mindset. It comes out, not openly, but in little drips and drabs as they talk about their immigration situation. Well, it seems my entire career, I have been the little guy fighting the big giant, the government, for my clients. And I’ve learned a few things about fighting for what you believe in, even when the odds are against you. Let’s call them Tips For Underdogs. Related Podcasts: Episode 16: The Brave Man Is Not Without Fear Episode 27: Immigration Success Is Not A Sprint Recommended Links For More Information: The Fallacy Of ..read more

In his first campaign for president, Obama repeatedly told audiences that “It’s vital we bring immigrant families living in the U.S. out of the shadows and provide them with a pathway to citizenship.” Those of us practicing immigration law at the time thought one of his first actions would be to push for a change of section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Here’s the significance of that unfulfilled promise. Related Podcasts: Episode 125: The Plight Of U.S. Citizen Spouses Of Immigrants Episode 114: Green Card Consular Processing For Marriages ..read more

When the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA, was hatched, I was not a fan of the program. The program was a political sell-out of a better idea: The DREAM Act. I am still not a fan of DACA . . . although I have learned to leverage the program to benefit clients. What was lost WAS NOT insignificant – a path to permanent residency. The program, in short, was and is, a dead-end. The loss lingers today. Related Podcasts: Why Entries And Exits Can Make Or Break Your Case Why Not Seek Success That Has Never Been? Recommended Links For More Information: Death Of DA ..read more

Can a U.S. citizen in an unmarried relationship sponsor his – or her – partner to become a permanent resident? Maybe. After all, not all couples who fall in love officially tie the knot. Instead, they simply live together. They hold themselves out to friends, family and the community as being married but they never formalize the marriage. Such relationships, commonly known as common law marriages, though not recognized in most states, can provide a pathway to a green card in some circumstances for an immigrant spouse. Related Podcasts: Episode 88: Bigamy, Polygamy, And Immigration Law Episode ..read more

I played a lot of sports growing up. I learned a lot about competition and achievement - about performing at a high level in an arena of competition. In particular, I learned the fastest, strongest, or most skilled athlete does not always win. Success, more often than not, is dependent on certain intangibles, the game within the game. In other words . . . the internal game of heart and mind . . . inside the external game of sporting events or courtroom battles. Let’s dive into some of these lessons – lessons applicable to my law practice today. Related Podcasts: Episode 84: 7 Tips For Resilien ..read more