tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19148358929082485852024-02-20T00:29:05.855-08:00Immigration and DeportationGehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-86043074159792289012012-03-13T09:17:00.001-07:002012-03-13T09:19:00.056-07:00DHS Will Employ New Tracking System for Visa Holders<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.dhs.gov/" target="_blank">The Department of Homeland Security</a> (DHS) plans on implementing a new, improved system to track individuals who overstay their U.S. tourist or work visa. DHS plans to begin the program in the next few weeks, and the program will trace future immigrants— not those that are currently in the U.S. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The system will utilize biometrics, which is a type of technology that identifies individuals based on physical or behavioral characteristics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DHS has been brainstorming ideas to deploy those who overstay their U.S. tourist or work visa ever since the terrorism attack of 9/11. According to reports, the goal of using biometrics for visa holders is to reduce terrorism attacks. The Associated Press reported that 36 individuals charged with terrorism were in the U.S. with visas that expired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although biometric measures will be employed to track visa holders, DHS will keep an even closer watch on those with criminal records.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Unless they had some reason to believe an individual detained for some other offense was in fact an immigration violator, it would be rare that they would INS and ask them to do a TECS (Treasury Enforcement Communications System) check.” said John Cohen, DHS deputy counter terrorism coordinator.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-48286313882209449332012-03-12T13:41:00.000-07:002012-03-12T13:41:48.529-07:00U.S. the Leading Destination for Several Religious Groups<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the 19th century, immigrants have been coming to the U. S. in hopes of creating better lives for themselves and their families. Since then, the U.S. has become a melting pot of different ethnicities, cultures and religions. According to a study by the <a href="http://pewresearch.org/" style="color: #507fd5;" target="_blank">Pew Research Center</a>, the U.S. is the leading destination for many religious groups, but not all. The U.S. continues to be the number one destination for Christian and Buddhist migrants, as well as individuals who have no particular faith. Of the 43 million foreign-born individuals living the U.S. presently, approximately 32 million— that’s about 74 percent —are Christian.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other key findings:</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• The U.S. is the second top destination for Hindu and Jewish migrants. However, for Muslim groups, the top destinations are Saudi Arabia, Russia, Germany, France, Jordan and Pakistan, with the U.S. following behind Pakistan for the number seven spot. As of 2010, there is an estimated 2 million Muslim immigrants living in America, which makes up approximately 5 percent of the entire U.S. immigrant population.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• The U.S. continues to be the leading destination for international migrants overall. Compared with Russia, the second-leading destination for international migrants, the U.S. has three times more migrants. In addition, one of every five international immigrants who are alive today live in the U.S.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• The study showed that most U.S. immigrants come from Mexico. Other top countries of origin of U.S. immigrants include the Philippines, China, India and Germany. About 13 percent of the U.S. population is foreign-born.</span></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-59541573502779885252012-03-10T07:20:00.000-08:002012-03-10T07:20:32.298-08:00Obama Speaks About Immigration Reform In Response to Fox News Latino Poll<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Fox News Latino poll conducted under Latin Insights was released on Monday, March 5 and consisted of 1,200 likely Latino voters in the U.S. The poll showed that 73 percent think Obama’s performance in office is satisfactory and more than half support his work to reform healthcare and the economy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Approximately half of those questioned consider jobs and the economy a huge factor when voting for the next president. Although the economy seems to be a hot issue for Latinos, the study also demonstrated that immigration reform is more of a personal issue and than it is a political one. More than 80 percent want to see a path for undocumented immigrants to legalize their status, but only 12 percent regard immigration as a high priority when voting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 82 percent believe that undocumented workers are more willing to do work that Americans are not. In addition, nine out of ten support the DREAM Act, which would give conditional temporary residency and eventually permanent residency and U.S. citizenship to undocumented immigrants who have been living in the U.S. for most of their lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Majority of the poll voters also said that if they needed to make a decision to vote for a president right at this moment, they would vote for Obama over any of the Republican candidates, who all have expressed a need for tougher regulations and policies on immigration. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The question for most Latinos is not whether they want more immigration or less immigration,” said Allert Brown-Gort, associate director of the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. “It has to do not so much with the [candidate’s] stance on immigration, but the attitude that Latinos perceive that Republicans have of Latinos when they talk about immigration.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In response to the poll’s indication that Obama holds a favorable lead over other GOP candidates, Obama said, “When I came into office I said, ‘I’m going to push to get this done.’ We didn’t. The reason we haven’t got it done is because what used to be a bipartisan issue, agreement that we should fix this, ended up becoming a partisan issue.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Included in Obama’s response on immigration reform is the need to prevent companies from exploiting the work of undocumented workers and a effective and efficient path for undocumented workers to get U.S. citizenship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Like most Americans, Latinos want a balanced immigration policy— one that combines smart enforcement with a path to citizenship,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of American’s Voice, an organization fighting for less harsh immigration policies. “What they don’t like is when opportunistic politicians try to bully immigrants out of the country and demonize people who are working hard to build a better life for their families.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the poll showed that Latinos are more likely to vote for a Democrat than a Republican, Jennifer Korn, executive director of the Hispanic Leadership Network said, “President Obama talks a good game, but he hasn’t delivered… It’s such an easy thing to do— blame Republicans. He had a Democrat, veto-proof Congress for his first two years, and he didn’t seize upon that.” </span>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-22709506387095431292012-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:002012-03-07T15:30:25.402-08:00The Forthcoming H-1B Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/DUh_Qn9IdwQ/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DUh_Qn9IdwQ&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DUh_Qn9IdwQ&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The USCIS will start accepting H-1B applications on April 2012 for the 2013 fiscal year. Attorney Gehi discusses the forthcoming H-1B program.</span>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-55027688856952258462012-03-05T09:57:00.004-08:002012-03-05T10:00:42.688-08:00Labor Department Develops New Rules for H-2B Program<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The Department of Homeland Security issued new guidelines for a nationwide training program that will help immigration agents close deportation cases, expediting the process of deporting illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes. The training program is meant to assist immigration agents in wisely choosing whether to undertake a deportation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">“We are empowering the attorneys nationally to make them more like federal prosecutors, who decide what cases to bring,” said a senior Homeland Security official who did not want to be named.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The first stage was a review of deportation cases brought before immigration courts, including a test-run of the program that was completed in January.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The second stage was a six-week pilot project that also ended in January. Immigration lawyers in the immigration courts of Baltimore and Denver examined their dockets for cases where immigrants have been arrested for deportation but not kept in detention during the process of their case. Several ICE attorneys reviewed approximately 8,000 pending removal cases in Denver and concluded that of those pending removal cases, at least 1,300 should be administratively closed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">According to a document by the Homeland Security, the program is meant to “reduce inefficiencies that delay the removal of criminal aliens and other priority cases by preventing new low priority cases from clogging the immigration court dockets.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Homeland Security officials are currently determining what steps need to be taken so that the program can expand nationwide to all immigration courts by early next year. It is estimated that approximately 50,000 cases will be administratively closed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-35526108424476722202012-03-05T09:48:00.001-08:002012-03-05T09:49:56.052-08:00New Proposed Immigration Policy from the Obama Administration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Friday, January 6, 2012, the Obama administration proposed a new rule that would reduce the time that illegal immigrants are apart from their U.S. citizen family members. Under the current rule, illegal immigrants must leave the U.S. before they can ask the government to waive the 3 or 10 year ban before they can legally come back to the U.S. They would have to apply for a visa in their home country. The proposed rule would change this by reducing the time they are out of the U.S. to as little as a few days or a few months. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas states that the policy will "minimize the extent to which bureaucratic delays separate Americans from their families."</span>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-25642368105804787962012-02-15T16:08:00.000-08:002012-02-15T16:08:46.069-08:00Labor Department Develops New Rules for H-2B Program<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On February 10, 2012, the Labor Department announced new rules for the H-2B program. The H-2B program allows foreigners to come to the U.S. to work as temporary guest workers on a seasonal basis. Such jobs include seafood fisherman and processors and amusement park, hotel and agricultural workers. <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to the department’s officials, the new rules are meant to reinforce protection against employers who want to exploit foreign workers, as well as increase jobs for Americans. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Labor Department will be creating an electronic system that requires employers to post all jobs they want for H-2B workers. In addition, they have extended the recruitment period for Americans. Employers must now hire a qualified American worker who applies three weeks before the commencement of an H-2B contract.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Labor Department is also making a few other changes. Previously, employers could simple say or declare that they have done a thorough job on looking for American workers in order to receive a Labor Certification. However, employers will now need to prove to the State Workforce Agencies that they could not find local workers. Also, if the H-2B worker finishes half of the contract period, the employer will be required to pay for the H-2B worker’s transportation costs back home to his or her home country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another major change is that employers must pay three-quarters of the agreed payment in the contract, even if the temporary worker does not have work to perform. The new rules also prohibit recruiters from taking any payment of fees from workers who want to be in the H-2B program. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Director of the National Guestworker Alliance, Jennifer J. Rosenbaum, said that the new rules "remove incentives to try to get around hiring an unemployed American by hiring exploitable guest workers instead.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, some employers say that the new rules will create barriers and cause the process of hiring temporary workers to slow down greatly. As a result, they believe that Americans will actually lose jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“This is another log in the road to derail the whole industry here,” said Jack Brooks, a crab professor in Maryland and a member of the Coalition to Save American’s Seafood Industry, which is a group of employers in the H-2B program in the fishing industry. “If you take the seafood people away, tens of thousands of American jobs are at risk.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new rules will take into effect on April 23, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Attorney Advertisement. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-52215338442184590472012-02-08T13:22:00.000-08:002012-02-08T13:22:41.656-08:00Types of Penalties Associated With LCA Violations<div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">Companies found in violation of the LCA may face three different types of penalties. The first type is civil monetary fines, in which there are three different “levels” of fines. The first level includes any inaccuracies and distortions in a filed LCA, failure to put enough effort into recruiting U.S. workers, and a lack of records for a certain amount of time. Companies found in violation of level one may be required to pay up to $1,000.00 per violation.</div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">The second level includes violations in the first level, but in a willful manner. Willful violations are defined as knowingly and repeatedly violating LCA Practices, the intention to continue to violate regulations, or a long background of violations. In addition, a willful violation includes a company producing or distorting documentation during an immigration audit. Companies found in violation of level two may be required to pay up to $5,000.00 per violation.</div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">The third level of violations is comparable to the second level, but also includes the termination of a U.S. employee 90 days before, as well as 90 days after an H-1B filing. In other words, the employer showed that the U.S. worker was fired and that an H-1B worker was hired for that exact position. Companies found in violation of level three may be required to pay up to $35,000.00 per violation.</div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">The second type of penalty is restricting access to additional H-1B workers. This means that the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) will prevent employers from hiring more H-1B workers for a set amount of time. The time depends on the level of conduct mentioned in civil monetary fines. In the first level, the party is forbidden to hire new H-1B workers for one year. In the second level, the party cannot have additional H-1B workers for two years. In the third level, the company is disqualified from hiring additional H-1B workers for three years.</div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">The third penalty is the payment of back wages. When companies have withheld required wages, the USDOL may mandate for the repayment of those wages in the form of back wages.</div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">It is very important for employers to follow LCA regulations and take an H-1B visa audit or LCA audit very seriously. The costly consequences associated with LCA violations may put a company out of business causing many employees to lose jobs. Therefore, it is highly recommended that employers hire immigration attorneys to access internal audits and compliance to regulations. Gehi & Associates has been helping businesses with all their immigration needs for almost 15 years. Violation of the H-1B Visa program and LCA regulations can be avoided by hiring an expert Immigration Attorney. Our office can provide that function for your company. Your attorney should be able to perform this service on your behalf, as our office does. We would prepare an LCA public access file for every single H-1B case. In this way the first part of the audit would be covered by your attorney.</div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-37243318652961765192012-02-06T11:25:00.001-08:002012-02-06T11:26:52.772-08:00H-1B: How to Establish an Employer-Employee Relationship<div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Federal regulations require that all employers present evidence of an employer-employee relationship. In these instances, an employer must show that he or she has the right to supervise, direct, review and terminate the H-1B worker. An employer must also demonstrate that these rights will continue throughout the beneficiary’s employment with the petitioner. Evidence to establish the employer-employee relationship may include:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A complete itinerary of services with dates of each service, the name and address of the actual employer, the names and address of the establishment, and venues or locations where the services will be performed during employment;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copy of signed employment agreement between the petitioner and beneficiary with employment terms and conditions of;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of employment letters describing the nature of the employer-employee relationship and the services to be performed by the beneficiary;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of valid contracts between the petitioner and a client that establishes the right for the petitioner to control its employees while the petitioner’s employees are placed at the third-party worksite;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of signed contractual agreements, statements of work, work orders, service agreements, and letters between the petitioner and the authorized officials of the ultimate end-client companies where the work will actually be performed by the beneficiary, which provide information such as a detailed description of the duties the beneficiary will perform, the qualifications required to perform the job duties, and who will supervise the H-1B worker;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A description of the performance review process; and/or</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A copy of the petitioner’s organizational chart, demonstrating the beneficiary’s supervisory chain.</span></li>
</ul><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the former documents are used to show evidence of an employer-employee relationship during an H-1B petition, in the case of an H-1B extension, the U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) will determine if a relationship existed during employment and if it that relationship will continue to exist for the extension. Evidence that can be utilized to show this continuing relationship may include the following:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of the beneficiary’s pay records;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of the beneficiary’s payroll summaries and/ or Form W-2s;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time sheets;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of prior years’ work schedules;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Documentary examples of work product created or produced by the beneficiary for the past H-1B validity period;</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of dated performance reviews; and/ or</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 50px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of any employment history records, including but not limited to, documentation showing dates of hire, dates of job changes, i.e. promotions, demotions, transfers, layoffs, and pay changes with effective dates.</span></li>
</ul><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes an H-1B worker is placed at multiple worksites. In this case, the employer must have a complete itinerary of the worker’s engagement with dates, names and addresses. Valid examples include an accountant traveling to client sites or an architect working on a building project for a client. While these employees are working at multiple worksites, the employer still maintains full control.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the H-1B worker will be placed at a third-party worksite, the employer must demonstrate that he or she has complete control in the sense of directing, reviewing and terminating the H-1B worker. If the H-1B worker reports to a manager at this third-party site and the petitioner does not maintain control over the foreign worker, the petition will be denied. A valid example includes an IT employee working at a client’s site to develop an in-house computer program using the employer’s software and expertise. The employee is still paid under the petitioner and reports are sent to the petitioner. This is enough valid evidence to show control and a relationship.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the H-1B worker will be an independent contractor whose work is not fully controlled by the employer, the USCIS will deny the petition as this portrays a lack of an employer-employee relationship.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basically, an employer must show that he or she established a working relationship with the beneficiary and that the employer will have full control over the H-1B employee. Failure to show evidence of an employer-employee relationship during a petition may call for a Requests of Evidence (REF). This usually happens because employers are not up-to-date with current USCIS expectations and standards. Nowadays, many employers are facing REFs despite using strategies that have worked during past years to file H-1Bs. Therefore, it is extremely important that H-1B sponsoring companies hire an attorney who can audit the H-1B process and is knowledgeable of current USCIS procedures.</span></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-64945297271903611592012-02-01T11:31:00.000-08:002012-02-01T11:31:22.639-08:00Employment Law Q&A<div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>ARE YOU GETTING PAID YOUR WAGES AND OVERTIME? </strong><br />
<strong>ARE YOU ILLEGAL AND YOUR EMPLOYER HAS FAILED TO PAY YOUR WAGES?</strong> </span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: Who is entitled to overtime?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: All employees who work more than 40 hours per week and work in non-exempt occupations are entitled to overtime pay.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: Who qualifies for overtime pay?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Generally, positions that qualify for overtime are office coordinators, production and constructions workers, opticians, pharmacy assistants, technical and clerical, service maintenance, inside sales, skilled trades, cashiers, clerks, etc.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: How much overtime pay am I entitled to?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Federal law mandates that hours worked over 40 in a week are paid at 1½ times the employee’s regular rate, provided the employee is not in an exempt field.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: If my employer has not paid me overtime, and I sue, how much can I recover?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Liability for failure to pay overtime is the amount owed plus an additional equal amount for liquidation damages.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: If I sue my employer but lose the case, will the law firm charge me for services?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: No. At Gehi & Associates, we will not charge you any fees until we recover your case.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: If I am illegal in the U.S., can I still receive my back pay?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Yes, you may qualify. However, we suggest seeking the consultation of an attorney before proceedings with a case.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Q: My employer has not paid my wages. Can your law firm help?</strong></span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Yes. Whether you are legal or illegal, we can help you recover your wages. At Gehi & Associates, we help you recover wages and overtime benefits from you employer. Even if you have an H-1B visa, we can assist you in recovering your wages.</span></div><div align="justify" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Attorney Advertisement</strong>.</div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-41087880383805288682012-01-30T13:45:00.000-08:002012-02-06T11:27:57.735-08:00221(G) VISA DENIALS FROM CONSULAR OFFICES<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">A 221(g) is a type of visa denial that occurs when a petitioner has not met the requirements for an approved visa petition. In this case, the petitioner becomes ineligible under INA Section 221(g) as mandated either by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or a consular office abroad. When a visa petition is given to a consulate abroad, that petition must first gain the approval of the USCIS before it can be viewed by a consular office. Although the USCIS is the leading authority in approving or denying immigration petitions, consular offices have the ability to disapprove a petition even after the USCIS has approved the petition. The consular office will then send a notice to the U.S. Department of State’s Kentucky Consular Center requesting a revocation or cancellation of the visa petition.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">After the U.S. Department of State’s Kentucky Consular Center receives the petition, the center processes and sends the petition back to the USCIS where it will be reassessed. The petition will either be reapproved or given a </span><a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=6b3e9c337879d110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextoid=aa7e89ce45c80210VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD" style="background-color: white; color: #507fd5; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Notice of Intent to Revoke</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"> (NOIR). This notice is then mailed to the petitioner, and he or she has 30 days to respond to the NOIR.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Obtaining an approval after you have been issued an NOIR is almost impossible because issuing the NOIR is a lengthy process. Consequently, by the time the NOIR reaches the petitioner, some information in the petition that was used as evidence may not be valid any longer. In addition, responding to the notice takes a lot of time and money— two things that some petitioners cannot afford. In these instances, a petition is most likely disregarded.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Even if the NOIR is fought and is reapproved by the USCIS, there is not an effective system in place for petition revocations. In other words, although the USCIS reaffirmed the petition, the consular office may not have been informed of the decision made by the USCIS.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Reasons for revocation:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">· The alien does not meet the qualifications for a visa</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">· The alien is not allowed to enter the U.S. because of security, criminal, health or other reasons</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">· The alien already has an immigration visa</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">· New information emerged that makes the alien ineligible</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Visa denials are most common in petitions for temporary workers and fiancé/es who apply in a consulate office. For temporary workers, adverse information will come about that causes ineligibility. In the case of fiancé/es, the officer will determine that a bona fide relationship does not exist between the couple.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">If you are met with a visa denial, Gehi & Associates can help you! Our law firm is experienced in handling complex and difficult immigration cases. Do not let a 221(g) scare you! Seek help and advice from our law firm. We offer a free initial personal consultation with an immigration attorney. Call 718-263-5999 or email </span><a href="mailto:info@immigrationquestion.com" style="background-color: white; color: #507fd5; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">info@immigrationquestion.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to schedule an appointment.</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-73615731709698567462011-12-06T10:35:00.000-08:002011-12-06T10:35:19.404-08:00Help us get a client out of wrongful detainment!The family and attorney of Taimur Hussain speaks out about Mr. Hussain's wrongful detainment by the Immigration Customs Enforcement. Repost and share this news! Please view the link below.<br />
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<a href="http://queens.ny1.com/content/151965/queens-family-holds-out-hope-as-father-faces-deportation?ap=1&MP4">http://queens.ny1.com/content/151965/queens-family-holds-out-hope-as-father-faces-deportation?ap=1&MP4</a><br />
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Are you facing deportation? Call 718-263-5999 for a free personal initial consultation!Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-66228591442506129682011-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:002011-11-16T15:20:03.184-08:00Basics of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a battered spouse, child or parent of a U.S. citizen or green card holder can apply for lawful permanent status without the abuser’s knowledge. Both male and females are eligible. <br />
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Generally, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident would petition for a green card for the spouse, child or parent and may even need to attend the interview with the beneficiary. In addition, if you become a legal permanent resident less than two years of your marriage, you normally would be granted a conditional green card. Consequently, your spouse would need to petition your adjustment to full permanent resident. <br />
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These are just a few ways in which an abuser can control, manipulate, intimidate, and isolate a spouse. For example, an abuser may threaten his or her spouse with deportation if the spouse does not comply with the abuser’s demands. <br />
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With the passing of VAWA, a person experiencing domestic violence can file an immigrant visa petition without the knowledge, involvement or assistance of the abuser. <br />
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There are three forms of protection under VAWA: <br />
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<b>1) WAVA self-petition </b><br />
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You can self-petition for a green card if you are abused by: <br />
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Your spouse who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder<br />
Your parent(s) or step-parent(s) who is/are a U.S citizen or green card holder<br />
Your son or daughter who is a U.S. citizen (not legal permanent resident)<br />
Or if your child is abused by your spouse<br />
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<b>2) Battered spouse or child waiver </b><br />
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If you obtained conditional permanent residence and are abused by your spouse who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, you can petition for a visa without your spouse. In some instances, a child can also petition without a mother or father. <br />
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<b>3) VAWA cancellation of removal </b><br />
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If you are in removal proceedings, also known as deportation proceedings, and are abused by your spouse who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder or have a child that is abused by that spouse, you may be eligible for this form of relief. <br />
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Although you may be eligible for one or more of these forms of relief under VAWA, it is highly recommended that you seek the consultation and assistance of an immigration attorney before petitioning for a type of immigration status. An attorney will determine eligibility and help you with the procedure. <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/" target="_blank">Gehi & Associates</a> has been serving the community for almost 15 years and has experience in handling complex immigration cases. For more information on how we can assist you, please contact 718-263-5999 or email info@immigrationquestion.com. <b>We offer a free personal initial consultation.</b>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-72816283690165001152011-11-16T12:00:00.000-08:002011-11-16T12:00:20.007-08:00Client’s Case Is Approved After a Request For Evidence<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">A client filed a Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence but received a Request for Evidence (RFE) by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) requesting additional documents. The client retained Gehi & Associates to assist with this matter. Gehi & Associates responded to the RFE in a timely manner and resubmitted all necessary documents. The case was approved in approximately a month, and the client received his permanent green card. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Attorney Advertisement. <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/" target="_blank">Gehi & Associates</a> does not offer any guarantee of case results. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.</span>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-1305779657205735202011-11-12T08:57:00.000-08:002011-11-12T08:57:15.827-08:00Create jobs in the U.S. for a faster Green CardIf you don’t want to wait years on end for a Green Card in the US, there is a quicker route – the EB5 immigration visa. But it comes with a rider, you have to create jobs and invest money in the US.<br />
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The EB5 is an immigration visa that gets families a permanent Green Card in return for an investment of either $500,000 or $1 million and proof that the investment has created 10 direct or indirect jobs. It provides a short-cut to a conditional Green Card - a permanent resident card that allows an alien to live permanently in the US -- within a year of applying, which can take about three years to convert to a permanent one.<br />
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“The program facilitates foreign entrepreneurs’ capital investment that creates or preserves US jobs by supporting the establishment of new commercial enterprises or assist troubled US-based businesses in economically distressed areas,” Stephanie Ostapowich, public affairs officer, Office of Communications, Media Relations Division, US Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) said.<br />
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A Green Card through other visa categories can take up to several years. Recent reports by the National Foundation for American Policy, which tracks immigration data, show that getting a Green Card for Indians who have received a university degree from the US can even take up to 70 years given the large number of visa-seekers and the limited number of visas available. Indian Green Card seekers who have a degree from an American University need to apply in the EB3 visa category.<br />
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“Failure to retain these talented individuals in the United States means they will go to work for global firms in other countries or US businesses will need to place them abroad, pushing more work outside the United States,” Stuart Anderson, the author of the report released earlier this month said.<br />
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Though the EB5 visa was created by the Immigration Act of 1990, lack of awareness and the complexity of the investment have kept Green Card seekers away.<br />
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Investment experts like Greg Wing, the managing director of Green Card Fund, have now recognized this as an option to help start-ups in the US get funds.<br />
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However, things are changing with the visa gaining attention of both American businesses and government. Since the specter of a global downturn resurfaced, Wing has been getting calls from businesses who would like to get EB5 funding several times a day. Which is also why Wing is now visiting Indian shores, to create awareness about the mechanism and raise millions of dollars from Indians in return for giving them a chance to live the American Dream.Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-47896608415105508562011-11-04T10:55:00.000-07:002011-11-04T10:55:13.709-07:00Client Receives Green Card Regardless of Harsh ClaimsA client who is a native of Jamaica received his green card despite claims by an adjudications officer that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has no record of his lawful entry into the U.S., even though the client has his original I-94, visa and stamped passport. <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/" target="_blank">Gehi & Associates</a> helped with the paperwork and accompanied the client to the <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/Adjustment-of-status/" target="_blank">adjustment</a> interview where we submitted the I-94 and copies of the visa and passport. In a very short while, the client obtained his green card and is now living happily with his wife.<br />
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Attorney Advertisement. Gehi & Associates does not offer any guarantee of case results. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-8237244793333987532011-10-25T11:51:00.001-07:002011-10-25T11:51:32.674-07:00Cancellation of Removal<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1cFrE3o2UtM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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Cancellation of Removal with <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com">Attorney Naresh Gehi</a>.Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-69602213392641503302011-10-25T11:49:00.001-07:002011-10-25T11:49:03.158-07:00Getting Your Green Card<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oQXVyaHnhrM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Getting Your Green with <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/">Attorney Naresh Gehi</a>.Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-34245271725225441772011-10-19T13:03:00.000-07:002011-10-19T13:03:17.933-07:00Learn About the H-1B Program and H-1B AuditingTo help individuals understand the complexities involved in the H-1B visa process and formulate policies for future H-IB applicants, prominent Immigration Attorney Naresh M. Gehi is conducting a teleconference on Friday, October 28 at 3pm.<br />
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The teleconference is part of a ten-series session. The first part of the session will focus on the penalties associated with Labor Condition Application violations and include a 30 minute Q&A. Some of the issues that will be discussed by Attorney Naresh Gehi during the ten-part series include the following:<br />
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• Basics of the <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/H-1B-Professional-Workers/">H-1B program</a>;<br />
• Frequent concerns in the H-1B audit process<br />
• Penalties and consequences for violating H-1B procedures<br />
• Wrongful classifications of the employee under the H-1B program;<br />
• Recent immigration audits conducted by the United States Department of Labor and Immigration and Customs Enforcement<br />
• Job duties of the employee during the audit;<br />
• Prevailing wages under the H-1B program;<br />
• Internal audits and ensuring compliance and;<br />
• The role of the attorney and accountant in an immigration audit<br />
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Individuals who want to gain an understanding of the intricacies of the HI-B program and other processes are welcome to attend the teleconference for FREE. The teleconference is open to the first 40 people who RSVP on or before Wednesday, October 26 to kathleen@gehilaw.com. <br />
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Attorney Naresh Gehi is the principal attorney at <a href="http://www.immigrationquestion.com/">Gehi & Associates</a>, a New York law firm that helps individuals resolve their immigration matters. Attorney Naresh Gehi's practice includes resolving complex business-related immigration cases and handling <a href="http://www.deportationfighters.com/">deportation cases</a> before Immigration Judges.<br />
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Attorney Naresh Gehi regularly appears on various television channels in New York wherein he provides valuable information to viewers regarding the latest happenings in immigration. Attorney Naresh Gehi is the author of <i><a href="http://www.immigrationforeveryone.com/">Immigration For Everyone! How To Get Your Visa Or Green Card Now</a></i>, and he was recently cited as an immigration expert by <a href="http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/4669cc53-6f38-41eb-9108-5285bfac8694/News/Deortation-battle-breakdown">WPIX Channel 11 news</a>. He also served on the panel of experts of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.<br />
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As a thank-you for attending the teleconference, each attendant will receive a PDF copy of <i>Immigration For Everyone! How To Get Your Visa Or Green Card Now</i>. For more information about Attorney Naresh Gehi and the firm, please visit www.immigrationquestion.com.<br />
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Stay tuned for more teleconferences! A teleconference will be hosted on a bi-weekly basis for the duration of the session.Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-43326363145217910112011-10-07T14:36:00.000-07:002011-10-07T14:42:25.327-07:00Lawful Permanent Residents Facing Criminal Convictions<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In March, the Supreme Court in the case of Padilla v. Kentucky issued an important ruling for all lawful permanent residents with criminal convictions. The court ruled that an attorney must inform a client that he or she could face deportation if they plead guilty to a crime. The ruling states that failure to inform a client of the consequences of pleading guilty to a crime will be considered “Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.” This means that the attorney did not properly represent the client under the law, and the client may be given a new trial, a chance to renegotiate a plea agreement, or have a new sentence hearing. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any lawful permanent resident could face deportation if he or she either plead or are found guilty of certain crimes, no matter how long he or she has been in the country. There are certain crimes that make a lawful permanent resident deportable. The convictions which are found to be deportable include, but are not limited to, crimes of moral turpitude, drug offenses, violent offenses, such as murder, rape and robbery, theft and burglary, and firearm offenses. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some convictions permanently bar naturalization while others temporarily bar naturalization for either three or five years depending on your marital status. It is important for clients to inform their attorneys truthfully about any criminal convictions they may have as it will affect the application for citizenship or make you deportable. If the conviction is a temporary bar you should wait until the applicable time period as passed, if not longer. It is very important for a client to evaluate the risk of deportation against possible citizenship.<br />
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- Gehi& Associates (www.immigrationquestion.com)</div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-20302103791548475972011-10-05T12:59:00.001-07:002011-10-05T12:59:49.150-07:00Global Issue: ImmigrationAttorney Naresh M. Gehi speaks about immigration. Tell us your questions and comments about the video and immigration!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/sa8JrAMa30A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1914835892908248585.post-66034792017868294112011-10-05T12:35:00.000-07:002011-10-05T12:54:11.281-07:00“The children are paying for the sins of the parents”Attorney Naresh Gehi is cited as an immigration expert by PIX 11 reporter James Ford during Nadia Habib and her mother's immigration battle. See what he said by clicking <a href="http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/4669cc53-6f38-41eb-9108-5285bfac8694/News/Deortation-battle-breakdown">here</a>.Gehi Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07828215722632338485noreply@blogger.com0