I was not surprised when Jose lost.

Even though his case had some complicated twists, it was not unwinnable.

What was his fatal mistake? [continue reading…]

The study of history, it’s been said, is the study of unintended consequences.

This is true on the personal as well as the public level. For immigrants, especially those from South and Central American countries, the proposition has dire meaning.

Beginning their journeys with uncertainty the norm, most of them realize unplanned events on the trail to the U.S. can lead to life-changing outcomes, abrupt endings, and death.

Arrival ensures no less unpredictability.

Small miscues can set in motion undesirable though foreseeable consequences. [continue reading…]

Several years ago, I moved into a new neighborhood. Being a multiculturalism enthusiast, a family of five living across the street quickly caught my attention.

The wife was fair-skinned, short, with wavy red hair. The husband was dark, tall, with straight black hair. She was from Ireland. He was from Mexico. Their children’s pronunciations were unlike any version of English I had ever heard before.

I sensed one of my new neighbors lacked legal immigration papers. [continue reading…]

Once again, the big lie of anti-immigrant lobbies has been exposed.

Politically Invisible African And Caribbean Immigrants

Immigration reform is not a one-ethnicity issue, contrary to the claims of Donald Trump and his ideological cohorts.

Various studies over the past few years have shown the number of Black immigrants of African and Caribbean descent have doubled every decade since 1970.

Their totals may be small relative to the much larger figures of Latino immigrants. But their significance, as part of the overall reform movement, should not be minimized. [continue reading…]

Ever wonder what goes into a marriage green card fraud determination by immigration authorities?

Although I have written fairly extensively on immigration fraud, my focus has been on teaching innocent immigrants how to avoid con artists.

But what about the not-so-innocent immigrants?

As reform advocates, we cannot turn a blind eye to immigrants who attempt to dupe the system. [continue reading…]

War is ugly.

The bleeding does not end with the final gunshot.

And the bill for it, as Benjamin Franklin once noted, comes afterwards.

Events in Iraq and Afghanistan confirm Franklin’s insight. [continue reading…]

It’s always a danger to rely on immigration statistics.

Due to the wide divide between supporters and opponents of immigration reform, the same data has been used to two conflicting opinions.

Of course, the manipulation of information to prove one’s position is not unique to immigration issues.

Still, when government statistics are used properly, they provide valuable insights about the issues being studied. [continue reading…]

Love happens.

More often than not, love happens unexpectedly.

For immigrants who have entered the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, love can lead to deportation – and a ten year to permanent separation from their spouse and children.

Despite years of battling this issue as a green card attorney, I’m still saddened every time government agents fail to grasp love and marriage deserve a second look before family ties are destroyed and immigrants are blindly sent back to their country of origin.

Policy makers, it seems, should grasp that love can happen, instantly, and innocently, even for tourists.
[continue reading…]

Historians will tell you the Cold War officially ended several decades ago.

Only not between Cuba and the United States.

Even today, as the nations inch closer to restoring full diplomatic ties, harsh feelings and distrust between the two nations still linger.

Overcoming 50 years of a politically severed relationship will not be simple. [continue reading…]