By: James Sellars JD/MA Candidate, American University In a 2010 agency-wide memo describing the Obama Administration’s approach to immigration enforcement, former ICE director John Morton stated that “the removal of aliens who pose a danger to national security or a risk to public safety shall be ICE’s highest immigration enforcement priority.” Despite the Obama administration’s […]
An esteemed immigration law professor at the American University Washington College of Law begins every semester by having his students sing a parody about Congress’ plenary power over immigration to the tune of “Let it Be” by the Beatles. The song effectively grapples with questions regarding the constitutionality of the doctrine and although the exercise […]
By: James Sellars The “Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement” (SAFE) Act is one of several bills that the House leadership has proposed as part of its incremental approach to immigration reform. The bill, introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC), was the subject of a contentious committee […]
On Sept. 30, 2013, authorization for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program for Iraqi nationals who worked for or on behalf of the United States government will expire. The program was created by Section 1244 of Public Law 110-181, as amended by Public Law 110-242. It covers Iraqi nationals who—during the period between March 20, […]
By James Sellars Earlier this month, Lexology published an article discussing the recent steps taken by federal agencies to align the Nation’s immigration policies with the recent Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Windsor. The article, written by Helen Pihlstrom, gave an in-depth analysis on the preliminary efforts taken by various governmental agencies to ensure […]
By James Sellars Earlier this month, a U.S. District Court in Connecticut approved a settlement in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit which challenged Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) refusal to release thousands of documents regarding the operation of its Criminal Alien Program (CAP). In an effort to better understand the daily workings of […]
Statement from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano: “After last week’s decision by the Supreme Court holding that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, President Obama directed federal departments to ensure the decision and its implication for federal benefits for same-sex legally married couples are implemented swiftly and smoothly. To […]
By: Parand Kashani The Washington Post published an article last week discussing immigration reform and U.S. strength and security. The article, written by Robert Kagan, gave an in-depth analysis on the debate over immigration policies, and discussed the current Senate bill in light of these considerations. Kagan discussed how immigration debates can tell us a […]
The most significant white I-94 card stapled to the visa of passports for nonimmigrant foreign nationals in land and seaports around the United States is a familiar image to many travelers. This form is used to prove admission to the United States and determines the length of time one many stay. The United States Customs […]
The “Doctrine of Consular Non-reviewability” may be a concept unfamiliar to many yet it is very important for anyone outside the country desiring to enter the United States with a visa. When an individual is not on U.S. soil, he must go through the U.S. Department of State and visit a consulate abroad in their […]
