All that is gold does not glitter. Not even wedding rings, especially from second spouses.

Because marriages are one of the easier paths to winning permanent residence, they invite close immigration scrutiny.

An immigrant’s second marriage prompts extra caution.  Besides assessing the authenticity of the current union, government officers probe the first marriage and divorce for indicators of marriage fraud.

April 1, 1997.

The day IIRAIRA went into effect.

The day we entered the Age of Immigration Darkness.

For immigrants, a divorce is not always the worst aspect of divorces. In many instances, a divorce has no impact on immigration status.

On the other hand, navigating the issues of family court proceedings is often like tip-toeing through a field of landmines. One misstep and permanent residency or citizenship dreams are shattered.

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

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 immigrants, with true marriages, accused of wrong-doing by the government?

Immigration law has many quirky rules.

In some cases, this is because laws and customs in other countries do not match up with laws and customs in the United States.

Take polygamy.

Long condemned in the U.S., polygamy has been practiced in over 81% of societies across the world.

As a result, husbands and wives lawfully wedded abroad are often left behind when they seek permanent resident status.

Though more vulnerable than ever before, Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries need not give up the fight.

On September 14, 2020, the Ninth Circuit of Appeals struck a near-fatal body blow to the dreams of nearly 300,000 TPS beneficiaries, leaving them groping for air as the program neared its death bed.

A few weeks later, the Biden Administration extended the life line of the six nations facing termination under the Ninth Circuit’s ruling to December 31, 2022.  As the deadline neared, on November 10, 2022, the government again extended their TPS benefits, up to June 30, 2024.

If you’re a TPS recipient, of course, uncertainty remains about the future of TPS, whatever your nation of origin.  However, despite a sour TPS ending, winning permanent residence may still be in the cards for you.

If at first you don’t succeed, I was taught by my mother, try and try again.

This attitude is one of the most important mindsets for many U.S. spouses trying to help immigrate their spouses born in another country.

Especially those who need to win a hardship waiver to remain together as a family.

I’ve seen far too many couples set out thinking the green card process is simple, only to find themselves facing separation from each other for 3 years, 10 years, and longer.

Giving up is not an option.

Overcoming negative moments in life does not simply happen.

For many immigrants, nowhere is this more true than in overcoming abusive relationships with a person they both love and fear.

Many immigrant who are victims of domestic violence and physical abuse feel trapped in their relationships.

It requires taking actions to change and the courage to take those actions.

They worry that without their partner, no matter how badly they are mistreated and harmed, there is no path to permanent residence.

They’re wrong.

United we stand, divided we fall.

This theme is more than the title of a popular song in the early 1970s. It is a slogan worth adoption by all immigration reform supporters, by all immigrant communities.

For many years, as a family unity attorney, I have denounced the American public for failing to acknowledge the benefits of cultural diversity which immigrants bring to this country.

My criticism does not exclude any ethnic group.

Whereas members of various cultural groups may appreciate the value of immigration reform for their cultural brethren, they largely ignore the same needs for immigrants of different hues, traditions, and origins.