He Immigration and customs control (ICE) of the United States has implemented a number of “Unprecedented” arrests of spouses of US citizens during supposedly routine interviews for the green cardas reported NBCNews. This new policy has caused deep uncertainty and panic among applicants seeking permanent residency and represents a break with decades of immigration practice.
Those affected by this wave of arrests include: British mother with her baby in weapons, a Ukrainian refugeeThe Wife of a Navy veteran and a German man. Although several dozen cases have been reported in San Diego, this situation also extends to key cities such as: New York, Cleveland and Utahsaid immigration lawyers and local media. Legal experts expressed concern, noting that their clients, who are authorized to stay and have no criminal record, now face the risk of arrest. Jan Joseph Bejar, an immigration attorney in San Diego, called the situation “truly devastating” as it spread across the country.
These arrests are part of the latest tactics from President Donald Trump’s administrationfocused on intensifying scrutiny of legal immigration routes. The government argued that the individuals were being detained for overstaying their visas, a violation of immigration law. Matthew J. Tragesser, USCIS spokesman, said in a statement to NBCNews that arrests can occur if people have an arrest warrant You are awaiting an arrest or deportation order or have committed fraud, crimes or other violationsand added that “foreigners must respect our laws or face the consequences.”
However, experienced lawyers disagree with this position, arguing that Congress has established specific exemptions for immediate family members of U.S. citizens, including their spouses. This legal provision allows them to change their status to permanent residenceeven if they were previously in an irregular immigration situation due to a longer stay than permitted.
Julia Gelatt, deputy director of the U.S. immigration policy program at the Migration Policy Institute, explained “An exception has been created for immediate family members of U.S. citizens. This was or is the legal way for them to adjust their status. This means doing things the “right” way.” Additionally, the lengthy application process, which can take more than a year, often results in people losing their legal status while they wait for approval.
A notable example is that of a Mexican immigrantsmarried to a U.S. citizen who was arrested at a USCIS office in San Diego two days before Thanksgiving. Although the green card interview was successful and the officer agreed to the first part of his request, ICE agents arrested him at the scene. His lawyer, Jan Joseph Bejar, explained that his client, who has no criminal record, was entitled to a permanent residence cardeven if he had stayed in the country beyond his visa. “If people go to an interview to get a green card, that’s why “You have accomplished everything else and are at the end of the road.”Bejar said, according to NBC News.
Another case is that of a Mexican woman aged 25 in the USA, arrested in Cleveland although it is justified. His attorney, Courtney Koski, stated in notice of a 2004 hearing that a deportation order was issued against him due to a “government error,” the same media reported. Jeremy Lawer, the woman’s husband, expressed his dismay: “The interview went pretty well and ICE agents still came. We were shocked.”. He added that he and his wife felt caught in the “political football” under the Trump administration and viewed the situation as a “trap.”
Lawyers like Shev Dalal-Dheini of the American Immigration Lawyers Association question the logic of these detentions. “It has always been viewed as a waste of resources since they are eligible for a green card,” he explained, adding, “Why should law enforcement or detention resources be wasted on these people?” In his opinion These measures are not only inefficient, but also divert resources from truly dangerous criminal cases.which negatively impacts “people who follow the rules that have been in place for decades,” he said.
The detentions push these cases into the already overburdened immigration court system, lengthening procedures for valid applicants and incurring additional costs for taxpayers, Bejar warned. The practice sets off a state of alarm, forcing lawyers to review their clients’ cases in affected areas to warn them, even though their legal options are limited given this new interpretation of federal immigration rules.
This content was created by a LA NACION team with the support of AI.
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