Documentation, Deportation, and Social Security Fraud
Immigration laws and policies have been in the news quite a bit over the last few weeks. The new Administration has been very vocal about deportation (removal), so we want to discuss a particular issue that non-citizens may face: using fraudulent documentation in order to get work here in the U.S. Back in 2009, the…
Read MoreThe Supreme Court and the Next Likely Justice
The United States Supreme Court has the final word on the meaning of the U.S. Constitution and of federal statutes and federal law. Nine Justices serve on the Court; they have lifetime appointments. A majority of Justices, just five, decide important questions about freedom of speech, press, and religion; whether the states can limit or…
Read MorePresident Trump’s Immigration Policies
In his presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump repeatedly told audiences that he would build a wall on the southern United States border, take a hard look at and block certain refugees from coming to the United States, and change immigration laws and policies. In the first days of his Presidency, President Trump has begun efforts…
Read MoreICE Holds and Mandatory Detention
If you are a non-citizen charged with a crime and are being held in jail, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency can issue an Immigration Detainer, also known as an “ICE hold.” The ICE hold requires the law enforcement agency, in whose custody you are being held, to detain or hold you for an…
Read MoreDeportable Crimes for Non-citizens and Undocumented Immigrants
Immigrants with criminal records will soon come under increased scrutiny. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to deport millions of immigrants with criminal records. In a televised interview, Mr. Trump said, “What we are going to do is get the people that are criminals and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, we have a lot…
Read MoreInjunctions
At times, a person or company files a lawsuit and asks the Judge to order the person or company sued not to do a certain act or to do a certain act. Courts are authorized generally to grant injunctions. Injunctions are binding court orders dictating and telling individuals to continue, stop, or refrain from performing…
Read MoreDonald Trump and Kris Kobach: Immigration Law and Enforcement
In November 2016, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. His four-year term as President begins in January 2017. When campaigning for the Presidency, Mr. Trump repeatedly pledged to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. and to make Mexico pay for it; furthermore, he took a hard line on immigration, which,…
Read MoreMarijuana, Immigration and the Risk of Deportation
In the last few years, 25 different states have changed their laws about marijuana. Some have completely legalized it, and others have made exceptions for the use of marijuana for medical use only. In Tennessee, however, the laws have not changed: it is illegal to possess, sell, buy or distribute marijuana in the state. Even…
Read MoreCriminal Convictions and Student Loans
While many colleges and programs provide assistance for earning college degrees or learning trades, colleges and trade schools are not cheap. Even with scholarships and grants, students face financial difficulties and challenges. To finance their education, most students apply for and receive loans or financial assistance from state and federal governments; however, students with certain…
Read More“Felons, Not Families:” The Truth about Deportation
In 2014, President Obama tried to ease fears of immigrants by promising to focus on the removal of criminals from the U.S., and not families who have built their lives across the country: “Felons, not families. Criminals, not children. Gang members, not a mom who’s working hard to provide for her kids.” Two years later,…
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