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.
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