ESTABLISHING EXTREME HARDSHIP

A. Totality of the Circumstances The officer must make extreme hardship determinations based on the factors, arguments, and evidence submitted. Therefore, the officer should consider any submission from the applicant bearing on the extreme hardship determination. The officer may also consider factors, arguments, and evidence relevant to the extreme hardship determination that the applicant has … Read more

Petty Offense Exception

The “petty offense exception” applied to a person with only one conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude (CIMT). Since so many offenses can be classified as crimes involving moral turpitude, many noncitizens risk being excluded even for minor convictions. Coming within the Petty Offense Exception is one way to avoid this exclusion. This exception … Read more

UNLAWFUL PRESENCE BARS CAN RUN IN THE US, BIA & USCIS AFFIRM

UNLAWFUL PRESENCE AND THE THREE/TEN-YEAR-BAR Under the unlawful presence grounds of inadmissibility, the three- and ten-year bars at INA § 212(a)(9)(B) penalize people who are present in the US. without any lawful immigration status for more than 6 months and 12 months respectively. This could be overstaying a visa by failing to depart the US. … Read more

False Claim to U.S. Citizenship

Inadmissible and deportable for making a false claim to U.S. citizenship. INA § 212(a)(6)(C)(ii); INA §237(a)(3)(D). A person who falsely represents or has falsely represented themselves to be a U.S.citizen for any purpose or benefit under the INA or any other federal or state law is inadmissible anddeportable Therefore, as written, DHS could apply these … Read more