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Alexander J. Eiffe

Alexander J. Eiffe

Burma/Myanmar has been designated for Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”). The status will last for 18 months from March 12, 2021, and follows closely on the heels of the recent designation of Venezuela for TPS on March 9, 2021. The two recent designations were made by the Secretary of Homeland, Alejandro Mayorkas who was recently confirmed by a 56 to 43 vote in the U.S. Senate, in being confirmed he became the first Latino to hold the position. The designations and the speed at which they were issued so soon after Mayorkas’ confirmation, demonstrate a commitment to swift actions when the administration considers them necessary. This also constitutes a strong departure from the immigration policy of the prior administration which saw multiple countries lose their TPS designations after many years of re-designations. Please contract our office to discuss your eligibility and the requirements for applying for TPS.

According to the Department of Homeland Security news release: “'Due to the military coup and security forces’ brutal violence against civilians, the people of Burma are suffering a complex and deteriorating humanitarian crisis in many parts of the country,' said Secretary Mayorkas. 'After a thorough review of this dire situation, I have designated Burma for Temporary Protected Status so that Burmese nationals and habitual residents may remain temporarily in the United States.

Secretary Mayorkas decided to designate Burma for TPS after consultation with interagency partners and careful consideration of the extraordinary and temporary conditions in Burma caused by the coup, which has led to continuing violence, pervasive arbitrary detentions, the use of lethal violence against peaceful protesters, and intimidation of the people of Burma. The coup has worsened humanitarian conditions in several areas by limiting access to life-saving assistance, disrupting flights carrying humanitarian and medical aid, and spurring an economic crisis. Such conditions prevent Burmese nationals and habitual residents from returning safely. A country may be designated for TPS if the Secretary determines that current country conditions fall into one or more of the three statutory bases for designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions.” <https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/03/12/secretary-mayorkas-designates-burma-temporary-protected-status> Release Date: March 12, 2021.

Tuesday, 09 March 2021 00:00

New TPS Options for Venezuela nationals!

Are you a Venezuelan national? There may be new immigration options for you! Venezuela was just designated for Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for 18 months, beginning March 9, 2021, though September 9, 2022. The Initial Registration period begins today March 9, 2021 and ends on September 5, 2021. Applicants must apply within this 6-month initial registration window or risk not being eligible for TPS. To apply, you must be a national of Venezuela and have been continuously present in the U.S. since March 9, 2021. Applicants for TPS can also apply for work authorization, and if the TPS is approved, they may be issued authorization to work in the U.S. The notice published today also includes information regarding eligibility and instructions for applying for Deferred Enforcement Departure (“DED”) for eligible Venezuelan nationals. The stated reason for the designation of Venezuela for TPS is because: “Venezuela is currently facing a severe humanitarian emergency. Under Nicolás Maduro’s influence, the country “has been in the midst of a severe political and economic crisis for several years.” Venezuela’s crisis has been marked by a wide range of factors, including: Economic contraction; inflation and hyperinflation; deepening poverty; high levels of unemployment; reduced access to and shortages of food and medicine; a severely weakened medical system; the reappearance or increased incidence of certain communicable diseases; a collapse in basic services; water, electricity, and fuel shortages; political polarization; institutional and political tensions; human rights abuses and repression; crime and violence; corruption; increased human mobility and displacement (including internal migration, emigration, and return); and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other factors. ” 86 FR 13574 To determine if you qualify, or if you have any further questions, please contact our immigration team today.
Saturday, 04 April 2020 00:00

Love & Immigration in the Time of Corona

Nobel prize winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, published Love in the Time of Cholera in in 1985.  The novel takes place in a fictional city around the 1880s to early 1900s which is during a fifth worldwide cholera pandemic that spread from India through Asia, Europe, and South America.  The novel includes a description of a passenger ship that needed to be quarantined due to the outbreak, a circumstance which has again become both relevant and prevalent on the world stage.

Today’s novel corona virus resulting COVID-19 are having widespread impacts throughout the world, with each day seeing sometime exponential increases in the number infected and number of deceased on a county by country and planetary basis.   The pandemic has impacted the U.S. immigration system on several levels, and has thus impacted family-based immigration (love).  As of the date of this writing USCIS is generally closed to in person interviews, fingerprint appointments, and naturalization ceremonies until at least May 3rd 2020.  Immigration courts are closed for all non-detained cases until at least May 1, 2020.

Many of the government websites have been unable to keep up with the rapid changes and policy releases.  So much so, that many respondents/clients and practitioner/attorneys are learning about these policies through Twitter and Facebook, after office hours or on the way to court or USCIS interviews!  The are also people who have interview scheduled at various consulates around the world and some clients who are stuck abroad due to various airline and country policies about travel restrictions and general flight reductions.  

 For clients with interviews that have already been scheduled abroad many are unable to attend for failure to be able to get a flight, when for example countries such as El Salvador block incoming flights from the U.S.  Even if one were able to get a flight, our office has been advising people not to leave the U.S. at this time, both for their own safety and due to the uncertainty of any given appointment happening.  This is affecting marriage based consular process cases, fiancée visa cases, stateside waiver cases, and a plethora of other case types.   

 Navigating the U.S. immigration system both domestically and abroad can be challenging under the best of circumstances, but in the midst of a worldwide pandemic that is fundamentally shifting the way we work, shop, and interact with each other, it is especially valuable to have an experienced advocate to help you.  Our office, as a legal service provider, is an essential business and we are still open to service the cases of our many current clients and we are of course still meeting with new clients and opening new cases (albiet over Zoom, Skype or by phone).  If you are ready to file a petition for your loved one, be it a spouse, parent, or child, please reach out to our experienced immigration team to schedule a consultation and learn more about love and immigration in the time of Corona.  A.G. Linett & Associates, PA 336-316-1190 

 

Yes. If you are 15 years old, and you meet the other Deferred Action (DACA) requirements, you can apply for a DACA.  If you are 14, going on 15 years old, you can begin to gather documents and start filling out the application so that you will be ready to submit your application the day you turn 15.   

The DACA program began on August 15, 2012 so it has been in existence for over a year now.  However, after an initial surge of a lot of applications and advertisements the program has been talked about less and less. 

Also, some groups are underrepresented in the program, including people who have been out of school for a while and younger students who are ‘aging in’ to DACA eligibility.  New high school students, who were not eligible to apply earlier because they were too young, should start to consider if they could apply for a DACA now.

For questions about the other DACA requirements, or if you would like to find out if you qualify for a DACA please make an appointment today. 

Immigration Consultations are now FREE!

Contact Info

A.G. Linett & Associates — PA ATTORNEYS AT LAW
4914 W. Market Street, Suite A
Greensboro, NC 27407

 336.316.1190

 336.316.1191

  Hours of operation: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Mon-Fri | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sat