The 2016 presidential election which outcome shocked the world when President Donald J. Trump was elected is rapidly changing U.S. immigration landscape. Starting with the ill-fated executive action which banned seven majority Muslim countries, the U.S. immigration world was thrown into chaos. People traveled hoping to be welcomed by their loved ones only to be returned on arrival at their U.S. destinations. Thank to checks and balances in the U.S. branches of government, the judiciary halted the pandemonium.
Today, there are multiple executive actions aimed at enforcing immigration laws through massive deportation task force. In short, the president classified it as military operation although the Secretary for homeland security says the opposite. These mixed messages add to the level of fear among undocumented and to an extent, documented immigrants who are unsure of the next steps and further changes in U.S. Immigration landscape.
Having practiced immigration law for 20 years, I know and I can tell with some level of certainty that this is unusual times. What is more telling is the volume of calls from worried clients, potential clients and immigration advocates; asking what to do in this situation. Thus, the issue and challenge now is how to calm the fears of the worried. The undocumented with criminal records must prepare their family and friends for removal and possible deportation. The undocumented without criminal records must stay away from trouble and avoid criminal behaviors. More importantly, the undocumented must quickly reach out to an experienced immigration attorney to evaluate their immigration options and possible removal defense. Those that are eligible for citizenship must apply to obtain U.S. citizenship without any delays. If you need help dealing with these challenging times, please contact Center for U.S. Immigration Services (CFUIS) – Email: info@cfuis.com or by Phone: (813) 298-7222.
By: Martins I. Imudia, PhD
Martins I. Imudia, PhD is Director and Lead Counsel at the Tampa (Florida) based Center for U.S. Immigration Services. He may be reached via Email: martins@cfuis.com or by phone: (813) 298-7222.
