Immigrants Need to Be Aware of Legal Requirements
Employers Need to Check Employee Credentials Carefully
By Isaul Verdin, VERDIN Founder and Managing Attorney |
In this article:
Legal Immigrants Important Info to Know
Dallas Deportation Defense Litigation
On Wednesday April 3, 2019 – ICE conducted a mass immigration raid in the Collin County town of Allen, TX.
At least some of those detained were shocked and surprised to discover that although they had tried to follow USCIS requirements – they were in violation and considered ‘illegal’.
There is not a unified database for immigrants to use in checking their overall USCIS current status. For example, a missed deadline on various paperwork will result in ‘illegal’ status even for green card holders. It is very important to know the timing needed for all required paperwork.
Unauthorized Immigrant Workers Were Suspected in Allen
Immigration officials said CVE Technology Group had hired unauthorized immigrants. After an audit earlier in 2019 found “numerous hiring irregularities,” ICE officials executed a criminal search warrant.
ICE says it began auditing the employment document of workers at CVE Technology after receiving tips that the business was hiring people not authorized to work in the country.
Families rushed to the site of the raid. Protesters gathered briefly outside the ICE Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. The group consisted mostly of family members of those detained.
According to ICE, the employees arrested were predominantly women. They were from 15 countries, which included: El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela. ICE said more than half of the workers had been released with orders to appear before a federal immigration judge, but 110 people remained in custody as of Thursday.
Legal Immigrants Important Info to Know
Conditional Residency: Any foreign national granted permanent resident status on a conditional basis must petition to remove the conditions of their status before the 2nd anniversary of the approval date of their conditional status.
A conditional permanent resident receives a green card valid for 2 years. In order to remain a permanent resident, a conditional permanent resident must file a petition to remove the condition during the 90 days before the green card expires.
The conditional card cannot be renewed. The conditions must be removed or you will lose your permanent resident status.
Read more at Conditional Residency FAQs.
After a Green Card is Granted – Renewals and More: A Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) is issued to all permanent residents as proof that they are authorized to live and work in the United States. If you are a permanent resident age 18 or older, you are required to have a valid Green Card in your possession at all times.This page gives you a brief summary of the top actions a permanent resident may need to do after receiving a Green Card.
Find on on USCIS:
Dallas Deportation Defense Litigation
Deportation defense litigation – a core competency and historical strong suit at VERDIN Dallas Immigration Law.
Undocumented immigrants, visa holders, and lawful permanent residents can all be placed in deportation proceedings (formally, “removal proceedings”) for any number of reasons.
Some of the VERDIN firm’s areas of expertise include:
• Naturalization and Citizenship
• I-9 and E-Verify Compliance
• Adjustment of status
(including the new provisional waiver process)
• Removal of conditions on permanent residence
• Fiancé/e visas (K visas)
• Deferred Action, Crime Victims, and Other Humanitarian Relief
VERDIN has an exceptional track record in defending clients from deportation. VERDIN’s veteran litigators include former immigration court staff attorneys, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and U.S. army Judge Advocate Generals (JAGs). Whether before an immigration court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or a federal circuit court of appeals – VERDIN is prepared to provide the best deportation defense available.
For More Info, see Deportation Defense Litigation
More About the Allen ICE Raid
From https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/allen-ice-raid-before-and-after-11634258
“In many of the cases where there’s a large-scale raid, it’s whistle-blowing,” Dallas immigration attorney Isaul Verdin says. “A disgruntled employee within the organization may be unhappy with the situation and will call ICE on the company. ICE will initiate an audit, and then determine that there’s some inconsistencies on the (company’s) I-9s and that’s the tip of the iceberg. Then they’ll go in.”
In CVE’s case, ICE says it received multiple tips that the company “may have knowingly hired illegal aliens, and that many of the individuals employed at CVE were using fraudulent identification documents.”
Despite the centrality of one’s Social Security number to getting and maintaining credit, verifying one’s identity and paying taxes, there’s every chance that an employer might not verify an applicant’s credentials, Verdin says.
“Are people generating fake socials and are people using other people’s Socials with consent or without consent? Yes, that’s happening. Some industries are prone to see that kind of pattern,” Verdin says. “There are some E-Verify systems and federal databases where people can crosscheck, but not all industries or companies have adopted that platform. On a large scale, most employers are not really aware as to the legitimacy of (a given) Social Security number — and if it truly corresponds to that worker. Many times, they’ll take at face value whatever documents are provided by an employee.”
Some employers are willfully ignorant of the legitimacy, or lack thereof, of the ID documents provided by new hires. Others are genuinely caught off guard when they’re audited, according to Verdin. At a press conference Wednesday, ICE officials declined to say whether any CVE managers were arrested during the raid.
“People buy these things or people — sometimes it is consensual — they’ll lend their Social, they’ll lend their identity. It’s not proper, but it happens,” Verdin says.
“It’s a reality that we need to deal with. It needs to be addressed. People will debate what the solution is, but people will agree that there’s a problem. Some people prefer a more compassionate solution — like I would — and some people are more draconian, more drastic, and want a harsher solution … To me, (raids like the one in Allen) are just a reminder that this is a real problem. Employers need employees. There’s a low unemployment rate. There’s economic necessity. There’s a real demand, a need, from the supply side.”
After a raid, it’s up to those swept up to seek legal counsel and to do what they can to remain in the country. Verdin, who is representing two clients caught in the Allen raid, says the first step is seeking bail so that the detainee can remain free while immigration proceedings move forward.
“Thereafter, we have to present the client to an immigration judge to seek relief, if there is any, to see if they have any long-term defenses,” Verdin says. “Then it’s case-by-case, some people have (cases for relief) – some people do not.”
In 2017, the most recent year for which complete data is available, agents in ICE’s Dallas office arrested nearly 17,000 people, the most in the United States. In a separate interview in 2018, Verdin attributed the Dallas office’s numbers to the vast area it covers: it encompasses not only Dallas and Fort Worth but extends as far south as Waco and as far west as Lubbock.
Immigration Questions? Please Contact VERDIN Law
Isaul VERDIN has extensive experience advising multinational companies and entrepreneurs on complex US immigration matters involving investments.
Mr. VERDIN focuses on advising companies on structuring entities, acquisitions, and strategic expansion to satisfy US immigration E-1, E2, L1A, L1B, or EB-1 objectives in a variety of fields; including real estate, aviation, technology, manufacturing, retail, luxury goods, and professional services. Additionally, he litigates deportation defense matters throughout the US.
VERDIN has a combined 70 years of experience in immigration law. Since its inception, VERDIN has gained a reputation for prevailing in even the most complicated immigration matters.
“As a Board Certified, Immigration Lawyer (Texas Board of Legal Specialization) with over 17 years of experience, my passion is immigration law. We will listen to your concerns, answer all your questions, and expertly guide you through your immigration process.” ~ Isaul VERDIN, Founder and Managing Attorney
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