ICE Abandoned Prior Enforcement Priorities

By Atty. Crispin Caday Lozano

In order to effectively fight crime, law-enforcement officers must gain the trust of the communities they intend to serve. Trust encourages victims of crime, as well as potential witnesses, to come forward and help solve cases and prosecute criminals.

However, according to our latest analysis, the Trump administration has abandoned this approach by not prioritizing immigration cases and offenses based on the level of their severity. Prioritization simply means that law-enforcement officers initially focus on getting dangerous people off the street (like murderers), before turning their attention to people who are not a threat (such as workers without criminal records who overstayed a visa in order to get a job).

More precisely, the administration has expanded the list of enforcement priorities to the point that there aren’t any priorities in practice. At present, nearly any non-citizen who has ever been convicted or charged with a criminal offense is a priority. It doesn’t matter whether the conviction or charge was for bank robbery or entering the United States without inspection.

The administration immediately outlined their shifting immigration enforcement priorities in a January 2017 executive order. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subsequently issued a memorandum implementing the executive order, mandating that all DHS personnel “shall faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States against all removable [individuals].”

This approach to immigration enforcement represents a major departure from the policies in place during the Obama administration.

In the absence of such prioritization, finite law-enforcement resources are wasted on the apprehension and removal of people who represent no danger to public safety.

Just as importantly, immigration enforcement without priorities needlessly tears apart U.S. families, communities, and workplaces. To attempt to remove all undocumented immigrants from our country’s social fabric, without prioritizing those who pose a danger, needlessly harms millions of other people, immigrant and native-born alike.

SUCCESS STORIES

  1. On April 12, 2018, the Immigration Judge in San Francisco approved a waiver of misrepresentation for our client who have been in the U.S. for 26 years.
  2. On April 3, 2018, we received an approval from USCIS for a U visa for a client who was a victim of crime.
  3. For the month ending March 31, 2018, we received approvals for four naturalization applications.
  4. For the week ending March 31, 2018, we received approvals of six Adjustment of Status, two Application to Remove Condition on Residence and two Renewal of Green Card approvals.
  5. On March 9, 2018, we received an approval from USCIS for adjustment of status for a client who was abused by her spouse. The I-601 waiver was approved based on extreme hardship.
  6. On February 15, 2018, we received a grant from Immigration Judge for a waiver of misrepresentation for a client who has been in the U.S. for long period of time.
  7. For the week ending February 9, 2018, we received approvals of one I-485, one N-400, one I-90 and one I-751.
  8. On January 12, 2018, we received an approval of immigrant visa at the U.S. Consulate Manila for an alien who applied for I-601-A as one who entered as a seaman.
  9. On January 10, 2018, we received an approval form USCIS of a self petition for abused spouse based on same sex marriage.
  10. On January 3, 2018, we received an approval from the Immigration Court for a waiver of misrepresentation for a client who was charged with misrepresentation in marriage;
  11. On December 15, 2017, we received an approval from USCIS for an adjustment of status for same sex marriage for an applicant who entered without inspection but has Sec. 245 (i).
  12. On November 16, 2017, we received an approval from Immigration Court for a waiver of misrepresentation for entering as single daughter of U.S. citizen but actually married.

If you have immigration problems the Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation.

Crispin Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association.  He specializes in immigration law and personal injury.  For free consultation email or call (info@ccllaw.net / 1-877-456-9266)



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