There are many disparate opinions about what the U.S. should do about undocumented immigrants, but the group that elicits the most compassion seems to be those who were brought to the U.S. as children. Most Americans sympathize with the plight of children who have lived much of their life in the U.S., and in many cases, do not even remember living anywhere else or even speak anything other than English. Some of them Read More
Alert – Legal Immigration Is in Jeopardy
By now everyone has been heard of the Muslim ban and the suspension of processing of refugee applications. On January 29th I presented a program on the Refugee Crisis at the Keys Jewish Community Center (KJCC) to members of the KJCC and the wider Keys Community. I started planning this program last summer but decided that I should present this after the election because I wanted to concentrate on the humanitarian, Read More
It is H-1B season!
H-1B visas are available to allow U.S. businesses to hire professionals on a temporary basis for three years. The visa may thereafter be renewed for an additional three years. To qualify, the person hired must have at least a bachelor’s degree or higher in a specific occupational specialty and must be offered a position that requires that specific degree. The occupational specialties that are generally accepted Read More
Linda Kaplan Published in Al-Hikmat Magazine
Attorney Linda Kaplan recently had a book and movie review on "The Grand Mosque of Paris" and "Free Men" published in both Al-Hikmat magazine and Chai-Lights. You can read the article as it appeared in Chai Lights here, or read below. -- Recent additions to the KJCC library include the children’s book “The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews during the Holocaust,” written by Karen Gray Read More
How Would Removing Undocumented Workers Affect You Financially?
Much of the discussion about removing undocumented workers focuses on punishment for violation of our immigration laws. These violations would include entering the U.S. without inspection, staying longer than authorized, or working without permission. Few of us consider the financial effect of mass deportation on U.S. citizens. In discussing controversial issues, I always like to appeal to enlightened self-interest. Read More
What relatives can a US citizen or US permanent resident sponsor for US residence? And how long will it take?
Current immigration law reflects the importance of keeping families together and reunification of family members by allowing US Citizens and US Permanent Residents to file for residence (also referred to as “Green Card”) for their close relatives. I frequently am asked what relatives one may sponsor and how long it will take. I will first discuss the relatives that may be sponsored. The answer to the question of Read More
Marriage Equality and US Immigration Law
US immigration law reflects the goal of family unification (or reunification) by providing for family based petitions for permanent residence. While most immigration categories have annual numerical limits that have resulted in long waits outside of the U.S. for beneficiaries of immigrant visa petitions, the immigration law admits an unlimited number of spouses of U.S. citizens. The U.S. Immigration law also allows a Read More
Debunking the Myths That Immigration Is Hurting America
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has put together a very informative infographic highlighting several myths about immigration. Click here to download the graphic. Read More
Linda Kaplan Published in Chai-Lights
Attorney Linda Kaplan recently had an article published in Chai-Lights, the monthly publication for the Keys Jewish Community Center. Click here to see the article as it appeared in publication. You can also read the full article below. HIAS – The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society A Long Tradition of Advocating for Refugees There is so much that can be said about HIAS, and though it’s a legend in the Jewish Read More
What constitutes “Good Moral Character” for purposes of obtaining U.S. Citizenship?
In my last blog I listed the requirements for Naturalization which included age, time as a permanent residence, continuous residence, physical presence in the U.S. and Good Moral Character. This blog discusses the Good Moral Character requirement. The law requires an applicant to prove Good Moral Character for the last 5 years. The Application for Naturalization is a 20 page form that includes 50 questions (some Read More