Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the end of a five-day sweep across New Jersey, netting the arrest of immigrants in 16 counties. The operation targeted a broad range of individuals, including lawful permanent residents and other immigrants with criminal convictions as well as individuals present in the United States who have reentered after deportation or have pending criminal charges. » Read More
With President Trump threatening a Constitutional showdown over the question of “birthright citizenship,” many New Jersey immigrants are concerned about their children—those already born and deemed US Citizens, and those who are to be born. “Birthright citizenship” is the automatic granting of US Citizenship to any child born on US soil, without regard to the citizenship or resident status of the parent. » Read More
Today, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana use with the enactment of Canadian House Government Bill C-45. Pretty nice, right? Yes, it is. But citizens of Canada who travel to the United States under employment-based non-immigrant visas, visitor visas, and those seeking lawful permanent residency must be on notice: just because you can legally possess and distribute marijuana in Canada does not excuse you from the archaic and complex Immigration & Nationality Act (the “INA”). » Read More
Driver’s Licenses for New Jersey’s undocumented immigrants may have moved a step closer to reality. In a September interview on NJ 101.5, New Jersey’s Senate President Steve Sweeney endorsed the idea—which was integral in advancing any legislative measure. While Sweeney did not support any specific legislation, Nicholas Pugliese, staff writer for the Record’s Trenton Bureau, reported that the legislation at the center of the debate in Trenton is the New Jersey Safe and Responsible Driver Act. » Read More
Yesterday, a federal district court entered a nationwide order stopping the Trump Administration’s recent decisions to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 300,000 immigrants in the United States from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Sudan. This order is temporary and only offers protection from deportation for the TPS beneficiaries until the federal case challenging TPS termination is decided. » Read More
Contractors throughout the country press for immigration reform following a reduction in the workforce.
This week, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA), a trade association for American contractors, urged the government to pass comprehensive immigration reform that meets the needs of U.S. » Read More
Federal Judge Orders Government to Begin Accepting New DACA Applications
Late last week, United States District Judge John Bates, presiding in Washington, D.C., ruled that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must begin accepting all applications for protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which had been suspended since 2017. » Read More
ACLU Sues New Jersey Schools to Change Policies Related to Immigrant Students
On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed multiple lawsuits against school districts throughout the state of New Jersey, alleging that the schools were requiring parents to provide proof of immigration status in the United States or a valid Social Security number, violating state law. » Read More
After a period of uncertainty, the Trump Administration extended Temporary Protected Status, or “TPS,” to certain Somalis living in the United States. The extension granted them the right to live in the United States until at least March of 2020, at which point the U.S. » Read More
White House instructs border officers to reject all asylum claims based upon gang or domestic violence.
The Trump Administration will start instructing all officers reviewing asylum and refugee applications – including those made at the U.S./Mexico – to summarily reject any claims based upon fear of gang or domestic violence. » Read More
