On April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) added a third gender option, “X,” on Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, marking a pivotal moment in inclusivity within immigration processes. Previously limited to the male and female binary, the updated form now offers a checkbox for “X” or “Another Gender Identity.” Form N-400 paves the way as the first immigration form to adopt this option. The Biden administration believes immigration benefits, including the process of naturalization, should be accessible to individuals of all gender identities. The USCIS website ..read more

We are pleased to announce the relocation of our Walnut Creek office to Concord, California. The new office, located at 1850 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 237, Concord Gateway 1, Concord, CA 94520, will allow us to better serve Bay Area residents in need of our immigration law services, which we have been providing for over 40 years. In addition, the new office is conveniently located just across the street from the Concord Immigration Court. Please note that our Walnut Creek office will be closed beginning May 1, 2024, and we will officially open the Concord office on May 3, 2024.To speak with an ..read more

On April 9, 2024, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the opening of a new West Los Angeles Immigration Court, with a commencement date of May 6, 2024.  The court will be located at 5245 Pacific Concourse Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045, and can be contacted at 310-335-2100 upon opening. Simultaneously, the EOIR will be closing its Los Angeles – Olive Street Immigration Court on April 17, 2024. Active cases assigned to the Olive Street location will be transferred to West Los Angeles, North Los Angeles, or Van Nuys Boulevard. Involved parties will receive advance not ..read more

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in the State Department v. Muñoz case which could have significant ramifications for future immigration cases.  In 2010, Luis Ernesto Asencio-Cordero, a Salvadoran who immigrated in 2005, wed civil rights lawyer Sandra Muñoz. The pair resided in Los Angeles and began the consular process in 2013. In 2015, Asencio-Cordero was denied his visa due to suspicion of gang affiliation stemming from concerns over the significance of his four tattoos (a theatrical mask, a tribal-style pattern, psychologist Sigmund Freud, and Our Lady of Guadalupe). De ..read more

The short answer to whether or not you can get deported for a misdemeanor is yes. Residing in the U.S. as an immigrant entails an obligation to comply with certain laws and regulations. Regardless of your immigration status, whether you are a non-citizen green card holder, naturalized U.S. citizen, or non-immigrant visa holder, violating laws in a new country could result in deportation. Seeking guidance from an immigration lawyer can help ensure you are acquainted with all California crimes to avoid any potential incidents of deportation. Our immigration lawyers are well-versed in the legal c ..read more

As tensions rise in Haiti following the rampant gang takeovers, Miami’s border agents prepare for an anticipated surge of Haitian refugees. Their primary concerns revolve around effectively managing the influx, streamlining the processing procedures, and discerning legitimate asylum claims from fraudulent ones. An internal communication obtained by The New York Post warned that it may be challenging to handle the overwhelming number of migrants entering Florida illegally. Given the severe instability in Haiti and the displacement of over 15,000 individuals, repatriating these migrants seems un ..read more

For many young adults, immigrating to the United States is often a path paved with denial and rejection. That was especially true for one of our recent clients, who we will refer to as “Maria” to protect her identity. Maria’s case was repeatedly denied, until Reeves Immigration Law Group was finally able to convince the U.S. Embassy in Manila that she was indeed eligible for her immigrant visa. Maria’s father was petitioned for permanent resident status (green card) by a prospective employer. When he received his immigrant visa, his eligible derivative family members (spouse and children) were ..read more

After temporarily freezing Senate Bill 4, on Tuesday, March 19 the Supreme Court cleared the bill which gives state officials the ability to arrest and detain people they suspect are entering the country illegally. The conservative majority in the Supreme Court passed this bill with the three liberals on the court dissenting it.  However, despite the Bill being cleared, the Biden Administration made a public statement disagreeing with the Supreme Court’s ruling and is hoping that the case gets overturned.  Case Could Return to Supreme Court While Senate Bill 4 has been cleared by the ..read more

Eric Welsh recently spoke to the Daily Mail about the chaos surrounding Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s transportation of migrants crossing the Texas border to major cities including New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, and Los Angeles. The number of migrants Abbott has bused out of Texas thus far totals 105,000 – and while that number seems high, it only makes up 4% of total migrants who have crossed the border into Texas. Eric explains that Governor Abbott’s methods may be an attempt to force other state officials to address this issue. “I think what he’s trying to bring at ..read more

Judge Upholds Biden Program Giving Some Immigrants Short-Term Legal Status On Friday, March 8, 2024, a federal judge ruled to keep an immigration program in place that provides temporary legal status to certain citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The Immigration Program The Biden Administration implemented a program to give 360,000 people a year from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela the ability to live in the United States if they are supported by a financial sponsor, undergo security clearance, and meet other requirements. The Court Decision Texas and other Republican-led ..read more