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.
On August 23, 2023, ILRC submitted a comment on the proposed form that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will use to collect information from the public about suspected violations. ILRC opposes the use of this form as it allows for anonymous, un-vetted information to be the basis of investigations and has a high likelihood of being used by abusers, unscrupulous employers and landlords, and others to harass and target immigrant communities.
This practice advisory covers ways to gather information to determine whether your client might be inadmissible, how to address inadmissibility issues when applying for U nonimmigrant status, and how to file for an inadmissibility waiver for a U nonimmigrant applicant.
This guide walks through the latest updates regarding TPS for immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. Included are frequently asked questions about the program, renewal timelines, and more.
This Community Explainer is designed to explain what an ITIN is, why it may be particularly important for immigrants without a Social Security Number, and how one can be obtained.
There is a new law in California that went into effect in 2023 called the California Clean Slate Act (SB 731). Under the Clean Slate Act, authorities will automatically expunge – or dismiss – certain arrests and criminal convictions. While expungement provides relief in the California state criminal legal system, it does not provide the same relief in the immigration context. This explainer walks through some key points about this new law and its implication for immigrants with prior contact with law enforcement.