Our Blog

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

Illinois Bill Would Allow Undocumented Immigrants to Get Financial Aid

On Wednesday, May 8, 2019, the Illinois Senate passed a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to receive taxpayer-funded financial aid to attend college. The bill passed 35-15 and is waiting for Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to sign it into...

Removal

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

USCIS More Likely to Refer Denied Applicants for Removal Proceedings

A June 28, 2018, USCIS policy memorandum (PM 602-0050.1) expands the conditions under which USCIS issues a Notice to Appear (NTA), the document that initiates removal (deportation) proceedings, to include situations "where, upon issuance of an unfavorable decision on an...

ICE

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

New ICE Policy Could Lead to More Immigration Holds

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday announced a new program that would allow local law enforcement officers to start arresting and temporarily detaining immigrants on behalf of the agency, even if established local policies prevent them from doing so....

Visa

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

Visa Overstays to Receive New Scrutiny

The Trump Administration announced today that it will instruct the Department of Homeland Security to step up enforcement of removal proceedings for people who overstay visas. This is unwelcome news. About 700,000 travelers to the United States overstayed their visas...

Immigration News

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

United States Supreme Court Backs Mandatory Detention for Certain Aliens

On March 19, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Nielsen v. Preap, 586 U.S. _____ (2019). The court rejected challenges to mandatory detention of certain non-citizens, even those who have lived uneventfully for several years after criminal conviction(s). Justice Alito...

Immigration News

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

Undocumented Immigrants Come Away Winners in Chicago’s Mayoral Election

On Tuesday, Chicago voters trudged to the polls and picked from a handful of candidates for the office of Mayor. Voters had more candidates than ever to choose from. Undocumented immigrants won at the polls by Tuesday night. Promises Made...

Immigration

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

What is Form I-485, Adjustment of Status?

Some immigrants are eligible to file for an adjustment of status. An adjustment of status is a process that allows certain immigrants who entered in a non-immigrant status to adjust to a legal permanent resident without leaving the United States....

Immigration

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

What is a Biometric Service Appointment?

After you file your application, petition or request, USCIS will run a background check to use in its evaluation of your request. USCIS will schedule you for an appointment at a local Application Support Center (ASC). Your appointment notice (Form...

Immigration

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

Avoid Common Mistakes When Preparing Immigration Forms

Kudos to the Miami Herald for its article published on February 15, 2019, titled Here are some of the worst mistakes immigrants make applying for legal papers. (link). As you may have noticed, we’ve been posting a series of blog...

Naturalization

Mario Godoy - Owner/Attorney

Explanation of the U.S. Citizenship Test

The naturalization process requires an applicant or US citizenship to pass a two-part naturalization examination. What the Test Entails The first part is a test that will assess the applicant’s ability to read, write, and speak English. Your ability to...