The year 2013 has started off with many immigration changes and the possibilities of even more dramatic changes to come! First, on January 3rd, 2013 the new waiver process was finally announced to start March 4th, 2013. This new processes will allow qualifying relatives (immediate relatives: spouses, children, and parents) of United State Citizens to stay in the U.S. while their waiver application is being processed. This might not seem like an extreme change but in fact, it is a step in the right direction as it applies to immigration changes. The waiver process can take at least a year and in some cases up to 18 months. This process was a major reason why many people were afraid of applying for immigration benefits, the uncertainty of waiting outside the U.S. for the waiver to be processed. Now qualifying relatives can wait within the U.S. while the application that forgives their illegal staying is being processed. The main reasons for these changes are so families will not be separated for such an extreme amount of time and it also allows for these types of applications to be streamlined through one centralized office.
The next step now is the future of immigration laws, which have not seen reform in several decades. The U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., spoke this past Tuesday, February 5th at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., in which he stated, “One of the great founding principles of our county was that children would not be punished for the mistakes of their parents.” Many commentators have taken this to mean that he is open to discussing the DREAM Act, which would allow children of undocumented immigrants that were brought to the U.S. at a young age to have a pathway to Residency. Therefore, at this moment the future of immigration reform is looking bright but this discussion has only started. As we continue to monitor the different discussions between the parties we hope to see a specific plan emerge from any camp!
If you have any immigration questions regarding Citizenship, Green Card, Deportation, Immigration Removal or Criminal Issues with Immigration conditions, call Dallas Immigration Attorneys at (972) 460-9339, or email us at contact@dallasarealaw.com.
