ICE Arresting Spouses of U.S. Citizens Who Are Seeking Green Cards

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are now arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens who are attempting to gain legal residency. One of the requirements for obtaining legal residency in this manner is an in-person interview with officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), designed to determine whether the couple’s marriage is bona fide. ICE agents now have gone so far as to arrest these undocumented spouses while they are undergoing interviews at USCIS. As far as immigration advocates can tell, ICE agents have started this aggressive immigration enforcement tactic just in the last few weeks. ICE reportedly has not used this type of enforcement tactic for at least a decade. ICE officials initially declined to comment on the enforcement practice, or on any specific cases involving undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens being arrested at USCIS offices. However, ICE later maintained that it was not targeting those individuals who were seeking immigration benefits. At least three individuals, to date, have been arrested during interviews at Lawrence, MA offices of USCIS. According to one immigration expert, undocumented individuals normally should not hesitate to seek adjustment of status by virtue of their marriages to U.S. citizens. Given the current situation, however, undocumented individuals should seek legal advice before trying to adjust their status, particularly if they have any history of arrests, prior marriages, or old deportation cases. This situation is made more complicated by the fact that most people face a ten-year ban from reentering the U.S. after they have overstayed a visa or entered the country without the authority to do so. No matter your situation, legal representation is essential to fighting back against deportation charges brought by the federal government. The Oakland deportation defense attorneys of Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C. know how to help you through every step of your deportation proceedings, regardless of the form of relief that may be available under immigration law. Take the first step today toward securing the future of your family in the United States, and call our office at (510) 756-4468 to set up a legal evaluation with one of our highly skilled California immigration lawyers.