posted on August 30, 2016 by

Current Statistics on Vietnamese Immigration

Vietnamese immigration has been steadily increasing in the US since the end of the Vietnam War, when a wave of refugees began seeking residence in America. In 1980, 231,000 Vietnamese immigrants resided in the United States; by 2014, that number had increased to roughly 1.3 million. The United States receives over 80% more immigrants from Vietnam than any other country, and 3% of the overall lawful permanent residents in the US are from Vietnam, making Vietnamese immigrants the sixth largest immigrant population in the country.

Emigrating to the United States

vietnamese immigrantAt Brownstein & Nguyen LLC, we handle worldwide immigration cases, helping migrants from various economic, social, and cultural backgrounds find new homes in the United States. Our practice has helped people relocate to the US from Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, Morocco, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Taiwan, Denmark, China, Brazil, Columbia, the United Kingdom, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Italy, Kenya, Israel, and a variety of other countries. Many of our Vietnamese immigrant clients enter the US with green cards sponsored by family members who are citizens or lawful permanent residents. Others obtain temporary visas so that they can work or attend school while awaiting the resolution of their permanent residency petition. As a whole, lawful Vietnamese immigrants have higher incomes and lower poverty rates than other foreign-born US residents.

Vietnamese Immigrants in America

America is a land of opportunity, and our law offices have helped Vietnamese immigrants permanently relocate to all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and even to US territory in the North Pole. California draws the largest percentage of Vietnamese green card holders, with almost 40% of immigrants relocating there. Atlanta, Georgia has the 9th densest population of Vietnamese immigrants of U.S. metropolitan areas. Approximately 29,000 Vietnamese immigrants have relocated from Vietnam to Atlanta or the nearby suburban areas of Sandy Springs and Roswell. A recent overview of the Vietnamese immigrant population by The Migration Institute found that, overall, Vietnamese immigrants to the US were:

  • 17% less likely than other foreign immigrants to be proficient at English
  • Older than native and foreign-born populations in the US with an average age of 47
  • 4% less likely to achieve a Bachelor’s Degree or higher by age 25 than other foreign-born residents, and 5% less likely to achieve a Bachelor’s Degree or higher than native US residents
  • More likely to participate in the civilian labor force than native-born citizens or other immigrants
  • Earners of higher incomes than other members of the population, with a median household income of $59,933 (as of 2014)
  • 5% less likely to live in poverty than other immigrants and 1% less likely to live in poverty than native-born US citizens
  • 29% more likely than the overall US immigrant population to become naturalized citizens

Are you a Vietnamese citizen seeking a US green card or visa? Contact Brownstein & Nguyen law offices to handle your immigration case.

Vietnamese Woman

Filed Under: All Postings, Featured, General News, Immigration, Uncategorized
posted on August 30, 2016 by

Immigrant Parents of Citizen Children

Family ties make for strong bonds, not just emotionally but legally as well. Spouses, fiancés, parents, and children can sponsor a loved one for a green card, expediting the process of legal residence. But gaining lawful residence is more complicated than simply having kids on American soil, and undocumented parents of citizen children have a difficult path to achieving legal status.

Can Citizen Children Sponsor Immigrant Parents?

Short answer? Yes. But there is a long list of caveats and legal hurdles.

parent and child holding handsToday, the United States is home to 5.3 million children with undocumented parents. Of these children, roughly 4.5 million are citizens of the United States. A recent study by the Migration Policy Institute examined the ramifications that parental deportation has on U.S. born children. Kids with deported parents often end up living with friends or relatives, or placed in foster care. These children often face emotional, educational, and developmental difficulties. Parental deportation can also limit children’s access to healthcare and economic benefits. So what options do families have if the parents does not have legal status in the U.S.?

President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of American (DAPA) proposed a temporary reprieve for parents of lawful U.S. residents who fit certain qualifications. However, the Supreme Court’s recent decision not to uphold executive action extending DAPA leaves many undocumented parents at a loss. Sponsoring a parent for legal status is more difficult than sponsoring a spouse or child. A U.S. citizen must be at least 21 years of age to petition for a parent, and the parent must also comply with U.S. requirements for a green card. The child must be able to financially support the parent, and the parent must not have over 180 days of unlawful residence in the U.S., or they become inadmissible for a period of up to ten years.

Legal Options for Undocumented Parents

Immigration matters are complicated issues, especially for undocumented parents of U.S. citizens for whom deportation can have significant consequences. Parents of legal U.S. residents who entered the U.S. lawfully may apply for an extended work visa. Undocumented parents of American citizens can apply for cancellation of removal if they face deportation. Unlawful residents may have other legal routes open to them based on their specific cases.

Brownstein & Nguyen has decades of experience handling complicated immigration cases. As an immigrant herself, Tien Nguyen has both personal and professional insight into the U.S. immigration system, and uses these insights to aggressively and effectively advocate for her clients. Contact Brownstein & Nguyen Law for an evaluation of your immigration case.

Hands

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Law, Uncategorized
posted on July 27, 2016 by

Who Is Affected by the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Immigration Reform?

This June the Supreme Court reached a ruling on President Obama’s immigration plan. The Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) executive order proposed a temporary reprieve from deportation for undocumented immigrants who have resided in the United States since 2010 and have a child who is a citizen or a lawful permanent resident. The executive order also expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, broadening the scope of immigrant children eligible for relief. On June 23, 2016 the Supreme Court reached a 4-4 deadlock, effectively blocking Obama’s executive order by leaving in place a decision of the lower federal appeals court.

What the Supreme Court’s Decision Means for Immigrants

immigration reform rallyThe Supreme Court’s ruling affects as many as 5 million immigrants currently residing in the U.S. Undocumented immigrants whose legal status hung in the balance are now unable to seek relief from deportation. According to the Migration Policy Institute, 3.6 million people living in the U.S. are undocumented parents of underaged legal permanent residents or U.S. citizens. In all, approximately 10 million people, including legal immigrants, undocumented immigrants, and lawful citizens, live in households affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling. In addition to providing temporary relief from deportation for parents of lawful residents, the plan proposed expanded deferred action for undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as children, but were not eligible for relief under a 2012 executive action. Immigrants protected by the 2012 action are not affected by the 2016 Supreme Court ruling.

Are You Affected by Obama’s Blocked Immigration Plan?

The proposed DAPA/DACA+ policy contained specific parameters for granting relief from deportation. To qualify for President Obama’s proposed DAPA plan, immigrants would have needed to:

  • Have a child born in the US before November 21, 2014
  • Have permanently resided in the US since January 1, 2010
  • Pay taxes (or be willing to pay taxes)
  • Have committed no significant crime or posed any threat to US National Security

To qualify for the DACA+, immigrants must have:

  • Been a child brought to the US illegally before January 1, 2010
  • Have resided in the US before their 16th birthdays
  • Been in school, have graduated or earned a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the military
  • Have committed no significant crime or posed any threat to US National Security

The President’s executive orders would have made it possible for qualifying immigrants to seek a reprieve from deportation, as well as legally authorizing undocumented immigrants to work as long as they paid taxes. The Supreme Court decision leaves the fate of millions of immigrants up in the air, with no clear legislative or executive plan to allow them to continue to stay in our country, contribute to our economy, and pay their fair share of taxes.

The attorneys of Brownstein & Nguyen law offices have decades of experience dealing with complicated immigration cases. For legal advice or assistance on immigration law in Atlanta, please contact our offices.

Immigration Rally

Filed Under: General News, Immigration, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform, Uncategorized
posted on July 3, 2016 by

Immigration, Executive Orders, and the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court recently heard and decided the case of USA v Texas. This lawsuit was instituted by twenty six states, challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s immigration executive actions, including the 2014 executive order creating DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans). This program provided deferred action from removal (or deportation) to law-abiding immigrants. About 4 million immigrant parents of children born in the United States would have qualified under the program, allowing them to remain in the U.S for up to 3 years.

Passports and Visas AtlantaPresident Obama vs. the Supreme Court

The primary question before the Supreme Court involved the extent of the president’s power to interpret and implement federal laws in a manner consistent with his own policy goals. Article II of the constitution obligates the president to ensure that laws are faithfully executed, a provision with its roots in the American Revolution. Another controversial issue raised by this case is the tradition of prosecutorial discretion, or the ability of the executive branch to determine whether to prosecute individuals who are accused of violating federal law. Could the executive branch rely on a traditional exercise of discretion in delaying deportation in the least crucial immigration cases?

Historic Precedence

The Obama administration relied upon the 1985 ruling in Heckler v. Chaney to support the constitutionality of DAPA. In that case, the Supreme Court found that the Food & Drug Administration could legally exercise discretion not to enforce a governing statute. However, the court further observed that the principal of prosecutorial discretion is not unlimited. For instance, this principal cannot be employed to justify a broad policy decision that would exclude an agency’s legal duties (e.g., the executive branch is not allowed to stop enforcing duly enacted federal drug policies). The Supreme Court therefore needed to decided in USA v. Texas whether Obama’s immigration policy was akin to a prosecutor refusing to press charges in certain cases, or whether it was a broad policy decision that abdicated the executive branch’s constitutional duty to faithfully execute the law.

Supreme Court Deadlock

Following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, only 8 Justices of the Supreme Court heard the case of USA v. Texas. The court deadlocked on the constitutional questions before it, with a split vote of 4 to 4. Unfortunately, this amounts to a non-decision and leaves in place a lower appeals court ruling permanently blocking President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. As a result of the Supreme Court’s failure to affirmatively decide this important issue, millions of law-abiding residents who would have been eligible for relief under DAPA may one day face deportation despite having U.S. born children with lives here and who need their parents for support.

At the Atlanta attorney offices of Brownstein & Nguyen, we have decades of experience handling matters for thousands of clients in the complicated area of immigration law. If you, a family member or friend need help with legal immigration, contact our offices for a case evaluation.

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform
posted on July 3, 2016 by

Pitfalls in the Citizenship Approval Process

Despite the seemingly straightforward steps listed on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, acquiring U.S. citizenship is not a simple undertaking. For example the second step – “determine if you are eligible” – is deceptively complicated. While at first it appears to be a simple “yes” or “no” answer, within that question is an eligibility worksheet that lists 15 mandatory factors.

Residency Requirements

Generally, applicants seeking citizenship must have been a permanent resident for at least five years. This means that the applicant both (1) possesses a permanent residency card (green card) and (2) has lived in the U.S. for five years. Residency can be established in a variety of ways including mortgages, rental agreements, utility bills and other documents that substantiate residency.Passports and Visas Atlanta

The USCIS also examines how often applicants leave the country during their residency period. Applicants cannot live or travel outside of the United States for a cumulative total of 30 months or more. However, exceptions might apply if trips outside the U.S. are unavoidable, for example extended family visits for medical reasons. Additionally, within those 30 months no single trip can last longer than a year unless a specific exception in the law applies.

Tax Requirements

An additional requirement not included in the eligibility worksheet is being current on all U.S. tax obligations. all applicants must file tax returns and either (1) pay any overdue tax debts or (2) be in good standing in a repayment program.

The above are only a few of the many issues to look at when determining eligibility for citizenship. For more information about citizenship, check out our website here.

If you believe that you meet all the requirements for citizenship, that is not the end of the process. The USCIS can and does request supporting documentation to substantiate each eligibility factor. Tracking eligibility and maintaining documentation is critical for a smooth approval process. The immigration approval process is complicated and full of pitfalls. For example, if an LPR (lawful permanent resident) overstayed their visa, is ineligible for continued residence, or deemed removable from the United States for any one of myriad reasons, filing a citizenship petition can result in the USCIC placing the applicant into removal proceedings.

Seeking legal advice early in the process is one of the best ways to avoid problems, delays or denials of citizenship applications. For expert assistance with citizenship and other legal immigration needs, contact the immigration attorneys at Brownstein & Nguyen today.

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Law
posted on April 29, 2016 by

Seeking Residence in the United States is a Big Step

There are several routes to living in the United States for prospective Vietnamese immigrants. Immigrating from another country, or helping another person immigrate, is a daunting proposition. However, armed with a little knowledge and the proper legal assistance, Vietnamese immigrants and their families will find the journey to calling the U.S. home far easier.

Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visas

A visa is a permit that allows the holder to enter the United States. Generally, there are two types of visas: non-immigrant visas and immigrant visas. Both of these visas are obtained through a country’s American consulate.

A non-immigrant visa indicates an intention to visit, or to stay only temporarily; after this period, the individual is expected to return to their home country. In general, only immigrant visas allow for permanent emigration to the United States. However, applicants should keep in mind that the U.S. Department of State issues temporary visas to applicants who are coming to the U.S. because of a spouse or a fiancée, which last for a limited time so the applicant can apply for a permanent residency visa. This process, as well as other situations where an individual with a non-immigrant visa applies for a permanent immigrant visa, is known as “adjustment of status.”

Green Cards, Families and Employment

To immigrate to the U.S. on a permanent basis, prospective Vietnamese immigrants must apply for an immigrant visa, also called a “green card.” A green card provides lawful permanent resident status, which means that the immigrant may reside in the U.S. indefinitely, with full legal sanction.

To obtain a green card, the prospective immigrant needs to provide a reason for emigration from their home country. The two most common types of immigrant visas applied for by Vietnamese applicants are family-based visas, meaning the applicant has a family member already living in the U.S. and wants to join them, and employment-based visas where the applicant has a job opportunity in the U.S. or whose current job is being transferred to the U.S.

green cardsOther Routes to a Green Card

There are other routes, however, that Vietnamese immigrants can use to apply for a green card. For instance, religious ministers from Vietnam working in the U.S. can apply for a permanent visa, and so can investors and job creators from Vietnam.

Additionally, the State Department allots several thousand visas each year for the so called “green card lottery”, which awards green cards randomly to applicants from less-commonly represented countries. Owing to the significant number of Vietnamese immigrants coming to U.S. each year by other means, typically very few lottery green cards are awarded to Vietnamese immigrants.

There are a finite number of green cards available each year in many of the categories. Potential immigrants or their family members can check with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to CIS, to find out how many (if any) are available for a given year.

Applying for a Green Card

First, a potential immigrant must send their application to CIS. Once CIS approves this initial application, the immigrant may proceed with the full application according to CIS’ guidelines, and provide all supplementary materials.

The prospective immigrant must submit fingerprints at a location which the CIS provides to them. The fingerprints are used to conduct a background check. The applicant must also attend an interview at a time and place CIS designates.

Applicants also need to submit to a full medical examination, and provide all corresponding records. They should also submit a document called an affidavit of support, which establishes a sponsor’s support of the immigrant’s application.

 The immigration law team at Brownstein & Nguyen has helped thousands of clients with their immigration needs, including immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications. Contact us for the legal support you need and count on in pursuing U.S. residency, citizenship and other immigration needs.

Filed Under: All Postings, Featured, Immigration, Immigration Law
posted on March 3, 2016 by

Hope for Immigration Reform with Obama’s Proposed Budget

There is still hope for modest but helpful immigration reform in President Obama’s final proposed budget to Congress for fiscal 2017. The President’s call for immigration reform initially hit headlines and created waves in November of 2014 when he announced multiple executive actions designed to address the issue of illegal immigration at the borders and millions of undocumented aliens already in the United States. These initiatives included:

  • Broadening the eligibility criteria for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to include children under 16 who have been in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2010, as well as extending relief and employment authorization under the program to three years
  • The introduction of a Deferred Action for Parental Accountability program, that would allow parents of U.S. citizens and other lawful permanent residents present in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2010 the same period of deferment and employment authorization
  • Making spouses and children of lawful permanent residents and children of U.S. citizens eligible for provisional waivers
  • Simplifying the legal immigration process to continue aiding in job creation and economic recovery
  • Promoting and improving both citizen education and public awareness for lawful permanent residents

Unaccompanied minorThe administration’s budget, proposed on Tuesday, February 9, 2016, outlines many initiatives in support of efforts toward reform of the immigration system. The proposed $4.1 trillion budget would also create savings through immigration reform as a result of long-term investments in homeland security through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Proposed budgetary items that pertain to immigration include:

  • A reduction of immigration detention beds from 34,000 to 30,918, resulting in savings of $169.3 million. A portion of these savings would be re-directed toward cost-effective alternatives to detention (ATD) provided by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for illegal immigrants not seen as a flight risk, such as electronic monitoring and intensive supervision.
  • An increase of $1.2 million for Critical Life and Safety Infrastructure Repair. This would allow existing detention facilities in San Pedro, El Paso, St. Croix, Aguadilla, El Centro, and St. Thomas to undergo system upgrades with the installation of fire alarms and smoke detectors as well as the repair of sprinkler systems.  
  • An increase of $6.4 million for the Criminal Alien Program. This increase would allow for a larger workforce of officers to enforce the DHS Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) in identifying, apprehending, and removing criminal aliens.
  • An increase of $13.2 million for costs associated with the transportation of unaccompanied children. This increase will allow DHS to transport unaccompanied minors into the custody of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Contingency funds are also included in the budget should the number of unaccompanied children surpass previous year levels.

With these proposed budgetary items, there is hope that reform is still a possibility within the immigration system. However, for immigrants whose lives in our country are held in the balance, proposed budgets may not be enough. Time is of the essence, and having legal support is one of the most effective ways to fight for legal immigration. The law offices of Brownstein & Nguyen invite you or anyone you know to contact us for their immigration needs or questions on current immigration topics, including immigration reform. 

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Reform
posted on February 18, 2016 by

A Closer Look at the EB-5 Program

The primary purposes of the EB-5 investment visa program, enacted into law by Congress in 1990, were to stimulate the U.S. economy and provide for a means of attracting additional foreign investments. In theory, and when the EB-5 program is used properly, the economic boost is evident through the specific requirements for job creation and capital investment.

Unfortunately, over the years unscrupulous real estate developers and other promoters have discovered and exploited loopholes in the EB-5 program, resulting in it not working as intended in some cases. While overall the program has been a success and achieved its stated goals, it is currently under attack due to suspected fraud, abuse, and national security concerns. As with any program, change is needed to keep up with current times. On and after February 11, 2016 proactive changes may come about as the result of an examination of the EB-5 program by the House Judiciary Committee.

At present, the EB-5 program has two main criteria that must be met for a given investment to potentially qualify for a visa. These requirements include specific details regarding anticipated job creation in a targeted geographic area and a minimum capital investment that must take place in conjunction with the granting of an EB-5 Visa.

EB-5 Job Creation RequirementsImmigration

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) defines job creation requirements. As outlined on the uscis.gov website, the EB-5 program should, “Create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers within two years (or under certain circumstances, within a reasonable time after the two-year period) of the immigrant investor’s admission to the United States as a Conditional Permanent Resident.”

Specific definitions and details are provided regarding job creation requirements, including those relating to troubled businesses, qualified employees, full-time employment, and job-sharing arrangements is further detailed.

EB-5 Capital Investment Requirements

The capital requirement for the EB-5 Program currently is a minimum of $500,000 to $1 million readily available to invest in the U.S. depending on the nature of the specific investment. The standard investment amount required for an EB-5 visa is $1 million. However, when the investment involves a targeted employment area (defined as either rural or an area with high unemployment), the minimum qualifying investment drops to $500,000. Investment capital must be shown to come from personal sources, and may not be borrowed.

The EB-5 Program is currently under a political microscope for suspected fraud and abuse. A recent  press release put out by the House Judiciary Committee states: “Regional centers gerrymander targeted employment areas around poor areas in order to come in at a lower investment level that was intended to incentivize investments in rural and distressed urban areas, even when investing in luxury high-rises in affluent areas. Various agencies and government watchdogs have also identified national security concerns with this program, including economic espionage, use by foreign government agents and terrorists, and money laundering.”

Only time will tell what the future holds for the EB-5 program. At Brownstein & Nguyen, we keep a watchful eye on current events and reforms associated with immigration law. Our goal is to serve and educate clients to the best of our ability for all of their immigration needs. Contact us today for a consultation with the Atlanta immigration lawyers at Brownstein & Nguyen.

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform
posted on January 17, 2016 by

Legal Update on the Journey of Unaccompanied Minors

What is the current status of the legal and humanitarian problem of unaccompanied minors?

The number of unaccompanied minors, or minors entering the United States without adult guardians, seems to have slowed. Some 67,000 unaccompanied children crossed the border in 2014, while in 2015 that number dropped to less than 20,000. Moral questions aside, the United States is legally bound to ensure that it does not deport refugees to any country in which they face persecution. This requires the government to investigate the circumstances for each refugee to determine eligibility for refugee or humanitarian status.

Changing Detention Procedures

Not AloneDuring the height of the unaccompanied minor crisis, children were apprehended and detained in border facilities pending a resolution of their application. However, if a child had family or a legal guardian present in the United States, the child is eligible to be released into their care pending their application for adjustment of status. As of June 1, 2015, Congress urged the Border Patrol to reduce detentions. In response, Border Patrol has been coordinating with state foster and child care agencies and facilities to move children out of detention facilities and into better family-friendly environments.

In-Country Processing Program

In November 2014, the State Department launched the in-country processing program in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Through this program, parents may submit refugee applications in their home country. This process allows children of refuges to remain with their parents pending their application status. The idea is to offer safe legal alternatives to the perilous journey north.

The goal of this program, coupled with increased security at the Mexican southern border, is designed to slow the movement of unaccompanied minors into the United States. The journey is expensive and dangerous for the children who attempt it. It is less expensive, both fiscally and morally, for the United States to process refugees in-country and safer for children to remain with their parents while waiting the processing of their application for refugee status.

It is important to be aware of the often complicated and lengthy legal immigration process. If you or a loved one needs support navigating the immigration system in the United States, contact the Atlanta experienced immigration attorneys at Brownstein & Nguyen.

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Law
posted on December 18, 2015 by

EB-5 Debate Continues

With concerns over fraud and poor oversight, the debate over EB-5 visas has prompted Congress to respond with a draft to renew current EB-5 legislation that is set to expire on December 11, 2015. This concern is related to the many high-end real estate projects in larger cities that have benefited with job creation from the program for the past several years. Meanwhile, smaller projects in more rural areas or impoverished areas may have been crowded out of the program because of the limited number of green cards available each year to foreign investors.Construction

Proposed Changes

With this draft, which is co-sponsored by Senators Charles Grassley and Patrick Leahy, proposed changes to EB-5 program seek to prevent future program abuses from occurring. It’s expected that these changes will increase opportunities for investors with smaller projects to qualify for EB-5 visas.

Included in the draft legislation:

  • The number of green cards for lower level projects would increase from 3,000 to 4,000 out of the 10,000 EB-5 visas available.
  • Projects, including government infrastructure or manufacturing would be placed in their own categories that will qualify them for a lower fundraising level, along with those in designated federal economic development zones.
  • Fundraising levels would rise from $500k to $800k for lower level projects and from $1 million to $1.2 million for larger projects.
  • To qualify for high unemployment area benefits, the location of the project would need to take place or next to a census tract that has an unemployment rate of that is equal or more than 150% of the national average.
  • Projects located in areas where the poverty rate is 20% or higher will qualify for additional consideration with other federal economic development programs.

Don’t struggle with the EB-5 process alone. Contact the immigration law experts at Brownstein & Nguyen.

Filed Under: All Postings, Immigration, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform
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