According to New England AILA, Homeland Security is no longer working with AILA's liaison to help faciliate requests for Deferred Action. Clients should work directly with their attorneys, without AILA assistance, to request Deferred Action at the local Homeland Security offices. AILA recently informed attorneys: "UPDATE FROM OUR HSI LIAISON REGARDING REQUESTS FOR DEFERRED ACTION: Unfortunately, the Special Agent in Read More

Here is this month's Visa Bulletin Check out the processing dates and compare to your approved I-140 or I-130 petition priority dates. Read More

For the last eight years, I have been a volunteer attorney at the Irish International Immigrant Center ("IIIC"). The IIIC holds free legal clinics a few times a month at various locations in Boston, providing free legal consultations and referrals to immigrants and their families. I attend the clinic at the downtown IIIC location about once per month. I advise clients on a variety of immigration matters, refer Read More

This week the US Supreme Court in Mellouli v. Lynch decided that an immigrant can only be found removable for convictions related to "controlled substances" where the substance is actually listed on the federal controlled substances list. In this case, Mellouli was convicted of a controlled substances violation in Kansas. In Kansas, the controlled substances list includes items not on the federal controlled Read More

USCIS released the following announcement: "Temporary Protected Status Extended for Somalia Release Date: June 01, 2015 WASHINGTON—Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Somalia (and eligible individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) for an additional 18 months, effective Sept. 18, 2015, through March 17, Read More

Attorney Ellen Sullivan successfully represented a client on an application for 237(a)(1)(H) before Judge Gagnon at the Boston Immigration Court. The client was charged as removable (deportable) for fraud related to his immigration benefits. In addition, the client had two criminal dockets, neither of which resulted in criminal findings against him. By painting a full picture of the client's life with his wife and Read More

The deadline for registration for TPS for Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone is quickly approaching. USCIS must receive applications by May 20, 2015. I advise clients to file before the last day, but in all cases, by May 20, 2015. Clients should keep a full copy of the entire application package and send it via certified USPS or secure carrier such as Federal Express or DHS. Note that TPS applicants must submit Forms Read More

Attorney Sullivan has been an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, AILA for almost ten years. AILA provides excellent opportunities for learning from experience colleagues on all matters related to the practice of immigration law. On Thursday, April 9, 2015 Attorney Sullivan will attend AILA New England's monthly chapter meeting. The topic of the meeting was asylum and featured Susan Read More