Monday, December 24, 2012

Record Number of Deportations in 2012

The Obama Administration set a new record in 2012, deporting more illegal aliens than in any prior year. While ICE's  (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) policy is to deport only those who've committed serious crimes, nothing could be further from the truth, as the agency still detains and deports those who've committed minor criminal violations, such as driving without a license. ICE Director John Morton issued a "memo" in 2011 directing his attorneys to exercise "prosecutorial discretion" when determining whether to proceed with removal (deportation) hearings.  However, in my experience, the use of prosecutorial discretion has and continues to be used inconsistently, and varies by each ICE field office. It can be frustrating to deal with, but with Comprehensive Immigration Reform around the corner, things are certainly looking brighter.

To read more about the record number of deportations in 2012, click on the link below.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/1224/Deportations-of-illegal-immigrants-in-2012-reach-new-US-record

And if you know of someone who is in removal (deportation) proceedings, contact this firm to see how we can provide valuable assistance for deportation-related matters. Visit www.kpimmigrationlaw.com for more information or call 949-440-3240.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Around the Corner

All indications point to comprehensive immigration reform topping the President's agenda for 2013. "Fiscal Cliff" matters aside, leading pundits expect the President and Congress to begin lengthy negotiations on comprehensive immigration reform bill addressing the nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States. Leading Republicans including Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and most recently, former President George Bush, have all called for addressing the current immigration problems facing the country.

As we ring in the New Year, expect swift action and prioritization of immigration reform from both sides of the aisle. What the bill will contain is anyone's guess, but leading authorities on immigration law believe a path to Citizenship is essential and near mandatory for the law to take effect.

As a practitioner of immigration law, I am excited to see what developments come out of Washington, DC in the coming months, stay tuned!