FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 10, 2012

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will host a free naturalization and immigration information session May 19 at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The session will inform lawful permanent residents (LPRs) about the naturalization process, the naturalization test and the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. It also will cover immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processes, and USCIS' role in the U.S. immigration system.

The event, open to the public, is part of USCIS' ongoing, national efforts to help LPRs understand the requirements and process of becoming a U.S. citizen. USCIS representatives will discuss naturalization eligibility and residency requirements, the application process and the naturalization test. Participants will receive an overview of U.S. history and civics principles, and observe a mock naturalization interview. Free educational materials will be available to attendees.

For more information about USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov. For information regarding Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, visit http://www.dclibrary.org/mlk.
WHEN:     10 a.m. to noon May 19
WHERE:    

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
CONTACT:     Daniel Cosgrove, USCIS, 202-272-1228 (W), 202-604-9839 (C)
George A. Williams, Esq., DC Public Library, 202-727-1184 (W), 202-596-0345 (C)
NOTE:    

Media, please RSVP to daniel.cosgrove@dhs.gov at least 24 hours prior to the event.
General public, please RSVP to Public.Engagement@dhs.gov
 
- USCIS -

For Immediate Release

May 14, 2012

Washington D.C. - Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases Falling Through the Cracks: How Gaps in ICE's Prosecutorial Discretion Policy Affect Immigrants Without Legal Representation by Joan Friedland.

While the Obama administration has expanded use of prosecutorial discretion in immigration cases, the subject of immigrants without legal representation and their ability to access this discretion remains unresolved. In 2011, nearly half of all immigrants in removal proceedings appeared “pro se,” or without legal representation. While immigration attorneys can explain the effect of these policies to their clients, pro se immigrants may be unaware that new policies are even in effect. Immigrant advocates have thus been rightly concerned about whether pro se immigrants in removal proceedings will benefit from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) prosecutorial discretion policies.

This paper lays out what immigration authorities can do to ensure that pro se immigrants understand what prosecutorial discretion is, how they can seek it, and what they should do after receiving (or not receiving) an offer of it.

To view the paper in its entirety see:

• Falling Through The Cracks: How Gaps in ICE's Prosecutorial Discretion Policy Affect Immigrants Without Legal Representation by Joan Friedland. (IPC Perspectives, May, 2012)

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.    

Division of the American Immigration Council.    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will host a free naturalization and immigration information session May 19 at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The session will inform lawful permanent residents (LPRs) about the naturalization process, the naturalization test and the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. It also will cover immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processes, and USCIS' role in the U.S. immigration system.

The event, open to the public, is part of USCIS' ongoing, national efforts to help LPRs understand the requirements and process of becoming a U.S. citizen. USCIS representatives will discuss naturalization eligibility and residency requirements, the application process and the naturalization test. Participants will receive an overview of U.S. history and civics principles, and observe a mock naturalization interview. Free educational materials will be available to attendees.

For more information about USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov.

For information regarding Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, visit http://www.dclibrary.org/mlk.

WHEN:     10 a.m. to noon May 19
WHERE:    

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
 

CONTACT:     Daniel Cosgrove, USCIS, 202-272-1228 (W), 202-604-9839 (C)
George A. Williams, Esq., DC Public Library, 202-727-1184 (W), 202-596-0345 (C)

NOTE:    

Media, please RSVP to daniel.cosgrove@dhs.gov at least 24 hours prior to the event.
General public, please RSVP to Public.Engagement@dhs.gov

For Immediate Release

May 7, 2012

Washington D.C. - As the House Judiciary Committee prepares to consider reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), numerous questions have arisen about the important immigration provisions that help to protect victims of domestic violence, trafficking and violent crime. In response, the Immigration Policy Center releases a new fact sheet that provides basic information on the key protections: the U visa, the T visa, and self-petitioning for battered spouses.

With approximately 19 million immigrant women and girls in the United States, nearly half of the foreign-born population is female. Unfortunately, many of these immigrant women, particularly those who are unauthorized, are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Immigrant women are more likely to experience exploitation while entering the country, while working, and even within their homes.  For these and other reasons, federal law provides numerous forms of protection, including special visas, for immigrant women.

To view the fact sheet in its entirety see:

    Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Provides Protections for Immigrant Women and Victims of Crime (IPC Fact Check, May, 2012)

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org of 202-507-7524.

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.   

Division of the American Immigration Council.   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON—A group of approximately 25 area children representing 16 countries will celebrate their U.S. citizenship during a special ceremony Tuesday at President Lincoln's Cottage. The ceremony will take place in the cottage's Emancipation Room, where it is believed President Abraham Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation.

Sarah Taylor, Washington District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will administer a special Oath of Allegiance and present the children with Certificates of Citizenship. President Lincoln’s Cottage Director Erin Carlson Mast will address the children. Following the ceremony, the children will receive a tour of the cottage. During the Civil War, the cottage was home to President Lincoln and his family from June to November in 1862, 1863 and 1864.

The children, ages 6 to 14, hail from the following countries: Afghanistan, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, Sudan, Turkey, Vietnam and Zambia. 

USCIS periodically holds special ceremonies for children to recognize and celebrate their citizenship, which is generally derived through their naturalized parents or adoption. For more information about USCIS programs, please visit www.uscis.gov.

WHEN: 2 p.m. Tuesday (April 24)

WHERE: Armed Forces Retirement Home (Eagle Gate)

President Lincoln's Cottage

Rock Creek Church Road NW and Upshur Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20011

*If using GPS: 140 Rock Creek Church Road

CONTACT: Daniel Cosgrove, public affairs officer, USCIS, 202-272-1228 (O), 202-604-9839 (C)

Alison Mitchell, media relations, President Lincoln's Cottage, 202-829-0436 x31228

NOTE: Media: Please RSVP to daniel.cosgrove@dhs.gov no later than 10 a.m. Tuesday. Free parking available. For directions, visit www.lincolncottage.org.  

For Immediate Release

April 11, 2012 -Washington D.C. - The concepts of discretion and proportionality are deeply ingrained in the American justice system. When creating and enforcing the law, government officials must constantly evaluate when and where to apply the law, and what constitutes a fair punishment. Yet as states increasingly get into the business of immigration enforcement, and as Congress continues to propose more punitive consequences for immigration violations, the concepts of discretion and proportionality have been lost.

Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases two new papers exploring these two important legal concepts:

Proportionality in Immigration Law: Does the Punishment Fit the Crime in Immigration Court?, by Michael Wishnie, suggests that understanding the use of proportionality in criminal and civil law offers immigration practitioners a new way to challenge the status quo, particularly in cases where the underlying basis for the removal order and the resulting consequences of removal are so disparate.

“Proportionality is the notion that the severity of a sanction should not be excessive in relation to the gravity of an offense,” said Michael Wishnie. “The principle is ancient and nearly uncontestable, and its vitality is well established in numerous areas of criminal and civil law, in the United States and abroad. The Constitution does not compel mercy, but it does require proportionality. Principles of proportionality should also find expression in immigration policy, whether implemented at the federal, state, or local level.”

Prosecutorial Discretion in Context: How Discretion is Exercised Throughout Our Immigration System, by Hiroshi Motomura, traces the role of discretion throughout the immigration enforcement process. Understanding this role is important not only in individual cases, but also in how policymakers write regulations and draft laws. Knowing how the enforcement system anticipates and incorporates discretion is key to understanding how our immigration laws work.,

“Discretion is exercised at many stages of the enforcement process. The discretion that has the most practical significance is the discretion to arrest or stop people, even for non–immigration matters, and then to put them into contact with federal immigration enforcement,” said Hiroshi Motomura. “I’m concerned that state and local police are making more and more of these crucial decisions and that the federal government is allowing this to happen.”

To view the papers in their entirety see: 

Proportionality in Immigration Law: Does the Punishment Fit the Crime in Immigration Court? by Michael Wishnie.

Prosecutorial Discretion in Context: How Discretion is Exercised Throughout Our Immigration System by Hiroshi Motomura. 

To listen to a recording of a tele-briefing discussing both papers visit: http://bit.ly/HLopAH

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org.

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.    

Division of the American Immigration Council.    

MORRISTOWN, N.J. —U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will celebrate the naturalization of 37 new citizens from 23 countries at a ceremony at Washington’s Headquarters Museum in Morristown, NJ on Friday, April 13. The ceremony will be led by John Thompson, USCIS Newark District Director.

The 37 citizenship candidates originate from the following 23 countries: Afghanistan, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote D’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kosovo, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

The candidate from Brazil will be available for interview with Portuguese-language press.

In Fiscal Year 2011, USCIS naturalized more than 690,000 people.

WHO:

John E. Thompson, District Director—Newark, USCIS

Jill A. Hawk, Superintendent— Morristown National Historical Park

Harry Carpenter, President— Washington Association of New Jersey

Randi Borgen, Field Office Director—Newark, USCIS

WHEN:

Friday, April 13, 2012,  12:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Washington’s Headquarters Museum
30 Washington Place
Morristown, NJ 

USCIS CONTACT:

Katie Tichacek
Media Relations Manager, USCIS
212-264-5098  office
202-420-9581 cell

katherine.tichacek@dhs.gov

NOTE:

For planning purposes, media attending the ceremony are requested to RSVP to

Katie Tichacek at 212-264-5098 or katherine.tichacek@dhs.gov by Thursday, April 12th at 5 p.m

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today posted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register that would reduce the time U.S. citizens are separated from their spouses, children, and parents (i.e. immediate relatives) who must obtain an immigrant visa abroad to become lawful permanent residents of the United States. This rule would allow certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to apply for a provisional waiver of the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility while still in the United States if they can demonstrate that being separated from their U.S. citizen spouse or parent would cause that U.S. citizen relative extreme hardship. The proposed rule will not alter how USCIS determines eligibility for a waiver of inadmissibility or how an individual establishes extreme hardship.

“The law is designed to avoid extreme hardship to U.S. citizens, which is precisely what this proposed rule will more effectively achieve,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “The current process can subject U.S. citizens to months of separation from family members who are waiting for their cases to be processed overseas.  The proposed change will have tremendous impact on families by significantly reducing the time of separation.”

USCIS also proposes creating a new form for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who choose to apply for a provisional unlawful presence waiver. Once in effect, this form would be used for individuals filing an application for a provisional unlawful presence application before he or she departs the United States to complete the immigrant visa process at a U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad. The streamlined process would only apply to immediate relatives who are otherwise eligible for an immigrant visa based on an approved immediate relative petition.

The proposed process outlined above is not in effect and is not available until USCIS publishes a final rule with an effective date in the Federal Register. USCIS will consider all public comments on the proposed rule announced today before publishing the final rule in the coming months. Individuals at this time should not to submit an application for a provisional unlawful presence waiver, or allow anyone to submit one on their behalf because it will be rejected.

USCIS encourages the public to submit formal input on the proposed rule through www.regulations.gov during a comment period that runs from April 2, 2012 until June 1, 2012. For a question-and-answer document regarding the proposed rule, click here.

A detailed Web page addressing the proposed rule is currently posted to www.uscis.gov/provisionalwaiver. Additional details on the proposed process changes will be available at www.regulations.gov. For more information on USCIS and its programs and services, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon. 

For Immediate Release

March 12, 2012

Washington D.C. - Last week, an alliance of national immigration advocacy organizations filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seeking to compel the release of documents concerning the agency’s Criminal Alien Program (CAP).

Seeking greater transparency, the American Immigration Council (AIC) and the Connecticut chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) brought the suit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which requires federal agencies to produce responsive, non-exempt records upon request.  For years, the public has been unable to scrutinize CAP because DHS has shrouded the program in secrecy. AIC and AILA Connecticut requested a variety of documents related to CAP last year, but DHS has not produced a single one.

CAP is the workhorse of the federal immigration enforcement system. Under CAP, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are stationed in prisons and jails, visit other detention facilities, and initiate deportation proceedings against people convicted of criminal offenses. However, CAP also sweeps up individuals who have been arrested but never convicted of any crime. And while DHS is still rolling out Secure Communities, CAP — a more far-reaching program — has been operational for years. Over the past five years alone, CAP has led to the arrest of more than a million people, and the program was implicated in approximately half of all removal proceedings in FY 2009.

“Although CAP supposedly targets the worst criminal offenders, the limited information we have shows that this is not always the case,” according to Melissa Crow, Director of AIC’s Legal Action Center. “Like Secure Communities, this insidious program seems to target individuals with little or no criminal history for deportation and to incentivize pretextual stops and racial profiling.”

“CAP is the elephant in the room when it comes to immigration enforcement,” said Caitlin Bellis, a law student intern at the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic of Yale Law School, which represents AIC and AILA, together with co-counsel at AIC. “The American people have a right to know how ICE is operating in their communities.”
"Like any other federal agency, ICE is subject to FOIA and should not be permitted to avoid its legal obligation to disclose relevant records" said Rita Provatas, Chair, AILA Connecticut Chapter. "We hope this information will enable us to determine how CAP is affecting immigrants in Connecticut and elsewhere."

The case is American Immigration Council, et al., v. Department of Homeland Security, No. 3:12-cv-00355-WWE (D. Conn. filed Mar. 8, 2012).
 
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For more information, contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524