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Immigration law is the body of law that defines how many people are legally allowed to move to the United States from other countries. This body of law controls immigration to the United States and the legislation is created and passed by the national government, not the state and local authorities. Immigration law pertains to the citizenship of people as well as their legal status within the country. If someone is illegally in the country they can be deported if they are discovered and detained.

Each country has their own laws on immigration and set their own quotas on how many people are allowed in their country at a given time via immigration. The United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights decrees that all countries must allow entry to their own citizens. That may seem weird but a country cannot deny access to its own citizens if they leave the country and wish to return at a later time. For instance, if a couple goes on their honeymoon in Florida and they are natives of Canada. Once they return from their honeymoon from Florida, Canada legally has to allow them back into the country if they are not trying to illegally smuggle anything across the border.

Since each country has their own ability to create their own immigration laws, they also have the ability to mandate different options that immigrants to their country must follow. Some of those mandates could be the length of their stay, whether or not they are permitted to participate in any branch or level of that country's government, whether or not they can become a permanent resident of that country, and how the immigrants must go about obtaining their work visas or their green cards.

A work visa is a legal form that permits a person from another country to work in the United States for a specified amount of time. The visa is usually a stamp placed on the person's passport and it comes with a handful of stipulations such as how long that person may remain in the country, when the visa can be used, and whether or not the visa can be used for more than one entry into the country.

If a foreigner enters a country on just a visa alone, they are not entitled to any other rights pertaining to residency or employment, only the right to enter and visit the country that issued the visa. If that person wishes to obtain employment while visiting the host country they must obtain the work permit mentioned above. If they wish to reside in the host country they then must obtain a residency permit.

Immigration law in the United States is a hot topic and had a major impact on the 2008 Presidential campaign. There was such a backlog in the processing of immigration applications that thousands of potential voters were not able to vote in the 2008 Presidential election. Immigration applications are processed and filed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; also referred to as the USCIS.

The United States enforces immigration law at different checkpoints throughout the country. Those checkpoints are setup along the country's borders with Canada and Mexico and at major airports that have incoming flights from foreign nations. At these checkpoints, anyone entering the country will have their passports, visas, and permits checked by United States Customs Agents. If anyone is trying to enter the country illegally customs agents will detain them and interview them. The person in question might be deported or might be allowed to enter the country after the interview process.

Other documents that must be presented at the checkpoints are a WHO vaccination card, onward tickets, a business card and sometimes the amount of cash the person is carrying. The amount of cash one is carrying helps the customs agents determine how long they will allow the person to stay in the country based on how much the agents think the person will spend while visiting the country.

The United States has also set up quotas for each fiscal year of how many people are allowed to come to the country from foreign nations. Each individual country across the world has a different number assigned to them which defines how many people are allowed to legally enter the United States each year. This is just another measure of how the United States tries to regulate immigration. These quotas also fall under the measures of immigration law within the country.

For More Information

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Immigration law is the body of law that defines how many people are legally allowed to move to the United States from other countries. This body of law controls immigration to the United States and the legislation is created and passed by the national government, not the state and local authorities.

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Pennsylvania has affordable housing options for immigrants. Available services may depend on your immigration status.

Starting school in a new place and learning a new language can be challenging. The Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition published a Welcoming Schools Toolkit to provide information about the student services available to schools, communities and families.

For those with a higher education (education beyond the secondary level) degree moving to Pennsylvania, you can get a credential evaluation or other assistance in finding a job online with the World Education Services (WES) or Upwardly Global .

There are a variety of free and/or low cost health care resources available to people who are uninsured, underinsured, or economically disadvantaged. The federal and non-profit organizations listed below may provide or help cover a range of medical, dental, pharmacy, vision and/or behavioral health services.

If you are a health care provider, use this guide from the National Immigration Law Center to learn more about the rights of health care providers and their patients.

Federally Qualified Health Centers are in most cities and many rural areas. These health centers provide comprehensive primary and preventive care for all ages, regardless of your ability to pay or health insurance status. Fees for services are on a sliding scale based on your income. Find a Federally Qualified Health Center near you.

The Health Insurance Marketplace helps people find affordable health insurance. Depending on your immigration status, you may be eligible for coverage. Visit HealthCare.gov to find out what immigration statuses qualify for coverage.

There are many organizations and institutions which provide information on immigrants' rights, immigration legal services, employment services, resettlement services, workforce training, advocacy and new residents' guidance and support.

Consulates promote commercial, cultural, educational, medical and governmental relationships between our state and their respective countries and serve the diplomatic needs of foreign citizens and visiting dignitaries in Pennsylvania.

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Pennsylvania has affordable housing options for immigrants. Available services may depend on your immigration status. Starting school in a new place and learning a new language can be challenging. The Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition published a Welcoming Schools Toolkit to provide information about the student services available to schools, communities and families.

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Rudinski Orso and Lynch is law firm with experienced attorneys and reasonable rates located at 339 Market St. in downtown Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

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Our immigration system is broken.

Instead of treating people with dignity and providing accessible channels for legal status, the current immigration system keeps families apart, encourages exploitation of workers, and is overly complex. We need legal channels to bring people out of the shadows, a system that people can go through and not around.
A permanent fix requires Congress to overhaul our immigration system by passing comprehensive immigration legislation.
For updates on 2020 advocacy around the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), see our DACA 2020 Resource Page.
We also need to immediately address the mass deportation and detention of immigrant communities.
PICC supports federal immigration policy that:

Provides a clear pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Protects and promotes family unification.

Prevents the exploitation of immigrant workers and includes comprehensive protections for all immigrant workers through better enforcement of labor laws.

Provides fundamental due process and civil rights for all immigrants.

Promotes full integration of immigrants into U.S. society.

As a member of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), PICC actively participates in national policy conversations.

In November, 2012 PICC brought together a statewide coalition to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Read the full platform of that coalition.

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Our immigration system is broken. Instead of treating people with dignity and providing accessible channels for legal status, the current immigration system keeps families apart, encourages exploitation of workers, and is overly complex. We need legal channels to bring people out of the shadows, a system that people can go through and not around.

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339 N Market Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
Phone: 570-321-8090
http://www.williamsport.lawyer

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Immigration Issues: Driving Under the Influence in the U.S.

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Immigration Issues: Driving Under the Influence in the U.S.

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If you're an immigrant and you've been arrested for driving under the influence, it is important for you to understand how your immigration status could potentially be affected. Read on to find out more.
Criminal charges of any kind can have a negative impact on your immigration efforts to come to the United States. Even individuals who hold green cards can sometimes face major immigration-related consequences (up to and including deportation) if they are charged with a crime. In fact, a criminal record can keep you from being able to obtain a green card and it might stop you from coming back into the U.S. if you've left to go abroad. Since a criminal record can have such a harmful impact on immigrants, non-U.S. citizens who have been accused of a crime must be particularly proactive in deciding which best legal strategy will work in an effort to avoid a conviction.

DUI is illegal in Pennsylvania and throughout the country and being charged with such a crime is detrimental to everyone, regardless of their nationality. Because drunk driving is a crime, you, as someone who is trying to come to the U.S., must respond aggressively to charges of impaired driving by working with a skilled legal professional as soon as possible after your arrest.

If you are found guilty of DUI, it does not necessarily mean you will automatically be deported or will be unable to get a green card or suffer any other type of immigration consequences. The effect of your conviction on your status will ultimately depend on the specific crimes you were found guilty of. For instance, simple DUI is often just a misdemeanor charge that is generally not considered a deportable crime under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

However, if there are aggravating factors associated with the impaired driving charge, the end result could lead to you facing more serious offenses that can subject you to deportation and disqualify you from getting a green card. For example, drug-related DUI charges, DUI manslaughter (in the case of an accident), felony DUI and DUI with kids in the vehicle (that results in a charge of child endangerment) are all offenses that could potentially lead to deportation.

Traveling Abroad Could be a Problem

If you have been convicted of serious charges related to impaired driving, you could also face issues related to your travel abroad and your attempt to return to the U.S. There are separate laws that discuss the grounds for inadmissibility that could bar your re-entry into the country. For instance, an individual could be blocked from re-entering if his or her drug or alcohol addiction creates an admissibility issue on medical grounds; if a crime involving a controlled substance has been committed; if there is a record of conviction for a crime of moral turpitude or if the individual was convicted of two or more crimes that resulted in a sentence of five or more years.

DUI charges should not be taken lightly. Even a conviction for a simple first offense could come back to haunt you later by resulting in a more serious charge if you are ever arrested in the future. Protect yourself and your immigration status.

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Immigration Issues: Driving Under the Influence in the U.S.. Rudinski, Orso, and Lynch, Williamsport - Directory of companies Cataloxy.com

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If you're an immigrant and you've been arrested for driving under the influence, it is important for you to understand how your immigration status could potentially be affected. Read on to find out more. Criminal charges of any kind can have a negative impact on your immigration efforts to come to the United States.

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United States' Immigration Reform Measures and Immigration Travel

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United States' Immigration Reform Measures and Immigration Travel

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For those who do not have United States citizenship and live in the U.S. on a green card, marriage visa, travel visa, student visa, or any other temporary pass, the recently-issued presidential immigration ban has caused panic, confusion, and even riots and strikes.

The original ban issued by President Trump in January blocked people from seven Muslim countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan. Syria, and Yemen) from entering the U.S. for 90 days, and banned Syrian refugees indeterminately, and all other refugees for 120 days. Federal judges put a stop to this ban almost immediately, and the president has since come up with a modified version to promote his immigration reform ideas.

Under the new order, those who hold legal immigration visas will not be affected, even if they are from banned countries. Additionally, travel between Iraq and the U.S. has been re-established with additional security precautions, although the other six countries will still be under a 90-day ban. Refugees who have been granted asylum will be welcomed into the country, but Syrian refugees are still temporarily banned.

Restrictions for Visitors, Students and Workers

People who are traveling without current visas will find it hard to gain entry into the United States, although those who have gone through the proper channels will still be allowed access. When the original ban was issued, several visa holders were detained at the airport, or were unable to fly into the country, due to the initial provisions. Now, however, those who have valid visas will be granted entry-for example, students who hold valid F, M, and J visas.

Green Card Holders

Anyone with a green card, including persons from the six countries on the target list, will still be allowed into the United States. The unclear language in President Trump's first order led to great confusion at airports across the country, and many green card holders were originally denied entry.

New Immigrants from the Six Banned Countries

People who live in the six banned countries and have applied for immigrant visas will no longer be allowed to use these visas to gain entry. Previously, those who had immigrant visas were granted legal permanent resident status when they arrived in the United States, and were given green cards, but President Trump's order eliminates this option.

For those who have pending immigration status, visa application issues, or even simply questions about their legal status under President Trump's new ban, an immigration attorney is a logical first step. With the help of a lawyer, immigrants to the U.S. can understand how to best solidify their status in the country and operate under the new requirements and restrictions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jerry E. Lynch
Attorney Jerry E. Lynch is one of the leading immigration attorneys in the Williamsport area, and has successfully represented clients facing investigation and deportation throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Mr. Lynch is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and has experience with immigration, criminal, and civil cases.

Copyright Rudinski, Orso & Lynch

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication at the time it was written. It is not intended to provide legal advice or suggest a guaranteed outcome as individual situations will differ and the law may have changed since publication. Readers considering legal action should consult with an experienced lawyer to understand current laws and.how they may affect a case. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.

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united states' immigration reform measures and immigration travel

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United States' Immigration Reform Measures and Immigration Travel

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For those who do not have United States citizenship and live in the U.S. on a green card, marriage visa, travel visa, student visa, or any other temporary pass, the recently-issued presidential immigration ban has caused panic, confusion, and even riots and strikes.

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The fundamental constitutional protections of due process and equal protection embodied in our Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to every "person" and are not limited to citizens.

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21 Eye-Opening Facts About Immigration Law & I-9 Compliance

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21 Eye-Opening Facts About Immigration Law & I-9 Compliance

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2020 has been a remarkable - some would say mind-bogglin g - year in terms of the challenges confronted by HR and legal teams when it comes to managing recruitment, onboarding, transitioning, employee health and safety, security, and more.

With that in mind, here are 21 facts about immigration law and the Form I-9 that are worth keeping in mind as organizations wrestle with the need to stay compliant with U.S. law while still obtaining the workforce they need to carry on with business.

1. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalized 834,000 new citizens, topping an 11 year high in new oaths of citizenship. Additionally, the USCIS granted permanent residence to almost 577,000 individuals.

2. In FY 2019, the number of pending applications for green cards reduced by 14%. Pending applications for naturalizations dropped 12%.

1. The number of working-age immigrants in the U.S. is projected to increase to 38.5 million by 2035.

2. USCIS received almost 2.2 million employment authorization applications in FY 2019. The USCIS also approved over 500,000 petitions for non-immigrant workers in FY 2019, including specialty occupation, temporary agricultural, and non-agricultural workers.

3. USCIS used E-Verify to process more than 40 million cases in FY2019. E-Verify is a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm employee eligibility to work in the U.S.

4. All U.S. employers must correctly complete Form I-9 for every individual they hire for employment in the United States.

5. Immigration Customs & Enforcement (ICE) has increased Form I-9 inspections by 375% over the past 2 years, auditing nearly 6,000 employers.

6. Worksite investigations by ICE and Homeland Security Investigations have nearly tripled, increasing from 1,691 to 6,848 per year.

7. Employers in violation of Form I-9 requirements faced $14 million in total fines in 2019.

8. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) increased fines for Form I-9 in 2020:

The minimum fine per individual for paperwork or technical violations is now $234 and the maximum fine is now $2,332.

The fines for knowingly hiring or continuing to employ unauthorized workers ranges from a minimum of $583 to a maximum fine of $4,667.

Second and third violation civil penalty fines fall between penalties of $4,586 to $22,972 per employee.

9. The USCIS is extremely stringent on Form I-9 audits, and features a list of common mistakes to avoid on their website. To steer clear of costly errors, be sure to write legibly, use only common abbreviations, complete all applicable sections, and ensure the date of hire on the form matches payroll records.

10. Cumulative errors add up. Each error on a Form I-9 incurs a different fine. This makes repeating the same mistake, on multiple forms, potentially disastrous for small businesses.

11. New employees must complete Section 1 of Form I-9 when hired. Employers must complete their part, Section 2, within three days of an employee's start date.

12. If an employee leaves, the employer is required to keep the employee's I-9 for at least 3 years from the date of hire or for one year after employment ends, whichever is later.

13. The I-9 is periodically updated. Most recently, Form I-9 was updated on April 30, 2020. Employers that fail to use the latest version of Form I-9 can incur fines or penalties.

14. To enforce compliance, employers must keep track of over 1200 Form I-9 rules.

15. Between 60-80% of paper Form I-9s go missing, are incomplete, or contain costly mistakes and errors.

16. ICE can inspect Form I-9s with only three days' notice of inspection.

17. If employees are physically present at a work location, no exceptions are currently allowed for in-person verification of identity and employment eligibility documentation for Form I-9. Flexibility for in-person verification only applies to remote workers.

18. Non-compliance with Form I-9 is costly:

A cleaning service that failed to sign Section 2 on their I-9s for 25 employees was fined $44,000.

A transportation company that failed to fill out I-9s in a timely manner for 54 employees was fined $109,000.

In 2017, the restaurant chain Panda Express required all of its legal permanent resident employees to renew their I-9s, without requiring their U.S. citizens to do the same. ICE deemed this discriminatory and fined the franchise $400,000.

The largest I-9 penalties to date were for an event planning company that failed to sign Section 2 on their I-9s for 797 employees. The total fine? $605,000.

19. The Spanish language Form I-9 is authorized for use only in Puerto Rico. Employers in all 50 states must use an English language Form I-9, provide a translator to assist in completion, and must complete the translator's certification.

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21 Eye-Opening Facts About Immigration Law & I-9 Compliance | JD Supra

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2020 has been a remarkable - some would say mind-bogglin g - year in terms of the challenges confronted by HR and legal teams when it comes to managing recruitment, onboarding, transitioning, employee health and safety, security, and more.

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DACA- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

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DACA- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

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Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Napolitano, on June 15, 2012, issued a memorandum announcing that DHS will offer deferred action for two years to certain individuals who entered the U.S. as children and meet other eligibility criteria. The program is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program. Those that receive "deferred action" under the DACA program will not be placed into removal proceedings or removed from the U.S. for the duration of the grant. Individuals in removal proceedings, those with final orders or a voluntary departure order, and those who have never been in removal proceedings can affirmatively request deferred action from USCIS as long as they are not currently in immigration detention. However, those in detention have not had the DACA door completely closed to them.

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, an individual who:

1. Was under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;

2. Came to the U.S. before reaching his/her 16th birthday;

3. Has continuously resided in the U.S. since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;

4. Was physically present in the U.S. on June 15, 2012, and at the time of application to USCIS;

5. Entered without inspection before June 15, 2012, or lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;

6. Is currently in school, has graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, has obtained a GED, or is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard or the U.S. Armed Forces; and

7. Has not been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, or does not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety;

Are eligible under the DACA program. If you believe that you meet these qualifications please fill contact Williamsport Lawyers Rudinski Orso and Lynch to facilitate you application.

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Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Napolitano, on June 15, 2012, issued a memorandum announcing that DHS will offer deferred action for two years to certain individuals who entered the U.S. as children and meet other eligibility criteria. The program is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program.