Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Under DACA, certain undocumented immigrants to the United States who entered the country as minors and meet other requirements can receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for employment.
USCIS is currently not processing initial DACA requests, however. It notes the following on its website regarding the status of the DACA program and confirms that it is still accepting and processing renewal applications:
“On Oct. 5, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a July 2021 decision of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas declaring the 2012 DACA policy unlawful. The Fifth Circuit, however, preserved the partial stay issued by the district court in July 2021 and remanded the case back to the district court for further proceedings regarding the new DACA rule. On Oct. 14, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued an order extending its injunction and partial stay to the DACA final rule.
At this time and while the stay remains in place, current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents are valid, and USCIS will accept and process renewal DACA requests and accompanying requests for employment authorization under the final rule. USCIS will continue to accept and process applications for advance parole for current DACA recipients and will continue to accept but not process initial DACA requests.”
To renew your DACA status or to submit your initial request, please call our office at 313-251-8282 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment from this website.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
TPS is a form of humanitarian relief granted to countries ravaged by natural disasters or war and allows citizens of those countries to remain in the U.S. until the situation improves back home. Countries currently designated for TPS are: Afganistan, Burma, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.
TPS can thus be granted to an individual who is a national of a designated country, has filed for status during a specified registration period, and who has been continuously physically present in the U.S. since a designated date.
During a designated period, TPS holders are:
- Not removable from the U.S. and not detainable based on his or her immigration status;
- Eligible for an employment authorization document (EAD); and
- Eligible for travel authorization.
To discuss your eligibility for TPS or renewal of your TPS status, please call our office at 313-251-8282 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment from this website.
Parole in Place for U.S. Military Families (PIP)
Parole in place (PIP)is a program for certain undocumented family members of U.S. military personnel allowing them to stay temporarily in the United States and, if eligible, subsequently allowing them to apply for adjustment of status (a green card).
You may be eligible for parole in place if you meet the following requirements:
- You are physically present in the United States.
- You were not previously “admitted,” meaning that you entered the country unlawfully.
- You do not have a criminal conviction or other serious adverse factors.
- You are the spouse, widow(er), parent, son, or daughter of:
- An active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces;
- An individual in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve;
- A military veteran (whether living or deceased, as long as he or she was not dishonorably discharged) who served in active duty or in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve.
Once you have obtained approval for your PIP application and there is no other reason why you may be inadmissible to the United States (such as a prior removal order), you may be eligible to apply for legal permanent residence (a green card) based upon your U.S. citizen immediate family member, such as a child who has reached the age of 21.
To discuss whether you meet the requirements for Parole in Place, please call our office at 313-251-8282 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment from this website.