With another Trump administration in effect in the United States, uncertainty is growing about the future of the constrained immigration system. During Trump’s first term in the White House, many foreign individuals found it difficult to pursue visas and legal status. If we consider the chaos generated by Trump’s executive orders and policies on immigration from 2017 to 2021, there are many reasons to believe we could face another four years of disarray and discrimination.
Trump made immigration the strongest focus of his third presidential election campaign. As in his first campaign, immigration became the proverbial boogeyman of the election. Trump announced the assembly of another “deportation force” to detain and remove undocumented migrants. He also promised to “shut down the border” and prevent immigrants from “taking American jobs.” Although most of his executive actions to this effect fizzled under legal challenges and practical impossibilities, Trump managed to disrupt the system and negatively impact the lives of many foreigners living and working in the U.S.
With all the above in mind, getting help with the immigration process will likely be a hallmark of the next four years for millions of people. Let’s review the options available to immigrants now.
Immigration Law Firms
If you’re in Southern California, the most sensible approach to U.S. immigration is to retain the services of an immigration lawyer in San Diego. As a focus of legal practice, immigration law is complex and dynamic. It goes through significant changes through rulemaking and internal adjustment more often than the amendments passed by members of Congress. Although immigration falls under federal jurisdiction, lawyers in this practice field must be admitted to state bar associations and the appropriate section, which means they’re held to standards of ethics, continuing education, and career development.
Navigating the U.S. immigration process goes beyond filling out applications, submitting petitions, and paying the mandatory fees. Many foreigners retain immigration attorneys after their submissions are rejected or held up by adjudicators from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), thus underscoring the value of legal representation.
There’s an important warning to foreigners, particularly those from Latin American nations, about the notario scam, a type of fraud in which individuals with notary public licenses pose as immigration legal experts. These swindlers take advantage of the lexical translation of notario in Spanish to notary in English. Notarios in Mexico and many other Latin American jurisdictions are “super-lawyers” with extensive legal training and special licensing to handle civil and administrative matters. A notary public in the U.S. isn’t admitted to practice law.
USCIS Community Programs
Beyond immigration law firms, foreigners can also get assistance from community organizations that get partial funding from USCIS. The Department of Justice manages the Recognition & Accreditation Program for hundreds of organizations that provide help to immigrants. In some cases, they’re able to communicate with USCIS adjudicators more directly if the case file seems to be in limbo. In California, for example, the Pars Equality Center and the International Rescue Committee are part of the program. You can find these organizations listed in the “Find Help in Your Community” section of the USCIS website.
Hiring a highly qualified immigration attorney is one of the best ways to make the immigration process less complicated and stressful. If you need reliable, high-quality legal advice about San Diego immigration issues, reach out to KS Visa Law. To schedule an appointment, call us today.
