Texas Immigration Lawyer Blog

Baylor Law Immigration Clinic offers free DACA assistance in Waco, Texas

FREE: DACA Immigration Clinic

September 23, 25, and 30, 2014 & October 2, 2014

APPOINTMENT REQUIRED.

 Baylor Law School will offer free assistance to immigrants who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and for those eligible to renew DACA.

When?   September 23, 25, and 30 & October 2, 2014 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

What are some of DACA’s benefits?

• Get a social security number
• Be authorized for legal employment

Who qualifies? Immigrants who:

• Were born on or after June 15, 1982;
• Came to the U.S. before the age of 16;
• Have continuously resided in the U.S. from June 15, 2007 to the present;
• Are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or armed forces;
• And have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or more than three misdemeanors.

When you contact us, our law students will help you determine if you qualify for DACA and our services.  While our services are completely free, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services charges an application fee of $465.  Translators will be available.  Baylor Law School will not provide additional services after the scheduled clinics.  We will help with DACA renewals.

For an appointment, call or email us at:

immigrationclinic@baylor.edu

888-497-0018

FREE DACA Immigration Clinics at Baylor Law School April 1st and 3rd

April 1, 2014 & April 3, 2014

APPOINTMENT REQUIRED.

Baylor Law School will offer free assistance to immigrants who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

When?   April 1, 2014 and April 3, 2014 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

What are some of DACA’s benefits?

• Get a social security number
• Be authorized for legal employment

Who qualifies? Immigrants who:

• Were born on or after June 15, 1982;
• Came to the U.S. before the age of 16;
• Have continuously resided in the U.S. from June 15, 2007 to the present;
• Are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or armed forces;
• And have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or more than three misdemeanors.

When you contact us, our law students will help you determine if you qualify for DACA and our services.  While our services are completely free, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services charges an application fee of $465.  Translators will be available.  Baylor Law School will not provide additional services after the scheduled clinics. 

For an appointment, call or email us at:

immigrationclinic@baylor.edu

888-497-0018

Facing Deportation, Activist Says He Has No Regrets

Texas Tribune by Julian Aguilar

Excellent story about Edgar Torres Hernandez one of the DREAM 34, who was ordered deported by an Immigration Judge yesterday after his claim of a "credible fear" of returning to Mexico was denied. 

 

 

Are activist immigrants hurting the cause of immigration reform?

In the Texas Tribune today, Julian Aguilar has an excellent article exploring whether young activist immigrants who were deported or returned to Mexico of their own accord and then returned to U.S. ports of entry seeking asylum are hurting or helping the cause of comprehensive immigration reform.

Carlos Spector, who represents more than 100 Mexican families seeking asylum, said Monday that the tactics of groups like theDREAM 9 in Arizona or the DREAM 34 in Texas betray the cause of comprehensive immigration reform that they seek to champion.

“Both groups did not consult the work of the local community that has 25 years of experience working on these issues,” said Spector, who is also the co-founder of Mexicanos en Exilio, or Mexicans in Exile, a nonprofit outfit that helps endangered Mexicans move safely to the U.S. “They played into the right wing’s argument and narrative that Mexicans are using the asylum process frivolously just to enter the country.”

* * *

Groups who support such DREAMer groups, however, say they are serving a noble cause. They say they are bringing attention to youths who were deported to Mexico but are just as deserving as other immigrants seeking refuge in the U.S.

To receive asylum, petitioners must show they have a valid fear of persecution or death due to a number of factors, including religion, ethnicity, participation in a political group or sexual orientation.

Spector, who just weeks ago declined to openly criticize the groups, spoke Monday about a case he said proves his argument against the activists. That morning, Carlos Gutierrez, a Mexican businessman from Chihuahua whose feet were cut off by criminal gangs, left West Texas for his “Pedaling for Justice” effort, a 700-mile bicycle trek through the state to focus attention on the violence in Mexico and its root causes.

Gutierrez, who uses prosthetic legs, sought asylum in 2011 after the criminals punished him for not paying their monthly $10,000 extortion demand.

It’s cases like his, Spector said, that get diluted by activist movements.

“Carlos’ feet are cut off. Those are the real cases we are dealing with, and what they are doing is they are diminishing the importance of that,” he said. “And that’s one of the reasons we are going public with this now.”

Spector, who supports comprehensive immigration reform, said the activists probably have good intentions and “represent the desperation of people that want to get together with their families.” But the tactics, he said, are hurting the overall cause, especially because judges usually deny most asylum cases sought by Mexicans.

 

A Guide to H.R. 15: The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act

Immigration Impact

On October 2, 2013, Democrats in the House of Representatives proposed an immigration reform bill addressing border security, legalization of the undocumented, interior enforcement of immigration laws, and fixes for our dysfunctional legal immigration programs. The bill is based on S.744, the bipartisan bill passed by the Senate by a vote of 68-32 on June 27, 2013. However, the bill removes the Corker-Hoeven border security amendment and replaces it with the bipartisan House border security bill, H.R. 1417, which was passed unanimously by the Homeland Security Committee in May 2013.

Detailed summary of the Bill.

Texas Lt. Gov. Republican candidates fight over who opposes in-state tuition for undocumented students the most

Texas Tribune by Morgan Smith and Edgar Walters

You'll just have to read it for yourself. 

DREAMer Stranded in Mexico After Confusion at Port Allowed to Return to U.S.

Texas Tribune by Julian Aguilar

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiary, Josue Alberto Rodriguez was allowed to return to the United States last week. He entered Mexico by mistake on August 12, 2013, while trying to pick up his sister at the border.

Good work by El Paso attorney Carlos Spector who was able to facilitate Rodriguez's return. 

How DACA is impacting the lives of those who are now DACAmented

Immigration Policy Center

Preliminary Findings from the National UnDACAmented Research Project

by Roberto G. Gonzales, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Veronica Terriquez, University of Southern California

We find that the DACA recipients we surveyed experienced a pronounced increase in economic opportunities, such as getting a new job, opening their first bank account, and obtaining their first credit card. Many seek further social integration beyond DACA. In fact, almost all DACA recipients indicate that they would apply for U.S. citizenship if given the opportunity. Our study also shows that DACA recipients are often fearful that family members and friends could be deported at any time. Overall, our research indicates that although DACA opens up some economic opportunities for young aspiring Americans, it does not address the constant threat of deportation still facing those closest to them, including mothers, fathers, and siblings.

Read the preliminary findings. 

 

New “Pocket DACA” Mobile App Helps Young Immigrants Apply for Deferred Action

Washington, DC - The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the American Immigration Council (AIC), the Immigration Advocates Network (IAN), and the Own the Dream campaign are proud to announce the launch of a new "Pocket DACA" app for smartphones and tablets that will help immigrants brought to this country as children understand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process. Through DACA, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is granting two-year, renewable reprieves from deportation to eligible young immigrants who meet certain criteria.

The free app, available for download from the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores, offers a self-screening tool for DACA applicants to understand their eligibility and a searchable directory of listings for immigration legal services providers, including non-profit groups, in all 50 states. The app also includes links to news about the deferred action process and frequently asked questions.

"This app is yet another way that AILA's national organization and members are reaching out to the young undocumented population who may be eligible for this potentially life-changing opportunity, while offering protection from scammers who may try to take advantage of a vulnerable population," said Laura Lichter, AILA's Immediate Past President who was involved in developing a related online screening tool.

"AIC is proud to have been a part of the development of this new app, which includes an easy-to-use and accurate screening tool and answers questions potential applicants may have. This free app will leverage the power of technology and social media to help young immigrants decide whether to apply for this temporary relief," said AIC's Executive Director Benjamin Johnson.

"Our goal with Pocket DACA is to empower those who may be eligible for Deferred Action to better understand the requirements and find reputable legal help, but also to engage more deeply with potential applicants about their experiences and concerns," said Matthew Burnett, Director of the Immigration Advocates Network. "By offering an interactive self-screening tool and contact information for local legal services providers, the app increases the chances that eligible young immigrants will be successful in their request. The generation of young immigrants who can benefit from DACA are incredibly tech and social-media savvy. This app will put them in the driver's seat when it comes to their future."

Myrna Orozco, National Field Manager, Own the Dream Campaign emphasized the convenience of Pocket DACA, saying, "Since DACA was announced, the leaders of the United We Dream Network have been working together with our national legal partners to bring the best minds in organizing, policy, community service and the law together to make sure that DREAMers had access to useful tools. Pocket DACA will enable us to literally carry these tools in our pockets so we can assist those without access to smartphones and apps. Whether we're conducting outreach online, canvassing at a shopping mall or school, DREAMers everywhere will be able to increase the number of DACA experts around the country, one pocket at a time."

Technology partners for the app include Mobisoft Infotech, an award-winning technology company that helps enterprises achieve their business goals by defining their mobile initiatives and reaping the benefits of mobility, and Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit that increases access to justice through innovative uses of technology. A Spanish version of Pocket DACA will be available later this year.

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The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.

Immigration laws affect on Waco Texas resident and the need for reform

KWBU 

Story on the affect that immigration laws have had on Waco resident Eloisa Haynes and the need for immigration reform. 

The story includes a statement by Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX).