I am amazed to find out that Customs and Border Patrol (“CBP”) recently issued guidance regarding travellers observing the Jewish holiday of  sukkot. It is a holiday that many folks are not familiar with, which  commemorates the Jewish people travelling the dessert from Egypt to Israel for  40 years. One part of celebrating sukkot is by using a combination of plant  species (palm, willow, and myrtle) and an etrog otherwise known as a citron.

 As an immigration attorney, I usually have some concerns when it comes to my clients dealing with CBP. This is because when immigrants, whether a visa holder or a permanent resident, arrive to the United States from an international flight, they must present themselves to “customs” or CBP officers.  Immigrants can sometimes run into major issues with CBP, where they get seriously questioned, endure secondary questioning, or other times get deported.

 I am surprised and happy to hear that the officers get training on certain obscure subjects such as the holiday of sukkot. I hope and wish that  this type of understanding and awareness of other people’s differences could be used more by CBP officers when they greet immigrants to the US.


http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/travel_news/sukkot_holiday_travel.xml

 When deciding whether to apply for Deferred Action/Dream Act, it is a good idea to know about what the results are to submitting an application. 
 
Besides being able to get a work permit, approved applicants may also be able to get state-issued drivers licenses and social security cards. These are very important for folks interested in entering the working world. One of the biggest disappointments many young people had prior to Deferred Action/Dream Act, was that after graduating from college, they were unable to get a job based on their immigration status.  With the new Deferred Action/Dream Act policy, some young people have a new opportunity.


 Below is a link with information of applying for social security  after being granted Deferred Action/Dream  Act.

 http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=41276&utm_source=Recent%20Postings%20Alert&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=RP%20Daily

The Obama administration had immigration prepared to handle 250,000 applications by now for the new Deferred Action/Dream Act program. However, the actual number of those who have applied is at 75,000. At the current rate, the government estimates to receive 200,000 applicants by the November elections. Some have found that as many as 1.2 million could immediately qualify for Deferred Action/Dream Act. 
 
Director Alejandro Mayorkas says, “If somebody submits documents that show by
the preponderance of the evidence that they meet the guidelines, we are poised
to move the cases as quickly as possible.” Therefore, it is important to get  appropriate legal advice about Deferred Action, and it can help make a person’s
application process go quickly and smoothly.

 Click here for more information on Deferred Action/Dream Act.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/us/program-offering-immigrants-reprieve-is-off-to-quick-start.html?_r=0

I am a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a national organization of attorneys focused on assisting immigrants with their needs. The group has a relationship with all immigration agencies, including Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  


DHS advised AILA about information regarding the current processing time for Deferred Action/Dream Act applicants. So far, it will take one month from getting a receipt notice to receiving a biometrics appointment. The process will average around 4-6 months for the first group of Deferred Action/Dream Act applicants. Thereafter, they anticipate a longer processing time as more people apply.

District Judge K. Michael Moore in Florida ruled that U.S. citizen children that have parents who are illegally present in the United  States, should be permitted to pay in-state tuition.


Judge Moore found that it was against the equal protection clause  to charge a higher rate to students because their parents were illegal. These lawsuits originated because certain Floridian students attending public universities in the state were unable to prove their parents’ immigration status, and therefore were required to pay higher tuition.


http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Judge-rules-for-students-in-immigrant-tuition-suit-3838779.php?utm_source=AILA+Mailing&utm_campaign=9d7c3afb1a-AILA8_9_6_12&utm_medium=email
 

Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio, Texas, delivered the keynote address at last night’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) making him the first Latino to do so.


Castro’s speech discussed family, culture, and community. One point he also addressed was the bad sentiment some people have felt regarding  Obama’s immigration policies. Since coming into office, Obama’s administration has deported a record breaking number of immigrants, reaching almost 1.5  million. Thousands of families across the country have suffered from the deportation policy in place.


However, others have found new hope with Obama’s latest policy called Deferred Action or Dream Act. It gives a new opportunity to hundreds of thousands of young people who don’t have immigration status.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/05/opinion/navarrette-castro-speech/index.html