WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced changes to simplify and improve how the agency communicates case processing time data to the public. As part of an agency-wide commitment to improve transparency, efficiency, and customer service, the changes also make it easier for individuals to get an immediate answer on when they can …
Category: General Legal
Justice Department Settles with Frozen Food Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims
The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Buddy’s Kitchen Inc., a Minnesota-based company that produces and distributes frozen foods. The settlement resolves claims that the company discriminated against non-U.S. citizens based on their citizenship status when checking their permission to work in the United States. “Under federal law, employers …
10 Reasons Why U.S. Citizenship May Be Right for You (Part 2)
While having a green card (permanent residence) allows you to live and work in the United States indefinitely, U.S. citizenship affords you many more rights and benefits. Generally, a permanent resident can apply for citizenship 57 months after their green card is issued (33 months for spouses of U.S. citizens). In part one, we described …
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10 Reasons Why U.S. Citizenship May Be Right for You (Part 1)
While having a green card (permanent residence) allows you to live and work in the United States indefinitely, U.S. citizenship affords you many more rights and benefits. Generally, a permanent resident can apply for citizenship 57 months after their green card is issued (33 months for spouses of U.S. citizens). Here are five of the …
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DHS Announces Fee Exemptions, Streamlined Processing for Afghan Nationals as They Resettle in the U.S.
Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will exempt filing fees and streamline application processing for Afghan nationals who were paroled into the United States for humanitarian reasons on or after July 30, 2021. These actions will help facilitate their resettlement in the U.S. by streamlining the processing of requests for work …
USCIS Commemorates Veterans Day with Special Naturalization Ceremonies
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will honor Veterans Day this year by holding more than 90 ceremonies naturalizing more than 4,440 current and former members of the military and their families. Each year, on Nov. 11, the nation honors members of the U.S. armed forces who have served our country and defended our freedom. “USCIS …
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What You Should Know and Do About Your USCIS Receipt Notice
Whenever you send an application or petition to the USCIS, you should expect a “receipt notice,” or Form I-797C which is titled Notice of Action. Typically, applicants get the receipt notice about 2 to 4 weeks after the USCIS receives the application. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind about your USCIS receipt …
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What You Should Know About the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)
Have you ever had an interaction with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), during which you believe your civil rights and civil liberties were infringed? Did you know that you can file a formal complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)? The CRCL supports DHS by ensuring civil rights and …
How to Request USCIS Ombudsman’s Individual Case Assistance
Did you know that the USCIS has an official ombudsman? The CIS Ombudsman’s Office works with applicants to improve the quality of citizenship/immigration services by helping applicants with resolving certain case issues. The current seventh Ombudsman is Phyllis Coven. Her office can help with: Cases that are taking longer than the estimated processing timeTypographic errors …
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How to Get your Congressman to Help with your Immigration Case
The immigration process is long and requires patience. If you are waiting for a decision on your application and it has taken longer than the USCIS estimated processing time or if you have a strong reason to ask for expedited processing of your case, your U.S. congressional representative might be able to help. The first …
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Ann Massey Badmus 