Immigration rule change may help hundreds in state
SEATTLE (AP) - Several hundred Washington families are expected to benefit from a U.S. immigration rule change announced this week that makes it easier to keep American citizens together with their illegal immigrant spouses and children.
The legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project said Thursday that it's too early to say how much time and effort the new rule will save families.
"It's going to be interesting to see how it comes about in practice," said Matt Adams.
Before the rule change, which goes into effect March 4, many illegal immigrants had to leave the country before they could ask the federal government to waive a three- to 10-year ban from returning to their American families.
Under the new rule, a U.S. citizen can petition for a waiver while the non-citizens remain in this country waiting for a decision. They will still have to prove that a separation will cause extreme hardship to their U.S. citizen spouse or parent.
Illegal immigrants will still have to return to their home country to finish the process, but the new rule is expected to save them months of waiting time and shorten the separation from their loved ones.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services office was unable to estimate how many people from Washington state would be affected by the change. Adams estimated it would be several hundred, based on the fact that several hundred people seek legal help each year in this state concerning the situation affected by the rule change.
U.S. officials estimated the rule change would affect more than 24,000 people across the nation but could not break the number down state-by-state.
In a news conference about the rule change Wednesday, Alejandro Mayorkas, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services, said the time abroad for the consular interviews will be reduced from months to weeks.
Adams said the change isn't everything immigrant rights advocates want, but it's a move in the right direction.
"I don't think it's a final solution. We need Congress to act," he said.
The waiver shift is the most recent result of President Barack Obama's changing immigration policy without congressional action. Congressional Republicans have criticized the president's efforts as granting "backdoor amnesty" to illegal immigrants.
Adams said immigrant activists are not sure why the rule change only affects families of American citizens, when a larger group of legal permanent residents also are affected by similar rules that cause families to be separated.
"It could be that they want to roll it out on a smaller scale," he said, adding, "I'm not optimistic that they will later revisit this, at least not in the near future."
The legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project said Thursday that it's too early to say how much time and effort the new rule will save families.
"It's going to be interesting to see how it comes about in practice," said Matt Adams.
Before the rule change, which goes into effect March 4, many illegal immigrants had to leave the country before they could ask the federal government to waive a three- to 10-year ban from returning to their American families.
Under the new rule, a U.S. citizen can petition for a waiver while the non-citizens remain in this country waiting for a decision. They will still have to prove that a separation will cause extreme hardship to their U.S. citizen spouse or parent.
Illegal immigrants will still have to return to their home country to finish the process, but the new rule is expected to save them months of waiting time and shorten the separation from their loved ones.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services office was unable to estimate how many people from Washington state would be affected by the change. Adams estimated it would be several hundred, based on the fact that several hundred people seek legal help each year in this state concerning the situation affected by the rule change.
U.S. officials estimated the rule change would affect more than 24,000 people across the nation but could not break the number down state-by-state.
In a news conference about the rule change Wednesday, Alejandro Mayorkas, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services, said the time abroad for the consular interviews will be reduced from months to weeks.
Adams said the change isn't everything immigrant rights advocates want, but it's a move in the right direction.
"I don't think it's a final solution. We need Congress to act," he said.
The waiver shift is the most recent result of President Barack Obama's changing immigration policy without congressional action. Congressional Republicans have criticized the president's efforts as granting "backdoor amnesty" to illegal immigrants.
Adams said immigrant activists are not sure why the rule change only affects families of American citizens, when a larger group of legal permanent residents also are affected by similar rules that cause families to be separated.
"It could be that they want to roll it out on a smaller scale," he said, adding, "I'm not optimistic that they will later revisit this, at least not in the near future."
Proverbs 6 (King James Version)Â Â
âYet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep :
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth , and thy want as an armed man.â
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http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/proverbs/6.html
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sleep on america
Donât these people realize; we are now all âcitizens of the worldâ - As we all enter into the ânew world orderâ and total control by international banksters?
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They might want to think twice before changing their residence; I fully expect barriers keeping hard working âcitizensâ in America.
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Someone has to pay for all the hand outs. - âfrom each according to his ability, to each according to their needâ â Karl Marks
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That is unless you think adopting draconian gun laws like those in Mexico will keep the robbers from your door.
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Sleep on America
Hey I have an Idea lets just give everyone a free pass lets just get a charter bus and go down to Mexico and filler up then send them up here and give them their citizenship and then give them all our Resources so we look like Mexico in a year and then wonder Why later. Â Disappointed Washington lets try to follow Arizona and half the other states making a difference. I wonder why we have the highest minimum wages and the most on Welfare and most on unemployment. Â Maybe we should have the state Vote on these issues.
I like the Hundreds more like 10's of thousands.
Where can i find more information about this law? I am interested in this because, my mother has been away for a 10 year penalty since 2009 That is going to be  Four Years this summer and i would like to know if this can benefit her status. I Really went off track when since she left, I Just hope she comes before my Graduation date this year. If possible. So please can you send or comment the link if possible to this law?
-Thank You Â