Judge issues adjustment of status ruling in another state

On Behalf of | Apr 6, 2018 | Adjustment Of Status |

Many Florida immigrants remember what was like when they fled their countries of origin to seek asylum in the United States. Such situations are often wrought with fear and trepidation. The process can be long and arduous, especially for those who did not realize there was a deadline associated with their adjustment of status applications.

A judge in another state recently stated that the Department of Homeland Security failed to properly inform thousands of immigrants that they had but one year to make sure all their paperwork was handed in to formally apply for asylum. The U.S. district judge made this statement during class-action lawsuit proceedings regarding a claim filed by a group of immigrant advocates. They were acting on behalf of those who get released from detainment to await their immigration interviews but fail to meet the deadlines attached to their application requests because no immigration official informed them that such deadlines exist.

Another problem immigrants seeking asylum often face is that the court won’t hear their cases if they do not receive notices to appear. The government often fails to send such notices within a year of immigrants’ requests for asylum. This creates a problem when they finally receive their notices to appear but their application expiration dates have already passed.

The judge ordered the government to develop a standardized system for asylum applications that prevents such problems from occurring. One of the best ways to avoid complications when seeking an adjustment of status in Florida is to reach out for support from an experienced immigration and naturalization law attorney. This alliance can often help streamline efforts to expedite the application process with the least number of obstacles possible.

Source: The Washington Post, “US judge opens door for thousands to apply for asylum”, Gene Johnson, March 29, 2018

Archives

FindLaw Network