Chen Mengyuan
Chen is a dedicated Salesforce Admin and Business Analyst who embarked on her journey with ILRC in September 2023, taking root in the San Francisco office. Before joining ILRC, Chen honed her expertise while working at a consulting firm, where she specialized in Salesforce projects for Government and Public sectors.
In December 2022 USCIS announced that it was starting a pilot project to redesign the English/civics test for naturalization. If the pilot test is adopted, applicants will face a more difficult English/civics exam. This community explainer breaks down some of those challenges, and how advocates can push for a more inclusive process of naturalization.

In June 2023, the California Dignity Not Detention Coalition passed a budget initiative in California called HEAL (Healthy Economies Adapting to Last). HEAL dedicates 5 million dollars to incentivize California localities to divest from immigration detention by providing them funding to invest in new industries and jobs. HEAL presents a new tool in our advocacy toolbox to close detention centers once and for all. This community FAQ breaks down Dignity not Detention’s newest initiative.

On August 1, 2023, USCIS published long-awaited Policy Manual guidance on the definition and process for determining statelessness. ILRC commented favorably on most of the guidance and made suggestions for some improvements.

This practice alert provides an overview of new USCIS policy guidance and a recent BIA case that now officially acknowledge that the three- and ten-year unlawful presence bars can run in the United States. This practice alert summarizes current policy on the three- and ten-year bars as well as covering who does (and does not) benefit from this policy.