Carol L. Edward
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Seattle Immigration Attorney: Washington State Citizenship Lawyer

Breaking News:

In the news …. Executive Order 4/23/2020 on Immigration. The latest executive order sounds scary, but does little to impact current processing of cases which have been on hold since the Embassies are not conducting interview for immigrant visas due to the Covid-19 virus. The president makes it official that no new immigrant visas will be issued for the next 60 days except for a few exceptions, including spouses of US citizens and children under 21 years. We urge you to contact us if you are concerned this will impact your case; however, the order's true impact is quite limited and should not interfere with the majority of the cases currently pending. Stay healthy! Attorney Edward

USCIS Temporary Office Closure Extended Through June 3

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/uscis-office-closings

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USCIS Temporary Office Closure Extended until at least May 3

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts

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Executive Office for Immigration Review Update

Hearings in non-detained cases are postponed through May 1, 2020

https://www.justice.gov/eoir

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USCIS Temporary Office Closure Extended until at least April 7, 2020

On March 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services temporarily suspended in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers (ASCs) to help slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). USCIS offices will reopen on April 7 unless the public closures are extended further. Employees in these offices are continuing to perform mission-essential services that do not require face-to-face contact with the public.

USCIS will continue to provide limited emergency services. Please call the Contact Center for assistance with emergency services.

USCIS field offices will send notices to applicants and petitioners with scheduled appointments and naturalization ceremonies impacted by the extended closure. USCIS asylum offices will send interview cancellation notices and automatically reschedule asylum interviews. When the interview is rescheduled, asylum applicants will receive a new interview notice with the new time, date and location of the interview. When USCIS again resumes normal operations, USCIS will automatically reschedule ASC appointments due to the office closure. You will receive a new appointment letter in the mail. Individuals who had InfoPass or other appointments must reschedule through the USCIS Contact Center once field offices are open to the public again. Please check to see if your field office has been reopened before reaching out to the USCIS Contact Center.

Education and precautions are the strongest tools against infection. Get the latest facts by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 website. Continue to practice good health habits, refrain from handshakes or hugs as greetings, and wash hands and clean surfaces appropriately.

USCIS will provide further updates as the situation develops and will continue to follow CDC guidance. Please also visit uscis.gov/coronavirus for updates.

COVID-19 Update March 24, 2020

Coronavirus Update. Our offices are working remotely. We are currently not seeing any clients in the office. Please be safe and practice the recommended safe distances and stay home as much as possible. To reach us by phone please call Monday through Friday between 9 am and 12 pm and between 1 pm and 4 pm. Your cases are important, and we continue to work on them.

Currently EOIR is closed through: April 10, 2020. During this time only detained cases will be moving forward. All cases will be rescheduled.

USCIS for asylum are being cancelled through: April 6, 2020. All cases will be rescheduled.

USCIS for biometrics and interviews are being cancelled through: March 31, 2020. All cases will be rescheduled.

Copies of signed documents are now being accepted by USCIS.

We will provide further updates as available.

Stay safe! Carol and staff

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New Udate. November 1, 2018

Try to Remain Calm despite what you hear in the news. Many of the stories about action threatened by the government, will not impact you personally and is full of half-truths. If you have questions about how any change will impact you, contact your attorney to get the truth about what is happening. We don't want you to worry needlessly.

TPS Extended.

TPS for the following countries has been automatically extended until April 2, 2019 by Court Order and by publication in the Federal Registrar. If you have a current TPS status from Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti or El Salvador your work permit is automatically extended. Depending on what happens with this court action or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it is possible this date will be extended again into the future. Make sure you stay in touch with your attorney if you have any questions. See Federal Register/Vol.83, No. 211. October 31, 2018 Notice.

Citizenship by Birth.

The President has threatened to take this away; however, the U.S. Constitution guarantees this right which cannot be changed by the President alone, nor by Congress. This would require an amendment to the Constitution which takes years to process and is very unlikely to ever occur.

DACA Renewals.

You can continue to renew your DACA status and we encourage anyone to do so early as the applications are being processed quickly and give you a full two more years of work authorization from the date the renewal is granted With pending court cases it is hard to predict if DACA will ultimately be allowed to continue or when Congress will finally pass a law to allow DACA recipients to gain status. Having a valid work permit continues to be important. We encourage you to contact your attorney or local non-profit service to make sure you continue to qualify.

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July 7, 2018

Mom seeking asylum released in Washington state, but can't see her son yet

https://www.seattletimes.com/

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January 24, 2018

Renewal of TPS for El Salvador

Renewal of TPS for El Salvador. Update 1/24/2018. Renewals for TPS must be filed between 1/18/2018 and 3/19/2018. Instructions can be found at

https://www.uscis.gov/

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January 18, 2018

Washington State Bar Association Media Release:

Local Hero Award. On January 28, 2018, the Law Offices of Carol L. Edward & Associates, P.S. won an award from the Washington State Bar Association for the work done in Skagit County on behalf of Immigrants

https://www.wsba.org/

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January 9, 2018

DACA News.

U.S. District Court Judge William Alsap ordered USCIS to resume accepting renewal applications for DACA recipients (DACA is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, which allows students brought to the U.S. as children, and educated in U.S. schools, to be screened by federal authorities and if deemed worthy, to receive deferred action and a work permit). His order also provided an opportunity for the Trump Administration to resume processing of new applications, but USCIS has declined to do so.

Thereafter, USCIS announced that it would immediately begin accepting renewal applications. Only persons who previously held DACA status are allowed to submit renewal requests. The process may differ depending on whether and when the person's DACA status has lapsed.

Here are the instructions per USCIS: uscis.gov

This is only a temporary fix and could end at any time. The Trump Administration has filed an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case immediately and issue a decision. Either Court could rescind the order.

Our office recommends that DACA recipients with expired work permits, or persons with DACA work permits expiring in 2018, consider applying immediately for another two year extension, after consultation with our offices or other competent immigration attorneys

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September 7, 2017

Re: Deferred Actionof Childhood Arrivals

The Announcement: On September 5, 2017, President Trump announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program established by President Obama in 2012 would be terminated. Our office is saddened by this announcement and disagrees vehemently with the decision, which we see as foolhardy and disrespectful to all the 800,000 persons and our community members who support them. DACA only acknowledged that persons who came here in their youth, were educated in the U.S., and had virtually no criminal problems, were deserving of a chance to live and work in the U.S. without looking over their shoulder. Taking this away achieves no rational national, economic, or legal purpose.

What's Next: This is an opportunity for our communities to stand up in support of DACA and request that Congress provide protection not only to the persons who have received DACA but the many valuable members of our community who are deserving of an opportunity to get in line for immigration status. Contact your Congressperson, speak up to others, and be engaged in your community by promoting peaceful change.

Many of our friends, neighbors, and community members truly do not understand that there is not even a line to stand in and that so many of our hard working undocumented persons brought to the USA as a child, many as a baby, deserve this basic human right to have an opportunity to participate legally and fully in the country where they live and were raised.

Implementation of the announcement:
1) No new initial DACA applications will be accepted.
2) Pending DACA applications for first time applicants will be adjudicated if they were filed before September 5, 2017.
3) If your current DACA work permit expires before March 5, 2018, you are permitted to file on additional renewal application. This renewal application must be received by Immigration on or before October 5, 2017.
4) If your current DACA status expires on or after March 6, 2018, you will not be able to file a renewal and your DACA status will end on the date your work permit expires.
5) No renewal applications may be filed after October 5, 2017.
6) No advance parole requests on Form I-131 will be processed, even if they have already been submitted. The filing fees on pending applications will be refunded. Persons who have already received advance parole will be allowed to travel on the permit, but please speak with your legal representative before leaving.

We encourage you to stay in contact with our offices and pay attention to NWIRP.org which will be actively involved in working on improving the system through legal action. We plan to hold renewal workshops with community organizations to make sure the DACA renewals are timely filed.

Carol L. Edward
Principal Attorney
Law Offices of Carol L. Edward & Associates, P.S.

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February 7, 2017

Somali Man Returns To Sea-Tac Airport After Being Caught In Travel Ban nwpr.org.

Democracy and the Rule of Law are still alive in America.

Attorney Carol Edward appeared on Monday at SeaTac International Airport to help our client complete the legal process of lawfully entering the United States. He had been turned around 10 days earlier after the travel ban against 7 Moslem countries went into effect. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Executive Director of Northwest Immigrants Right Project Jorge Baron, and Seatac Port Officials gathered to celebrate and welcome our client Isahaq Rabi..

Many immigrants are nervous since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. A number of his Executive actions feel like a door slamming in the faces of immigrants. The message being sent from The White House is not a happy one, and based upon our knowledge of how the Immigration System actually works, not even close to being accurate. After September 11, 2001, there were a number of changes made in the immigration laws that made information about applicants more accessible to all of the different U.S. agencies. This change alone could have prevented the 911 terrorists from entering the U.S.

U.S. Government officials who are long time employees of the U.S. government have assisted in helping Mr. Rabi get back into the United States, abiding by the Court Order entered by U.S. District Court Judge Robart on January 27, 2017. They also completed extensive vetting of Mr. Rabi to make sure he qualified as an immigrant. His return is a constitutional victory involving all three branches of government, including the help of U.S. Congresspersons, and specifically Senator Patty Murray and Representative Pramila Jayapal. To all involved we say thank you.

Most Americans are unaware of the extensive vetting that occurs before an immigrant, refugee, or foreign traveler is allowed to enter the U.S. through lawful channels. This kind of vetting also occurred when Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals applicants applied for a work permit. If you have questions about what happens, ask a government official who is involved in doing the security checks. For example, for Mr. Rabi, his name was screened with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services when his United States citizen sponsored him, and then again with the U.S. Department of State before a visa was issued. Finally when he was allowed to enter the United States on February 6, 2017, he was screened again by U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement. Most American citizens have never experienced this kind of background checks and vetting, unless they have applied for a top level security position.

As for refugees, many have fled horrific circumstances and have been vetted for years while living in refugee camps in squalor. There was no need for the Executive Order limiting the entrance of refugees, nor was there a need to stop citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen from entering the U.S.

To those who are concerned about security and safety, I can only agree that we need to make sure that our country is as safe as possible while still balancing our personal rights for liberty.

Our law offices are part of and support the series of lawsuits filed by Washington State Attorney General's Office and a coalition of non-profits, challenging these provisions as unconstitutional. While we fight these legal battles we want to issue words of caution. First, remember that the majority of the American public are behind immigrants, they themselves are the grandchildren or children of immigrants and most recognize the many contributions that immigrants have made to the United States.

With President Trump busily making changes, we urge immigrants to be cautious in their travels. If you need to leave the United States and you are a national of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen, we recommend that you do not leave the United States at this time. And that means not traveling to even Canada or Mexico. Permanent residents and citizens of the U.S. from these 7 countries may be okay; however, it is not a good time and we strongly suggest that you talk to an Immigration attorney before you leave. Other immigrants need to consider carefully their options when deciding whether travel is prudent.

Please remember that you have the right to reach out to your Congressperson, to protest in a lawful manner, and to let your voice be heard.

If you are interested in helping on these issues, we strongly suggest you let your Congressperson know how you feel, thank the Washington governor's office, and/or contact Northwest Immigrants Rights Project at nwirp.org and make a generous donation.

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To our Clients: A Nuestros clientes:

I am writing this to reach out to each of you in this time of turbulence. As you know, Donald Trump became President this month and has been busily trying to change the way our country functions. A number of his Executive actions feel like a door slamming in the faces of immigrants.

Estoy escribiendo esta carta para llegar a cada uno de ustedes en este tiempo de turbulencias. Como usted sabe, Donald Trump, se convirtió en presidente este mes y ha estado afanosamente muy ocupado tratando de cambiar la manera que funciona nuestro país. Un número de sus Órdenes Ejecutivas se sienten como un portazo en el la cara de los inmigrantes.

Please remember that our office, and most Americans, do not feel the same way. We are fighting, using our legal skills to help you in your immigration cases and also fighting to help the specific people directly impacted.

Por favor, recuerde que nuestra oficina y la mayoría de los estadounidenses, no se sienten de la misma manera. Estamos luchando, utilizando nuestras capacidades legales para ayudarle en sus casos de inmigración y también luchando para ayudar a determinadas personas directamente afectadas.

The message being sent from The White House is not a happy one, and based upon our knowledge of how the Immigration System actually works, not even close to being accurate. After September 11, 2001, there were a number of changes made in the immigration laws that made information about applicants more accessible to all of the different U.S. agencies. This change alone could have prevented the terrorists from entering the U.S., as they did, mainly from Canada.

El mensaje enviado desde la Casa Blanca no es para estar feliz y basado en nuestro conocimiento de cómo el sistema de inmigración funciona, ni siquiera cerca de ser exacto. Después del 11 de Septiembre del 2001, hubo una serie de cambios en las leyes de inmigración que hicieron la información de solicitantes más accesibles para todas las diferentes agencias de los Estados Unidos. Este cambio podría haber prevenido que los terroristas entraran a Estados Unidos, como lo hicieron, principalmente desde Canadá.

The Trump White House has said that they want more "vetting" when in fact persons entering the U.S. as immigrants go through many different security checks. As for refugees, many have fled horrific circumstances, have been waiting in refugee camps living in squalor, and have been vetted for years. There was no need for the Executive Order limiting the entrance of refugees, nor was there a need to stop citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen from entering the U.S.

La Casa Blanca de Trump ha dicho que quieren más "investigaciones minuciosas" cuando en realidad de las personas que ingresan a los Estados Unidos como inmigrantes pasan por muchos controles de seguridad diferentes. En cuanto a los refugiados, muchos huyeron de circunstancias terribles, han estado esperando en los campamentos de refugiados viven en la miseria y han sido investigados durante años. No era necesario el Decreto limitando la entrada de los refugiados, ni hubo necesidad de detener a ciudadanos de Irán, Iraq, Siria, Sudán, Libia, Somalia y Yemen de entrar en los Estados Unidos

Our law offices are part of and support the series of lawsuits filed by a coalition of non-profits challenging these provisions as unconstitutional. On Monday we were on the news with Governor Inslee and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson as we welcomed our client, Somali immigrant back to The US to rejoin his wife.

Nuestros despachos son parte de y la serie de demandas interpuestas por una coalición de organizaciones sin fines de lucro desafiando estas disposiciones como inconstitucional. El día lunes estuvimos en las noticias con el Gobernador Inslee y el Procurador General del Estado de Washington Bob Ferguson a darle la bienvenida a nuestro cliente Somalí de regreso a los Estados Unidos para reunirse con su esposa.

While we fight these battles we want to issue words of caution. First, remember that the majority of the American public are behind immigrants and most recognize the many contributions that immigrants have made to the United States.

Mientras que luchamos estas batallas, queremos emitir palabras de precaución. En primer lugar, recuerde que la mayoría del público estadounidense respaldan a los inmigrantes y la mayoría reconocemos las numerosas contribuciones que han hecho los inmigrantes a los Estados Unidos.

With President Trump busily making changes, we urge you to be cautious in your travels. If you need to leave the United States and you are a national of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen, we recommend that you do not leave the United States at this time. And that means not traveling to even Canada or Mexico. Permanent residents and citizens of the U.S. from these 7 countries may be okay; however, it is not a good time and we ask that you contact us before you leave so we can confirm that you should be allowed to get back into the U.S.

Con el Presidente Trump afanosamente tratando de hacer cambios, recomendamos que usted tenga cuidado en sus planes de viajes. Si usted necesita salir de los Estados Unidos y es nativo de Irán, Iraq, Siria, Libia, Somalia o Yemen, recomendamos que en este momento no salga fuera de los Estados Unidos. Y eso significa que ni siquiera trate de viajar a Canadá o México. Los residentes permanentes y ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos de estos 7 países podrían irles bien; sin embargo, no es un buen momento y pedimos que usted nos contacte antes de salir para que podamos confirmar si se le debe permitir volver a los Estados Unidos.

For all non-U.S. citizens, if you have prior criminal matters and plan to travel, again we urge caution. Border Patrol have been encouraged by Trump to act aggressively, including detaining persons who previously should have been released. Lawsuits will follow, but we don't want you to be one of the persons caught in the trap.

Para todos los no-ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos con planes de viaje, que tienen temas criminales previos, otra vez pedimos precaución. Las patrullas fronterizas y aduana han sido alentadas por Trump a actuar agresivamente, como detener a las personas que previamente deberían haber sido expulsadas. Las demandas seguirán, pero no queremos que usted sea una de las personas que caiga en la trampa.

Please contact our office to schedule an appointment if your circumstances change, or you need further information about how these executive order might affect you. Currently, unless you are applying for a refugee application outside the U.S. or are from one of the seven named countries, your case should proceed as normal. A recent memorandum from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states that all cases within the U.S. will continue as normal.

Por favor, póngase en contacto con nuestra oficina para programar una cita si sus circunstancias cambian, o si necesita más información sobre cómo estas órdenes ejecutivas podrían afectarle. En la actualidad, a menos que usted está solicitando una aplicación de refugiados fuera de Estados Unidos o de uno de los siete países mencionados, su caso debe proceder normalmente. Un memorando reciente del Servicios de Inmigración y Ciudadanía de Estados Unidos declara que todos los casos dentro de los Estados Unidos continuarán normalmente.

Please remember that you have the right to reach out to your Congressperson, to protest in a lawful manner, and to let your voice be heard.

Por favor recuerde que usted tiene el derecho de acudir a su Congresista, para protestar de manera lícita y deje que se escuche su voz.

Democracy and the Rule of Law are still alive in America.

La Democracia y los Derechos del Estado aún están vivos en América.

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And Then There Was Trump. Y Luego Hubo Trump.

What to expect under President Trump? Everyone wants to know the answer and most of us are guessing. From the rhetoric of the campaign, it sounds like people without status in the U.S. will immediately be deported, a wall will be built along the Mexican border with Mexico paying for the wall they do not want, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will end. In reality, promises made during the campaigns are not usually fully executed. After all the President of the United States is not King and saying something is just not the same as taking action.

¿Qué esperarse bajo Presidente Trump? Todos quieren saber la respuesta y la mayoría de nosotros estamos adivinando. Del retorico de su campaña, parece ser que la gente sin estatus en los E.U.A. van a ser deportadas inmediatamente, una pared será construida en la frontera de México y pagada por México será una muralla que ellos no quieren, y la Acción Diferida para Llegadas de Menores (DACA) se acabará. En realidad, las promesas hechas durante la campaña normalmente no son ejecutadas por completo.

So we wait and see what will happen and continue to advocate for improvements to the immigration system. The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and protest. In Washington State we have responsive senators and members of Congress that genuinely care about their constituents whether those constituents are citizens or simply members of the community. Remember to contact your U.S. Congressperson and let them know your story; this helps Congress remember that any laws passed and actions taken need to be fair and just.

Entonces esperamos para ver que va a suceder y continuar a abogar por el mejoramiento al sistema de inmigración. La Constitución garantiza el derecho a la asamblea pacífica y a la protesta. En el Estado de Washington tenemos a senadores responsivos y miembros del Congreso a quienes genuinamente les importan sus constituyentes ya sean esos constituyentes ciudadanos o simplemente miembros de la comunidad. Recuerden contactar a su personal del Congreso de E.U.A. y cuénteles su historia; esto ayuda al Congreso a recordar que cualquier ley que sea pasada y acciones tomadas necesitan ser justas y equitativas.

So far some of the biggest concerns have to do with the potential appointment (and possibly confirmed appointment by the time this article is published) of conservative Senator Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General. The Attorney General has a significant impact on the interpretation of immigration laws, and in conjunction with the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, determines largely how the immigration laws are to be enforced, applied, and importantly how discretion will be utilized. Discretion is used to determine whether someone is deserving of a benefit sought. This can be applied so that almost no one qualifies, or more liberally to encourage family unity and recognize humanitarian concerns.

Hasta ahora algunas de las preocupaciones más grandes tienen que ver con el nombramiento potencial (y posiblemente un nombramiento confirmado al momento de publicar este articulo) del Senador conservativo Jeff Sessions como Procurador General de los Estados Unidos. El Procurador General tiene un impacto significante en la interpretación de leyes de inmigración, y en conjunción con el Secretario del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, determina ampliamente como las leyes de inmigración serán impuestas, aplicadas, e importantemente como será utilizada la discreción. La discreción es usada para determinar si alguien se merece el beneficio buscado. Esto puede ser aplicado para que casi nadie califique, o más liberalmente para animar a la unidad familiar y para reconocer preocupaciones humanitarias.

With regard to DACA, there are several things that Donald Trump can do as president. He can continue the program, discontinue the program immediately also ending the employment authorization, allow the employment authorization cards to be effective until the date stated on the cards, or simply allow persons already granted DACA to continue to renew their work permit cards. Which option he chooses is likely to be revealed within the first weeks after he takes office and it is expected that he will discontinue the program. If DACA is discontinued in any way by the President, DACA recipients should make sure they stay in touch with national organizations such as NWIRP, ACLU, or Catholic Community Services, or with their local immigration attorney. Fortunately, there is bi-partisan support for a new bill in Congress called the BRIDGE Act which would allow persons previously granted DACA to retain their work permits for another three years while Congress considers a more long term solution.

Con respecto a DACA, hay varias cosas que Donald Trump puede hacer como presidente. Él puede continuar el programa, descontinuar el programa inmediatamente también acabando con la autorización de trabajo, permitir que las tarjetas de autorizaciones de trabajo sean efectivas hasta la fecha indicada en las tarjetas, o simplemente permitir que a las personas a quienes ya se les concedió su DACA que continúen renovando sus tarjetas de permiso de trabajo. La opción que el elija probablemente será revelada dentro de las primeras semanas después de que él ocupe la oficina y se figura que el descontinuará el programa. Si DACA es descontinuado de cualquier manera por el Presidente, los recipientes de DACA deberían de asegurarse de mantenerse en contacto con organizaciones nacionales como el NWIRP, ACLU, o los Servicios Católicos de la Comunidad (Catholic Community Services), o con su abogado de inmigración local. Afortunadamente, hay soporte bipartidista para un proyecto de ley en el Congreso llamado el Acto PUENTE (BRIDGE Act) el cual permitiría a las personas a quienes anteriormente se les concedió DACA mantener sus permisos de trabajo por otros tres años mientras Congreso considera una solución de más largo plazo.

What can you do? Make sure you have had a thorough evaluation of your legal options by a qualified immigration attorney. If you have options, you need to know what they are.

¿Qué puede hacer usted? Asegúrese de que haya tenido una evaluación completa de sus opciones legales por un abogado de inmigración capacitado. Si tiene opciones, necesita saber cuáles son.

So hold on. We are going for a ride with the new Trump Administration…

Así que aguántese. Vamos a ir por un paseo con la nueva Administración Trump…

Written by Carol L. Edward, Principal, Law Offices of Carol L. Edward & Associates, P.S. With over 32 years of experience, four experienced attorneys, and convenient offices in Mount Vernon, Washington and Seattle, Washington. Recognized by Best Lawyers, Superlawyers, Avvo, Martindale Hubbell with the highest ratings. 300 S. 1st Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. 500 Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98109. 360 336-0185. www.seattle-immigration.com.

Escrito por Carol L. Edward, Principal, Despacho Legal de Carol L. Edward y Asociados, P.S. Con más de 32 años de experiencia, cuatro abogados con experiencia, y oficinas convenientes en Mount Vernon, Washington y Seattle, Washington. Reconocida por Mejores Abogados (Best Lawyers), Superabogados (Superlawyers), Avvo, Martindale Hubbell con las más altas valuaciones. 300 S. 1st Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. 500 Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98109. 360 336-0185. www.seattle-immigration.com.

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July 29, 2016: USCIS expands I-601A Program. I-601A program is designed to shorten the time family members are outside the U.S. during the process of lawfully immigrating to the U.S. In the past family members who had lived in the U.S. without permission either because they entered without the proper documents, worked without permission, or overstayed a visa, had to wait abroad up to 10 years during the processing of their immigrant visa waiver. In March of 2013 a new very limited program was established allowing some persons to file for the waiver in advance. Today, this program was expanded to allow all qualified persons to apply in advance. This procedural change was done through regulations and provides an opportunity for immigrants to shorten the period of time they have to travel abroad to lawfully receive visas. This waiver (Form I-601A) can only be granted if the immigrant can show extreme hardship to a USC or lawful resident spouse or parent. Other qualifications also apply.

Presidential Action on Immigration. President Obama's proposals to expand the Deferred Action programs to include parents of United States citizens and Lawful permanent residents and to include more students who entered the United States before their 16th birthdays is temporarily on hold as a result of a U.S. District Court decision issued out of Texas. We are hopeful the president will decide to begin the program in Washington State, or the decision will be overturned on appeal. Right now, no applications are being accepted except for the old Deferred Action for Student Program (DACA). The main requirements for DACA (first program - which you can still apply for) requires proof of : 1) entry to the U.S. before your 16th birthday, 2) that you lived in the U.S. continuously (except for brief innocent absences) from June 15, 2007 to present, 3) that you were in the U.S. on June 15, 2012, 4) that you are in school or have graduated from high school, or have a GED. This is a discretionary program. Certain persons with prior criminal matters or gang affiliations, may not be accepted. We recommend you consult with an attorney to determine eligibility or attend a legal clinic. The next free legal clinic we teach is March 7, 2015 at 8:00 am at Skagit Valley College in Mt. Vernon, Washington. For other potential DACA and DAPA applicants we recommend that you start gathering the following documents: 1) Birth certificate and translation AND photo identification such as driver's license/id or school identification or passport; 2) evidence you were in the United States from January 1, 2010 to present; and 3) proof that you are a parent or step-parent of a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident. Check back on this website or contact our offices to see if and when these new programs start.

Last Year He Faced Deportation: Tonight He'll Attend State of The Union

A high school senior from Mount Vernon, Washington will be in the audience on Tuesday night for President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech. Find out more at kuow.org

President Announces Changes to Immigration Policy:

On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced several changes to immigration policy that will provide temporary protection to millions of immigrants from the threat of deportation. The changes include the following important programs that will be implemented in the coming months:

Deferred Action for Parental Accountability: Parents of U.S. citizen and lawful permanent resident children who have lived in the U.S. continuously since before January 1, 2010 and who meet other eligibility requirements will be eligible to apply for Deferred Action (work authorization and relief from the threat of deportation)

Expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) including the removal of the current age cap of 31.

Expansion of the I-601A Provisional Waiver program to allow spouses and children of lawful permanent residents to apply for waivers of unlawful presence without leaving the U.S.

These are only some of the changes that will be brought about by this important and historical announcement. Contact our offices for more information and be sure to avoid scams. The forms are not yet available for these programs and beware of anyone who tries to charge you to file applications under this program at this time.

For more information, contact our office today to schedule a paid consultation.

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Comprehensive Immigration Reform is On The Move but it's not here yet. On June 27th, 2013, a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill was approved by the Senate. While this is great news, the process is only partially finished. The House of Representatives must still pass a bill before the bill gets to the President who can sign it and make the proposed bill law. Till then, we are hopeful, but nothing is final and the proposed law will likely change considerably before a final bill reaches the President's desk. Avoid notaries who might claim to be able to help you.

Same Sex Marriage Supreme Court Decision. Today, June 26th, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a portion of the Defense Against Marriage Act. United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. ____ (2013) For persons with legal same-sex marriages, this means that the federal government should no longer deny immigration benefits. Although the decision was reached in the context of federal estate tax laws and a same-same marriage recognized by the State of New York, it appears that same-sex marriages recognized by the State of Washington should benefit as well.

What does this mean? If you are married to a person of the same sex, and your spouse is not a United States citizen, you will probably be able to sponsor them as well as their unmarried children. We say probably, because like with all immigration matters there are many issues that come into play, including prior periods of unlawful status, criminal matters, date of marriage and age of step-children, etc.

For more information, contact our office today to schedule a paid consultation.

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Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced on June 14, 2012 that certain individuals under thirty years old, who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

This announcement represents a significance change in current policy which will enable countless youth to apply for temporary immigration benefits including the right to work in the U.S. and to be protected from removal to their country of origin.

For more information about this new policy please contact our offices to speak with an Immigration Attorney about the specific requirements and procedures.

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For American citizens, the opportunity to live and work in the United States is automatic. For the remainder of the world’s citizens, the path to residency appears simple, but is in fact complicated and often strewn with hidden legal pitfalls. Seattle Immigration Attorney Carol L. Edward recognizes the importance of negotiating this pathway artfully and carefully with constant attention to every step of the immigration process. The Law Offices of Carol L. Edward & Associates, P.S. is dedicated to assisting our clients through this process with clear communication, care, and expertise.

For over 25 years, the Law Offices of Carol L. Edward & Associates, P. S. has represented private individuals, businesses, universities and non-profit organizations. Our attorneys are effective, trustworthy and we practice immigration law because we enjoy working with clients from around the world. We appreciate the challenge of practicing in a complicated area of law.

Carol L. Edward has been a licensed attorney specializing in immigration cases since 1984. The Law Offices of Carol L. Edward & Associates, P.S., encompasses a team of experienced lawyers ready and willing to assist in the preparation and presentation of immigration cases for their clients. Attorney Carol L. Edward principally represents clients moving to or located in the Pacific Northwest. She is licensed in Washington State and is licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Many of her cases have been published decisions of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has also served as the Chair of the Washington State Chapter of American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

“My job as the attorney is to put my client in the driver’s seat by giving them information and relieving their anxiety about the immigration process. I enjoy working with clients and the challenge of presenting their case in a way most likely to achieve the immigration benefit they are seeking.”

- Seattle Attorney Carol L. Edward.