Houston Immigration Lawyer: People Applying for Relief under Obama Orders Should Act Now

By: The Law Office of Kathryn N. Karam
 
HOUSTON - Dec. 17, 2014 - PRLog -- Those who may be affected by the executive orders the President announced last month should start taking action soon, said Houston immigration lawyer Kathryn Karam. To obtain relief, people affect must apply, she said.

“If you qualify for deferred action under the executive order, the best time to start the process is now,” Karam said. “Immigration proceedings can be slow. Anyone who qualifies should not wait to speak to an attorney.”

The executive orders, announced November 20, will be implemented over the next several months. Some may take longer than others to implement. Once implemented, people will need to apply for the provisions in the orders.

“People in the United States without legal status, either because they entered without permission or their visa expired, should not assume that they will not face removal or other negative actions just because they qualify,” Karam said. “People must apply. A lawyer can help with that process and ensure it goes as smoothly as possible, and that they will achieve the best possible results.”

The orders cover a broad group of people:

The order expands the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to cover people of any age who entered before turning 16. The prior DACA was limited to people born after June 15, 1981. To qualify, the person must have lived in the United States continuously since 2010 (the prior date was 2007). People covered by DACA receive deferred action and work authorization.

It grants deferred action and work authorization parents of citizens and permanent residents who have lived continuously in the United States since January 1, 2010 if the children were born on or before November 20. This is referred to as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA.

The order grants provisional waivers of unlawful presence to the sons and daughters of U.S. citizens and the spouses and children of lawful permanent residents if they have resided in the United States without legal status for at least 180 days.

If a person meets the above requirements but is a priority for removal, such as someone who has been convicted of a violent felony, they will not qualify.

The orders are expected to have a broad impact on immigration. They are project to affect more than 5 million people. The Pew Research Center said that, based on the spike of new applications in the last quarter of 2012, when the President’s first DACA order was handed down.

“People who believe they might qualify for relief should contact an attorney today to beat the rush,” Karam said.

Kathryn Karam is a Houston immigration lawyer (http://www.immisolver.com/) who represents people and employers throughout the region seeking visas and assistance with other immigration matters.

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Source:The Law Office of Kathryn N. Karam
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