Marlborough Massachusetts Immigration attorneys can assist with pathways to U.S. Citizenship, including DACA.
Citizenship. The U.S. Constitution guarantees certain rights and freedoms to people who are born, or naturalized to be citizens in the United States. In accordance with 8 USCS §1572, an immigration benefit package is “any application or petition to confer, certify, change, adjust, or extend any status granted under the Immigration and Nationality Act.”
Naturalization. Naturalization is the process one takes to become a U.S. citizen if they are born outside of the United States. There are times when individuals meet government
requirements, allowing them to become U.S. citizens through acquisition. Marlborough immigration attorneys can assist with the naturalization process and special provisions for U.S. Military members.
Acquisition. Citizenship obtained through relationships with parents either at birth, or after birth before the age of eighteen years when applications for naturalization can occur.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA is the federal government program that affects an estimated 645,00 individuals enrolled as of June 2020, and 685,000 who are eligible for enrollment who are living in the United States without formal citizenship. DACA provides for individuals who entered the U.S. as minors, and who were in good standing, enabling protection from deportation as illegals. In July 2020, the acting secretary of Homeland Security suspended DACA, restricting the program to individuals already enrolled, and limiting work permits to one year. In December 2020, a federal judge in New York has overturned the Trump administration’s latest effort to limit the DACA.
Green card. Application for permanent residency to the United States is complex and a green card attorney can assist with its completion, while adhering to applicable laws and requirements. In order for an individual to apply for a Green Card, applicants must be eligible under one of the following categories:
- Family of U.S. Citizen.
- Employment as immigrant worker, physician, or investor.
- Special immigrant as a religious, or international worker, and other affiliate exceptions.
- Victim of abuse, human trafficking and crime holding a T, or U nonimmigrant visa.
- Refugee seeking asylum in U.S. after one year.
- Registry as residing in U.S. since January 1, 1972.
Asylum. Every year people come to the United States seeking asylum, which is protection granted to someone who has left their native country because they have suffered persecution, or fear that they will suffer persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. A skilled Massachusetts immigration attorney can assist with applications for asylum using Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal.
Deportation concerns. In 2019, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested approximately 143,000 aliens and removed more than 267,000 in the United States, which is an increase in removals from the prior year. These statistics reflect ICE’s commitment to identifying, arresting, and removing aliens who are violating U.S. Law, specifically those who pose a public safety or national security threat. Consultation with Marlborough Massachusetts immigration attorneys is essential to avoid problems with important immigration law hurdles and applicable filing timelines.
Sources:
https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility-categories
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum
https://www.ice.gov/statistics#wcm-survey-target-id
http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1182&num=0&edition=prelim
https://www.uscis.gov/archive/consideration-of-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-daca
