I recently presented “EOIR (Removal and Deportation) and Immigration Courts” for the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE) seminar, “2019 U.S. Immigration Law: Basics & Beyond” hosted by the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Immigration Law Section, Labor & Employment Law Section, and International Law and Organizations Special Committee. » Read More

Last week, the New Jersey Supreme Court updated the Statewide Judicial Policies to conform to New Jersey’s Immigrant Rights Directive. New Jersey Supreme Court Directive 04-79 stops court officials from collecting information about an individual’s immigration status unless it is absolutely necessary. » Read More

Between 2015 and the end of 2017, almost 90,000 undocumented immigrants who were deported had children who are U.S. citizens. The numbers for 2018 and this year are not available but are undoubtedly much higher. For many immigrant families, this is their worst fear – what will happen to their children if they are detained or deported? » Read More

Responding to community criticism of the recently implemented “Immigrant Rights Directive” by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, the Sussex County Board of Freeholders considered a resolution that would put the question of “Sanctuary County” designation to the voters in this November’s general election.  » Read More

Yesterday Ray Lahoud, Chair of our Immigration Law Group, spoke on Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification at our in-house lunch and learn, “Are You I-9 Compliant?”

Ray spoke to a crowd of HR Professionals, business owners, management, and administrators from several organizations and companies. » Read More

Without the influx of lawful immigrants into the Lehigh Valley, the area would have experienced a net loss in its population.  In a Morning Call report analyzing recently-released Census Bureau statistics, Reporter Eugene Tauber noted that the Lehigh Valley has seen a 0.58% increase in its population since 2017, with 842,913 residents.   » Read More

On Friday, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its internal policies related to the adjudication of naturalization applications of lawful permanent residents who partake in the marijuana industry in states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which have enacted laws permitting “‘medical’ or ‘recreational’ use of marijuana.” According to USCIS, if you smoke weed, you may lack the good moral character to become a U.S. » Read More

On Saturday, the Trump administration, through a Tweet from @realDonaldTrump at 9:47 p.m., floated the idea of sending all those entering at the border to sanctuary states and cities across the United States, where the president said the states and cities can take “care of” immigrants seeking admission, and in many instances asylum protection, at the United States border with Mexico, at designated ports of entry. » Read More

Last Thursday, I was honored to speak to the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR) on the growing intersections between immigration and the real estate industry in New York State, specifically the EB-5 Investor Visa Program.

The program allows foreign entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) to apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they: (1) make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and (2) plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified United States workers.  » Read More

Norris McLaughlin’s Immigration Group notes the impact of the partial government shutdown on the U.S. Immigration System as follows:

Form I-9 and E-Verify

E-Verify expired as a result of the government shutdown.  Employers will not have access to E-Verify to initiate new employee verifications, resolve non-confirmations, and verify employment authorization.  » Read More