en Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:45:08 UT Big Medium 2.0.8 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/index.shtml In my practice I believe that the processing of most immigration petitions is divided into three main areas. There is the initial acceptance, prima facie review, and the final processing. In this article I will briefly discuss these three main areas for processing and provide some tips on how best to respond to Immigration. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:45:02 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/RequestforEvidence.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-8789 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Many non-citizens are very unfamiliar with the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. In my practice I have found that most people are mislead by the terms misdemeanor and felony convictions. In fact, most non-citizens who are unfamiliar with criminal procedure often believe that if they simply pay a fine then the crime will have no future implication on their immigration status. Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:00:02 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/PermanentResidenceYourSpouse-3.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-8617 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. I trust that you all had a very blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. As we proceed into the New Year of 2010 it is important to know that there will be some changes regarding your photo identification. Today’s article will briefly discuss the federal Real ID Act of 2005 and its impact on the way in which we use our identification. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:40:05 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/PermanentResidenceYourSpouse-2.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-8422 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Non-citizen spouses are able to acquire permanent residence through their spouse under the following four conditions. First, your spouse must be a United States Citizen or permanent resident. Second, you must have entered the United States in legal status i.e. with a visa or under the visa waiver program. Three, you must be admissible to the United States. Finally, your spouse must be willing to submit his/her immigration petition to Immigration on your behalf. This article will highlight the process of preparing, submitting and ultimately attaining permanent residence though marriage. Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:44:39 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/PermanentResidenceYourSpouse.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-8253 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Throughout my practice I encounter a large number of clients who are in removal proceedings or have a family member who is removal proceedings. The removal process is a very emotionally charged situation especially when spouses and children are involved. Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:23:44 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/RemovalproceedingsImmigration.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-8049 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. As an immigration attorney I often meet clients who hired a Notario to provide them with legal assistance.  These clients are often in my office because their immigration cases have been denied and/or they are now in removal proceedings.   After reviewing these clients’ cases it is usually difficult, if not impossible, to resolve their cases in a favorable manner. These clients are the victims of Notarios or individuals who provide immigration services who are not authorized by the State to provide legal assistance.  Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:02:21 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/BewareOfImmigrationService.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-7895 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Deportation i.e., removal proceedings is not usually a pleasant situation. The fears and concerns that usually arise during deportation proceedings are usually exacerbated by the issues of fear, non-eligibility for relief from deportation and possibly detention. Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:03:24 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/DeportationRemoval.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-7612 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. When one thinks of human trafficking the first thing that springs to mind is usually a poor underdeveloped country where individuals are forced into sexual slavery to earn a living.  This perception of human trafficking is far from reality. The second question that springs to mind when discussing human trafficking is exactly what is human trafficking.  Human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings – be it for sexual exploitation, other forms of forced labor, slavery, servitude, or for the removal of human organs.  Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:20:00 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/humantrafficking.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-7238 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. The Immigration laws of the United States are governed by complex statutes, internal Immigration memorandums and case law. Consequently, it can be quite daunting for a non-citizen to maneuver his or her way through the entire immigration process. This article will address some common mistakes that clients usually make in applying to Immigration for benefits. I will also offer some easy solutions for those individuals who feel compelled to go through the process by themselves. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:20:52 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-applying-for-immigra.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-7034 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Non-citizen spouses are able to acquire permanent residence through their spouse under the following four conditions. First, your spouse must be a United States Citizen or permanent resident.  Second, you must have entered the United States in legal status i.e. with a visa or under the visa waiver program. Three, you must be admissible to the United States.  Finally, your spouse must be willing to submit his/her immigration petition to Immigration on your behalf. This article will highlight the process of preparing, submitting and ultimately attaining permanent residence though marriage. Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:53:20 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/migratespouse.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-6876 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. There are many paths that lead to the path of United States citizenship. The immigration path to United States citizenship is optional. Under the current immigration laws, it is not mandatory that permanent residents become United States citizens but the benefits are much better. This article will outline the key steps that will put you on the path to becoming a United States citizen. Fri, 01 May 2009 04:05:46 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/USCitizenshipNaturalization.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-6670 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Immigration’s recent amendments to the Child Status Protection Act now permit some applicants to apply for permanent residence in the United States. The Child Status Protection Act, [hereinafter “CSPA”] has been the focus of Immigration for some time.  Originally the CSPA was enacted in August 6, 2002 to allow children who turned twenty one (21) years old to still be considered as minor children so that they could immediately apply for permanent residence. Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:37:15 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/new-year-new-president-and-possibly-new-immigratio-2.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-6584 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Presently, it appears that President Barack Obama’s immigration platform is very general. During his election campaign, President Barack Obama’s three key immigration principles were Secure Borders, Fix the Immigration System and a Pathway to Citizenship for undocumented individuals. Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:15:01 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/new-year-new-president-and-possibly-new-immigratio.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-6291 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Safiya Byars, Esq. Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:56:22 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/index.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-77 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Many anticipate that the U.S. immigration laws will change after the 2008 elections in November. With candidates Obama, Clinton and McCain talking about a variety of issues, Immigration being paramount, it is clear that they will say what they must in order to get elected, which is the nature of politics. In what way the Immigration field will change is unknown as many political leaders are reluctant to make the necessary changes that will actually benefit the greater society. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:00:00 UT http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/immigration/im_0508.shtml 3f7f7b187614768b868830155a76ec7d-354 Jamaica Primetime/Immigration Nadine A. Brown