OC Immigration Attorney

In San Diego, California, Mosab Hassan Yousef seeks asylum, claiming he will be killed if he is deported from the United States to the West Bank. Yousef, who abandoned Islam for Christianity, is the oldest son of one of Hamas’ founders, was an Israeli spy for a decade, and now is marked as a traitor.

However, Homeland Security called Yousef a terrorist danger when it denied asylum in February 2009

He is scheduled to plead his case on Wednesday to an immigration judge in San Diego. The Department of Homeland Security wants him deported; they believe he is a danger to the security of the United States.

Four months ago Mr. Yousef published a book, in which Yousef  describes growing up admiring Hamas and hating Israel.

Yousef, 34, settled in Southern California after arriving in Los Angeles with a tourist visa in January 2007. At this time, he remains free while his application for asylum is considered.

Asylum applicants can close their hearings to the public, however Yousef welcomes the publicity. He urges supporters to contact the Homeland Security attorney assigned to his case and invites anyone in the San Diego area to attend his hearing.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency within Homeland Security that is arguing the government’s case, declined to comment, stating that it respects the privacy of all individuals involved in the immigration litigation process.

Yousef says his father, a senior Hamas leader who is serving a six-year sentence in an Israeli prison, disowned him in March.

Client from Costa Mesa just had her green card approved based on her marriage to her US Citizen husband. The client is originally from Central America and entered on a student visa several years ago. While living in Orange County and studying, she met her husband and the couple married two years later. He petitioned for her to become a lawful permanent resident with a green card. This week, the I-130 visa petition and I-485 were approved after an interview with a USCIS officer in Santa Ana. Now, the couple is living in Costa Mesa, California. They are very excited and they hope to start a family in the next year. I am so happy for them.

Generally if an alien marries a US Citizen in good faith and not for immigration purposes, s/he is eligible to become a lawful permanent resident. The alien must have entered the United States legally in order to adjust status and obtain a green card. If the alien entered the United States legally, s/he can generally become a lawful permanent resident under INA 245 without leaving the United States. Exceptions include a significant criminal record, entry as a K-1 visaholder (through a different relationship), or entry as a foreign national crewman among others. The petitioner must be financially able to sponsor the beneficiary spouse, which means the petitioning spouse’s income must meet a certain level. If the petitioner’s income does not qualify, a joint sponsor must be available.

The adjustment of status process can be complicated in some cases, and it is best to consult with an experienced immigration attorney before proceeding. The Nunez Firm has helped countless couples petition and obtain green cards after marriage. Contact The Nunez Firm today to schedule a free and confidential consultation. Managing Attorney Jay Nunez will personally discuss your situation and help you determine if adjustment of status is the right option for you.

Cancellation of Removal for non-lawful permanent residents is a form of relief from removal for aliens currently in the United States illegally. Cancellation of removal allows aliens to stay in the U.S. and avoid separation from their families if they meet certain requirements and warrant a favorable exercise of discretion. However, only a certain number of grants may be issued per fiscal year.

The Immigration and Nationality Act limits the number of aliens whose removal may be canceled and who may adjust status to 4,000 per fiscal year. The numerical cap applies only to non-LPR cancellation cases, and does not effect lawful permanent resident cancellations. INA 240A(e)(1)

Conditional grants of cancellation pending the availability (under the numerical cap) are not permitted for persons after FY 1998. 8 C.F.R. §1240.21(c)(1). Immigration judges must reserve their decision on potentially approvable cases until an approval is numerically available. Judges do not have to reserve their decision if they are certain the applicant is ineligible.

If the alien applies for and is granted another form of relief, such as asylum or withholding, the cancellation application shall be denied as a matter of discretion. 8 C.F.R. §1240.21(c)(2). Persons previously granted conditional cancellation (prior to fiscal year 1998) maintain their conditional status until the numerical limitation is available. They may travel during the conditional period. 8 C.F.R. §§1240.21(b)(3), (5).

If you are considering cancellation of removal, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally discuss your situation with you and help you decide if cancellation of removal is right for you.

Noel Gutierrez, 33, suspected of robbing at least eight people in El Monte and Rosemead while posing as an immigration agent was behind bars Sunday according to authorities.  He was initially booked on suspicion of robbery and kidnapping. More charges, including impersonating an immigration federal officer, are likely to be added later.

Gutierrez allegedly robbed six people in El Monte and two in Rosemead while wearing a United States Immigration baseball cap and vest.

The first incident occurred at Rosemead Park, where the suspect allegedly approached a man and claimed to be an immigration agent. The suspect was described wearing identification for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the federal agency that was replaced in 2003 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Gutierrez then headed to the Valley Mall in El Monte, in the 10800 block of Valley Boulevard, where he used a similar ruse to rob at least six victims.

Gutierrez is suspected of telling people at the mall he was an immigration agent as he searched their wallets and purses and helped himself to cash and valuables.

One of the alleged victims in one of the El Monte incidents was located only after she called her cell phone, which was in police custody, in an attempt to locate it, according to the police. She had not reported the crime to police because she was worried she would be deported.

The police also explained to her that she was the victim of a crime and the police were not concerned with her immigration status.

Another man apparently had his wallet stolen by the suspect at the mall.

Police continue seeking other possible victims.

Authorities said they believe Gutierrez returned to Rosemead late Saturday afternoon to continue his alleged robbery spree where he contacted a woman at her home and demanded to see her immigration papers. Then he followed her into her home and began searching as if he was a police officer. Only after the suspect left, the woman noticed items missing from her home.

Arizona lawmakers should pay attention to stories like these. The new anti-immigrant law in Arizona will likely result in many more instances like this.

If you have been the victim of a crime, contact The Nunez Firm regarding a U visa, which will allow you to stay in the United States and possibly obtain lawful permanent residence. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will discuss your case with you during a free and confidential consultation.

The Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ) regularly monitors immigration judge (IJ)
performance and conduct through EOIR’s performance management program, and through its
daily supervision of the courts. In instances where concerns regarding an immigration judge’s
conduct arise, the OCIJ is committed to ensuring that any allegations are investigated and
resolved in a fair and expeditious manner.

Complaints against IJs may be initiated in one of two ways.

First, an individual or group may
file a formal complaint with either the Assistant Chief Immigration Judge for Conduct and
Professionalism (ACIJ C/P) or the appropriate supervisory Assistant Chief Immigration Judge
(ACIJ). The complaint may be communicated either in writing or orally, and it may be
anonymous. A written or oral complaint must contain at least a brief statement describing the
IJ’s alleged conduct that gave rise to concern.

Second, OCIJ may itself become aware of information that suggests an IJ may have engaged in
inappropriate conduct. Such information may come to the attention of OCIJ in a variety of
circumstances including, but not limited to, news reports, referrals from other components or
agencies, such as the Board of Immigration Appeals or Office of Immigration Litigation, or
routine reviews of agency and court decisions.

Upon the receipt or identification of a complaint, OCIJ will assign a number to the complaint and
create an entry for it in OCIJ’s complaint tracking database. When the complaint came from an
identifiable complainant who has provided contact information, OCIJ will acknowledge its
receipt of the complaint.

If you are currently in deportation or removal proceedings in immigration court in Los Angeles or San Diego, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally discuss your case with you and help you better understand the options available to you.

According to a list recently released by the federal government, more than 350 immigrant detainees in Los Angeles have been held in detention for more than six months while fighting deportation.

The list of names was turned over to the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California last month as part of a class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The ACLU is battling for the right of detainees held for six months or more to have hearings on whether they can be released from custody while their cases are pending.

The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement declined to comment on the lawsuit. The department opposed releasing the names but was ordered to do so by a federal judge. Its lawyers are continuing to oppose the bond hearings.

Ahilan Arulanantham, who directs the immigrants’ rights and national security program for the ACLU of Southern California, said he was shocked that so many immigrants were being held in detention for longer than six months.

There are about more than a thousand immigrant detainees in the area, and at least 30% were never represented by an attorney.

The team of attorneys is sending letters to its clients. Many of the class members are seeking asylum and some have been held for years.

One of the class members, Damdin Borjgin, a Mongolian man seeking asylum in the United States, has been in custody at Mira Loma Detention Center in Lancaster since November 2007. Borjgin said he has never had a hearing to see if he would be eligible for release.

“I didn’t think I would be locked up in the jail for this much time,” Borjgin said through an interpreter in a recent interview. “I am living here as a prisoner. My rights are limited.”
Afraid for his safety, he came to the United States, where he was detained at Los Angeles International Airport and taken to the detention center.

Borjgin, who did not have an attorney, lost his case in Immigration Court and at the Board of Immigration Appeals. The case now is pending in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Currently, most immigrant detainees are not entitled to bond hearings: foreigners that are arrested upon arrival in the United States; foreigners who have committed certain crimes; or foreigners who have lost their cases and have final orders of deportation.  However, detainees who cannot be deported within six months of the conclusion of the case may be entitled to be released.

Arulanantham said that Borjgin might have never been placed behind bars in the first place. Immigration officials now release arriving asylum seekers from detention if they have a credible fear of persecution, prove their identity and pose neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community.

“ICE’s detention capacity is not unlimited,” said Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We want to ensure we’re using our detention resources to keep criminals and other dangerous aliens in custody while we seek their removal from the country.”

The change was part of an overhaul of the detention system announced last year. John Morton, the chief of the immigration agency, said he would make immigration detention less reliant on prisons and jails and more specifically designed for civil detainees.

Since the announcement, the agency has reduced the number of detention facilities nationwide and canceled contracts at 10 sites because of reported problems. Visitation, recreation and legal access also have been expanded at some facilities.

If you are someone you know is being detained in Lancaster’s Mira Loma facility, Otay Mesa or another detention facility, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will discuss your situation with you and help you better understand your options.

My client’s deportation proceedings were terminated by the Immigration Court in Los Angeles this morning, which means she will not be subject to removal and will not be forced to return to the Los Angeles Immigration Court again. The Immigration Judge terminated the deportation case because my client was approved for VAWA a few months ago, which entitles her to keep her green card and lawful permanent resident status.

My client was married to an abusive husband for several years. He was physically and emotionally abusive, and he manipulated her into staying in the relationship because he threatened to have her deported if she ever spoke to the police. We spent months preparing a comprehensive and convincing VAWA case. We filed for VAWA in late 2008, and the case was approved in early 2010.

Unfortunately, this scenario occurs all the time in the United States. A dramatic power imbalance exists if the US citizen spouse decides to take advantage of the non-citizen spouse’s situation. Many US citizen spouses treat their alien spouses as servants and order them to do anything and everything using threats of deportation. Many abusive spouses beat and emotionally abuse their spouses, and the alien victims are afraid to report the crimes to the police due to fear that they will be arrested and deported, or that the police will believe a US citizen over a foreigner.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides several immigration benefits to abused spouses and children of US citizens and lawful permanent residents. VAWA was passed into law in 1994. VAWA provides lawful permanent resident status to spouses and children that have been battered by or subjected to extreme cruelty from the US citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse. Contrary to popular belief, abused male spouses are equally entitled to the immigration benefits provided by VAWA.

If you or someone you know is an alien victim of domestic violence, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally discuss your case with you during a confidential consultation. The Nunez Firm has helped countless domestic violence victims obtain green cards and break away from their dependence on their abusive spouses.

In Cruz Rendon v. Holder, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Immigration Judge Anna Ho’s denial of a cancellation of removal application for non-lawful permanent residents. The Ninth Circuit found that Judge Ho’s refusal to grant a continuance for Cruz Rendon’s attorney to better prepare the cancellation case denied Cruz Rendon “a full and fair hearing.” Additionally, the Appeals Court found that Judge Ho was unreasonable in limiting Cruz Rendon’s testimony regarding her son’s learning disabilities.

Cancellation of removal for non-lawful permanent residents is a form of relief from deportation that allows undocumented aliens to remain in the United States if they meet certain criteria. The alien must have been physically present in the United States for not less than 10 years. The alien must have good moral character during the ten year period. The alien must not have been convicted of certain offenses. Finally, the alien must prove that removal/deportation from the United States would result in “exceptional and extremely unusual hardship” to the alien’s US citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent or child.

Cruz Rendon entered the United States at some time after January 1, 1990. She had a four year old son with ADHD. A psychologist provided a report regarding the son’s ADHD. During Ms. Cruz Rendon’s testimony, she tried to explain the child’s learning disability and the difficulties associated with it, but Judge Ho continuously cut her off and disallowed the testimony stating “I believe the psychologist’s evaluation is much better than what this lady has to tell me.”

The Ninth Circuit criticized Immigration Judge Ho for not allowing a continuance as well. Ms. Cruz Rendon appeared at her court hearing on December 16, 2004 with her attorney for the first time. Immigration Judge Ho scheduled the trial for January 14, 2005, which allowed counsel only one month to prepare for the trial. (Keep in mind that most attorneys are allowed 4-12 months to prepare for trial.)

In the end, the Ninth Circuit held “We have no difficulty concluding that the denial of the requested continuance, in conjunction with the limitations placed upon her testimony, prevented Cruz Rendon from fully and fairly presenting her case. We likewise conclude that the outcome of the hearing may have been affected by these procedural deficiencies. The IJ stated repeatedly that Jose was ‘only’ four years old, and apparently formed the opinion that Jose might simply outgrow his problems. Had Cruz Rendon been permitted to offer more detail about Jose’s medical and educational issues, and had a continuance been granted to permit the further evaluation recommended by Jose’s psychologist, the IJ’s conclusion might have been different. Moreover, had Cruz Rendon been afforded time to obtain evidence regarding the schools in Mexico, the IJ might not have relied impermissibly upon her own unsupported opinion that Mexico ‘is really trying very hard to work on [special education].’ ”

If you are currently in deportation proceedings in immigration court, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will meet with you personally and explain your immigration situation and options to you thoroughly.

After a one and a half hour interview with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), the USCIS officer ruled that my client’s marriage to his wife was bona fide, and he approved the I-130 visa petition. The USCIS officer seemed leery at the outset of the interview, because my client was previously married and pursued a green card through that marriage. Before the green card was approved, the couple experienced difficulties and broke up. However, after asking my client and his current wife 15-20 questions separately and comparing their answers, he realized that they lived together in Anaheim, and their marriage was valid and entered into in good faith.

My client is currently in removal proceedings in Los Angeles Immigration Court. Now that the I-130 visa petition has been approved, we will adjust status in immigration court so that my client can get his green card. The couple will likely be questioned in detail by the immigration judge and the government attorney. If they stay confident and calm as they did in the interview, I am confident that they will convince the immigration judge to grant lawful permanent resident status to my client.

If you are married to a United States citizen and are interested in obtaining lawful permanent resident status, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally discuss your situation with you and help you understand the options available to you.

The immigration judge granted a motion to terminate deportation proceedings against my client. He was placed in deportation proceedings in the Los Angeles Immigration Court after his I-485 adjustment of status application was denied.

In 2008, USCIS denied his I-485 adjustment application stating that he failed to attend the adjustment interview with his wife. My client filed a motion to reopen with USCIS; however, USCIS transferred the case to the immigration court without making a decision on the motion to reopen. My client paid the required filing fee for the motion to reopen, and he was entitled to a decision on his motion to reopen. Today, the immigration judge in Los Angeles agreed that my client deserved a decision on his motion to reopen, and she terminated the deportation case and transferred the case back to USCIS.

Now, USCIS will hopefully reopen my client’s case and grant his adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident based on his marriage to a US citizen.

If you are currently in deportation proceedings in Los Angeles or San Diego, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will meet with you personally and help you understand the options available to you.