In response to the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and its draconian policies, California became a sanctuary state. Among other things, California provides much needed legal protection to undocumented immigrants by limiting the amount of cooperation between state and local law enforcement agencies and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Unfortunately, since the bill was passed,…
On January 9th, 2020, the Los Angeles Times published an important and illuminating story on Bismarck, North Dakota—a relatively small and racially homogenous city that, while once considered to be a haven for refugees from all around the world, has become a much more challenging place for immigrants to live in the era of President…
Last Fall, California lawmakers passed a bill banning private prisons, including private immigration facilities. As the law takes effect on January 1st, 2020, one of the nation’s top private prison companies is taking legal action against the state. According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, the GEO Group—the largest private, for-profit immigration detention contractor…
According to reporting from The San Diego Union-Tribune, the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is among a coalition of advocacy groups that are pushing for reforms of California’s state tax laws. Under the current tax rules, immigrants—simply because of their immigration status—are excluded from a state-based tax credit. Here, our Los Angeles immigration law attorney…
According to reporting from NBC Southern California, Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), an immigrant rights group based in California, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for ending a free hotline that offered detainees an opportunity to report poor or dangerous conditions in detention facilities. The hotline, which received a wave of national attention after…
According to reporting from Fox 40, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is facing a complaint over allegations that one of its deputies violated California’s sanctuary state laws. Under Senate Bill 54, police officers and law enforcement agencies in California are legally required to limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. Immigrant rights activists believe that the…
On November 12th, 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the set of cases that are likely to decide the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The future of a program that protects hundreds of thousands of DREAMers from deportation is in the fate of a…
In September, California lawmakers passed a bill to ban private prisons—including private immigration detention facilities. Unfortunately, the early indications are that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is ignoring the ban and possibly attempting to rush contracts through the system before the law can officially go into effect. According to reporting from KTLA 5, ICE…
According to reporting from The Daily Beast, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey has reversed her office’s harsh stance of fighting immigration protections for individuals previously convicted of minor drug offenses, including marijuana-related offenses. In this article, our Los Angeles immigration lawyer explains the change in policy and the potential implications for immigrants charged…
Family immigration forms much of the basis of the overall American system. According to data provided by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), approximately two-thirds of all green card recipients in 2017 applied directly through an immediate relative or through another type of familial relationship. If you are seeking a green card through a family member,…
