Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Family separated for too long

I am currently assisting a client pro bono in a case where he is seeking reunited with his wife and children. My client is a US citizen. He is a military veteran. And he works on very military like missions for private corporations that do work for the US military. Because of the vagaries of his station, he lived with his foreign wife and US citizen children in a foreign country for approximately 10 years. Then he received three weeks notice that his job no longer existed. The host country ordered him to leave and he prepared to go back to the US.

My client immediately made plans to move back to the US. He took his wife and children to the US Embassy to get a vacation visa for his wife so that she could come to the US with the rest of the family. This request was denied because the consular officer believed that she was coming to the US to stay, and therefore a vacation visa was inappropriate. This is a defensible decision only if you do not take into effect him the impact the decision will have upon the family of my client.

It is sometimes the case that a consular officer will issue a vacation visa to the wife of a US citizen. They do this sometimes because the wait for an immigrant visa can be ridiculous. I met my client and learned of his troubles on August 2. His wife and four children remain in another country. He has gone nearly bankrupt from the expenses of maintaining two households, one in the US, and one in another country. As you can imagine, he is suffering, his children are suffering, and his wife is suffering.


We have filed for everything reasonable to gain her entry. We performed a Congressional Inquiry on the actions of the Consular Officer. Of course what he did was legal, just not "right." We next we filed a request for a parole document to allow her to enter the US for emergency circumstances. There has not yet been a decision on this request. We also filed form I-130 to gain her entry to the US as a lawful permanent resident. This form should gain her entry into the US within a year to year and a half.

We have had support from Congressman, and CIS seems to be doing everything they can do, but this is just one of those frustrating things that often happen in immigration. It is a pity that happened to someone who spent his whole life working for the benefit of the US. I think it probably should not happen. But I can only do so much.

Does anyone think it is right that an alien on a nonimmigrant visa can get his wife here in two weeks, but a US citizen must wait a year or more for his wife? Nonimmigrants have the ability to bring their wives here quickly and easily. Why does this not exist for US citizens? Ridiculous.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Regarding personal injuries!


Everywhere you look, you see billboards owned by personal injury lawyers. Whether it is Morgan & Morgan, Fran Haasch or some other lawyer, these people clearly make good money helping the injured. But who should you trust? The guy on the billboard, the lady in the ad? Ask Gary?

You should trust me. If you were a friend involve an accident you should come to me and I will help you find the right lawyer.

Today I write to tell you why you should refer your personal injury cases through me to a personal injury attorney. I am an immigration attorney. That is all I do. But I do a great service for my clients who suffer through accidents or injuries. I refer them to friends of mine who handles personal injury cases. This is of utility to my client because he has a lawyer he should be able to trust. I am also involved in the case entirely, although mostly as a spectator. I get paid from the other lawyers portion of any recovery in the case. It is handy to my clients to have me involved in case there is any issue regarding the representation in the case.

So if you know somebody who has an accident or who was injured and it is not their fault, a great place for them to start in figuring out what to do is to meet with me. We can discuss the available options and if there is a case there I will know the lawyer who will handle it best.

same is true for criminal and family law cases!

Neil

Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Heavens are aligning

Nov. 2012 -- The Speaker of the House has made it clear that Republicans are on board for immigration reform and a path to citizenship for my worthy immigrant friends. This election asserted the primacy of the young and tolerant against the old and scared. Great stuff and I am excited about the future!