Nalbandian Law

IMMIGRATION COURTS CLOSED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 11, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through September 11, 2020.

***URGENT BREAKING NEWS: I-765 WORK PERMIT CHANGES, EFFECTIVE AS OF TOMORROW, AUGUST 25, 2020, MAKING IT CONSIDERABLY HARDER TO OBTAIN WORK AUTHORIZATION FOR ASYLUM APPLICANTS: Recent rule changes will make it much harder for asylum seekers to work in the United States . We are summarizing some of the key changes in this post. Changes to who can get a work permit if you have applied for or are considering applying for asylum (please read ALL OF THE CHANGES below carefully):... Asylum seekers who cross the border on or after August 25, 2020 and do not present at a port of entry will NOT be eligible for a work permit, unless they meet certain exceptions. Asylum seekers who have been in the United States for more than a year and file their asylum application on or after August 25, 2020 (missed the one-year asylum filing deadline) will not be eligible for a work permit, unless and until an immigration judge or USCIS officer finds that they qualify for an exception, or unless they are a child who is designated an unaccompanied minor. Asylum seekers will have to wait 365 days (one year) after submitting their asylum application to be eligible for a work permit, instead of 180 days (about 6 months), starting on August 25, 2020. So make sure you postmark your applications today if you can, before the changes kick in tomorrow. Asylum seekers who have committed or been convicted of certain crimes (DUI, etc.) may not be eligible for work permits. Starting on August 25, 2020, the government will no longer stop the asylum clock for specific reasons. Instead, the government will deny applications for work permits if they decide that there are unresolved applicant-caused delays, for example if the asylum seeker missed a biometrics appointment. Starting on August 25, 2020, the government will charge an $85 fee for biometrics for asylum seekers applying for a work permit. These are critical and radical changes to EAD (work permit) laws. You may email us at [email protected] if you have any questions related to these rule changes or call us at (818) 244-0310 to leave a message regarding your questions. Email is the preferred method of communication and leads to faster response times.)

IMMIGRATION COURTS CLOSED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 4, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through September 4, 2020.

IMMIGRATION COURTS CLOSED THROUGH AUGUST 28, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through August 28, 2020.

IMMIGRATION COURTS CLOSED THROUGH AUGUST 21, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through August 21, 2020.

BREAKING NEWS: INJUNCTION ISSUED BY NEW YORK FEDERAL JUDGE AGAINST THE NEW PUBLIC CHARGE RULES/FORM I-944 - NO NEED TO INCLUDE FORM I-944 AND THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED WITH FORM I-944 FOR APPLICATIONS FILED ON OR AFTER JULY 29, 2020 AS LONG AS THIS FEDERAL INJUNCTION IS IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES: USCIS states, as follows, on their website: As long as the July 29, 2020, SDNY decision is in effect, USCIS will apply the 1999 public charge guidance that was in place b...efore the Public Charge Rule was implemented on Feb. 24, 2020 to the adjudication of any application for adjustment of status on or after July 29, 2020. In addition, USCIS will adjudicate any application or petition for extension of nonimmigrant stay or change of nonimmigrant status on or after July 29, 2020, consistent with regulations in place before the Public Charge Rule was implemented; in other words, we will not apply the public benefit condition. For applications and petitions that USCIS adjudicates on or after July 29, 2020, pursuant to the SDNY injunction, USCIS will not consider any information provided by an applicant or petitioner that relates to the Public Charge Rule, including information provided on the Form I-944, or information on the receipt of public benefits in Part 5 on Form I-539, Part 3 on Form I-539A or Part 6 on Form I-129. Applicants and petitioners whose applications or petitions are POSTMARKED on or after July 29, 2020, should NOT include the Form I-944 or provide information about the receipt of public benefits on Form I-485, Form I-129, or Form I-539/I-539A. USCIS will issue guidance regarding the use of affected forms. In the interim, USCIS will not reject any Form I-485 on the basis of the inclusion or exclusion of Form I-944, nor Forms I-129 and I-539 based on whether Part 6, or Part 5, respectively, has been completed or left blank. In any public charge inadmissibility determination, USCIS will consider the receipt of public benefits consistently with prior public charge guidance the 1999 Interim Field Guidance (PDF) and AFM Ch. 61.1. (PDF, 77.92 KB)

IMMIGRATION COURTS CLOSED THROUGH AUGUST 14, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through August 14, 2020.

IMMIGRATION COURT CLOSURES EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST 7, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through August 7, 2020.

IMMIGRATION COURT CLOSURES EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 24, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through, and including, July 24, 2020.

IMMIGRATION COURT CLOSURES EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 17, 2020: Hearings in all non-detained cases at courts without an announced opening date nationwide (including hearings in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through, and including, July 17, 2020.

IMMIGRATION COURT CLOSURES EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 10, 2020: Hearings in non-detained cases at courts without an announced date (including hearings in Los Angeles and Van Nuys immigration courts) are now postponed through, and including, July 10, 2020.

BREAKING NEWS: The DACA decision by the U.S. Supreme Court today remands the case and keeps DACA in place, for now, though it’s a narrow decision and the litigation on the issue will likely continue. We will update you shortly as to what this means to new applicants and whether they can now apply for DACA once we analyze the decision and also get more guidance from USCIS as to whether and when they will accept new DACA applicants. https://www.google.com//daca-immigration-suprem/index.html

MOST IMMIGRATION COURT HEARINGS NATIONWIDE POSTPONED THROUGH JULY 3, 2020: As previously announced, the Honolulu Immigration Court resumed non-detained hearings today, June 15, 2020. The Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Hartford, Las Vegas, Memphis, and New Orleans Immigration Courts will resume non-detained hearings on June 29. Hearings in non-detained cases at ALL OTHER immigration courts, including Los Angeles and Van Nuys Courts, are now postponed through, and including, Thursday... July 2, 2020. All immigration courts will be closed Friday, July 3, 2020, in observance of Independence Day. As previously announced, the Honolulu Immigration Court resumed non-detained hearings today, June 15, 2020. The Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Hartford, Las Vegas, Memphis, and New Orleans Immigration Courts will resume non-detained hearings on June 29. Hearings in non-detained cases at all other immigration courts are postponed through, and including, Thursday July 2, 2020. All immigration courts will be closed Friday, July 3, 2020, in observance of Independence Day. Those courts plan to reopen on July 6th, unless hearings are postponed again. We will always keep you updated on any news regarding when immigration courts plan to reopen and upcoming changes to the court system once they do reopen in the next few weeks. See more