Immigration Lawyer Ari Sauer – The Immigration Answer Man
Memphis immigration lawyer Ari Sauer provides news and information on US immigration law.
USCIS Updated the DACA Guidance on September 14, 2012
On September 14, 2012, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) guidance for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to add the following information:
” TRAVEL:
Q2: May I travel outside of the United States before USCIS has determined whether to defer action in my case?
A2: No. After August 15, 2012, if you travel outside of the United States, you will not be considered for deferred action under this process. If USCIS defers action in your case, you will be permitted to travel outside of the United States only if you apply for and receive advance parole from USCIS.
Any travel outside of the United States that occurred before August 15, 2012, will be assessed by USCIS to determine whether the travel qualifies as brief, casual and innocent (see below).
Note: If you have been ordered deported or removed, and you then leave the United States, your departure may result in your being considered deported or removed, with potentially serious future immigration consequences.
Travel Guidelines
Travel Date
Before August 15, 2012
Type of Travel
• brief
• casual
• innocent
Does it Affect Continuous Residence
No
Type of Travel
*For an extended time
*Because of an order of exclusion, deportation, or removal
* To participate in criminal activity
Does it Affect Continuous Residence
Yes
Travel Date
After August 15, 2012, and before you have requested deferred action
Type of Travel
• Any
Does it Affect Continuous Residence
Yes.
Travel Date
After August 15, 2012, and after you have requested deferred action
Type of Travel
• Any
Does it Affect Continuous Residence
Yes. You cannot travel while your request is under review. You cannot apply for advance parole unless and until DHS has determined whether to defer action in your case.
Q3: If my case is deferred pursuant to the consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals process, will I be able to travel outside of the United States?
A3: Not automatically. If USCIS has decided to defer action in your case and you want to travel outside the United States, you must apply for advance parole by filing a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document and paying the applicable fee ($360). USCIS will determine whether your purpose for international travel is
justifiable based on the circumstances you describe in your request. Generally, USCIS will only grant advance parole if you are traveling for humanitarian purposes, educational purposes, or employment purposes. You may not apply for advance parole unless and until USCIS defers action in your case pursuant to the consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals process. You cannot apply for advance parole at the same time as you submit your request for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals. All advance parole requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If USCIS has deferred action in your case under the deferred action for childhood arrivals process after you have been ordered deported or removed, you may still request advance parole if you meet the guidelines for advance parole described above. However, once you have received advance parole, and before you actually
leave the United States, you should seek to reopen your case before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and obtain administrative closure or termination of your removal proceeding. Even after you have asked EOIR to reopen your case, you should not leave the United States until after EOIR has granted your
request. If you depart after being ordered deported or removed, and your removal proceeding has not been reopened and administratively closed or terminated, your departure may result in your being considered deported or removed, with potentially serious future immigration consequences. If you have any questions about this process, you may call the ICE Office of the Public Advocate through the Office’s hotline at 1-888-351-4024 (staffed 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday) or by email at EROPublicAdvocate@ice.dhs.gov.
Filing Process
Q7. Must attorneys and accredited representatives who provide pro bono services to deferred action requestors at group assistance events file a Form G- 28 with USCIS?
A7. An attorney or accredited representative who provides pro bono assistance to an individual in a workshop setting and who intends to represent the individual after the workshop must file a Form G-28. An attorney or accredited representative who provides pro bono assistance to an individual in a workshop setting, but who does not intend to represent the individual after the workshop, should assess the extent of
the relationship with the individual and the nature and type of the assistance provided. On that basis, the attorney or accredited representative should determine whether to file a Form G-28. If a Form G-28 is not filed, the attorney or accredited representative should determine whether it would be appropriate under the
circumstances to provide the individual and USCIS with a letter noting the limited extent of the representation.
Q8. When must an individual sign a Form I-821D as a preparer?
A8. If someone other than the requestor prepares or helps fill out the Form I-821D, that individual must complete Part 5 of the Form.
Q9. How should I fill out question nine (9) on the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization?
A9. When you are filing a Form I-765 as part of a Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals request, question nine (9) is asking you to list those Social Security numbers that were officially issued to you by the Social Security Administration.
Evidence
Q3. To prove my continuous residence in the United States since June 15, 2007, must I provide evidence documenting my presence for every day, or every month, of that period?
A3. To meet the continuous residence guideline, you must submit documentation that shows you have been living in the United States from June 15, 2007 up until the time of your request. You should provide documentation to account for as much of the period as reasonably possible, but there is no requirement that every day or month of that period be specifically accounted for through direct evidence. It is
helpful to USCIS if you can submit evidence of your residence during at least each year of the period. USCIS will review the documentation in its totality to determine whether it is more likely than not that you were continuously residing in the United States for the period since June 15, 2007. Gaps in the documentation as to certain periods may raise doubts as to your continued residence if, for example, the gaps are lengthy or the record otherwise indicates that you may have been outside the United States for a period of time that was not brief, casual or innocent. If gaps in your documentation raise questions , USCIS may issue a request for evidence to allow you to submit additional documentation that supports your claimed continuous
residence.
Affidavits may be submitted to explain a gap in the documentation demonstrating that you meet the five year continuous residence requirement. If you submit affidavits related to the continuous residence requirement, you must submit two or more affidavits, sworn to or affirmed by people other than yourself, who have direct
personal knowledge of the events and circumstances during the period as to which there is a gap in the documentation. Affidavits may only be used to explain gaps in your continuous residence; they cannot be used as evidence that you meet the entire five year continuous residence requirement.
Q4. If I provide my employee with information regarding his or her employment to support a request for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals, will that information be used for immigration enforcement purposes against me and/or my company?
A4. You may, as you determine appropriate, provide individuals requesting deferred action for childhood arrivals with documentation which verifies their employment. This information will not be shared with ICE for civil immigration enforcement purposes pursuant to INA section 274A unless there is evidence of egregious
violations of criminal statutes or widespread abuses.”
See my previous post Additional update on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Guidelines for further DACA guidance issued by USCIS:
If you would like my assistance with this process or you would like to discuss this or other issues further, you can schedule a consultation with me by calling 1-800-343-4890 or 901-682-6455 or by clicking here to
schedule a consulation appointment with an immigration lawyer. My office is in Memphis, TN, but I am available to consult with clients by phone and I represent clients throughout the U.S. and around the world.
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* This is an advertisement. Attorney Ari Sauer is an immigration lawyer with the Memphis, Tennessee office of the Siskind Susser law firm. www.visalaw.com/ari.html. On this blog we answer questions as a service to our readers, but we cannot assume any liability related to reliance on anything herein, and responses to questions are not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship. Immigration laws and regulations are constantly changing and the rules stated may not apply to your situation. Readers are cautioned to schedule a consultation with an immigration lawyer before acting on anything stated in this blog. This blog is not intended to substitute for a consultation with a qualified immigration law attorney. Ari Sauer is licensed to practice law through the states of Tennessee, New York and New Jersey, but is able to assist clients from all 50 states with immigration law matters. Certification as an Immigration Specialist is not currently available in Tennessee, New York or New Jersey. Siskind Susser limits its practice strictly to immigration law, a Federal practice area, and we do not claim expertise in the laws of states other than where our attorneys are licensed. Standard consultation fees apply when scheduling a consultation appointment with Ari Sauer or another attorney at Siskind Susser.
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Ari Sauer
Ari Sauer is an immigration law attorney with the Memphis office of the Siskind Susser law firm. Ari answers questions on US immigration law submitted by readers. Email Ari Sauer to submit a question. immigrationanswerman@gmail.com
Immigration Lawyer Ari Sauer - The Immigration Answer Man 