Resource Library
Practice Update: Form I-539 Extensions of Status & Passport Requirements for U nonimmigrants
ASISTA has prepared a brief advisory to address the recent trends regarding adjudication of I-539 extensions for U nonimmigrants. Practitioners report that USCIS is issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs asking for proof that the applicant had a valid passport at the time of filing. This advisory contains practice…
Read MoreServing Survivors Who May be At Risk of Immigration Enforcement Actions
ASISTA condemns the Administration’s plans for mass raids, now slated to start this Sunday. These mass immigration enforcement actions create immense fear in communities nationwide. For immigrant survivors of violence, these raids exacerbate the trauma and fear they already endure because of the abuse they have experienced. Advocates can help address this fear by providing…
Read MorePractice Alert: Extension of I-918 Forms
On May 29, 2019, ASISTA and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) sent a letter to USCIS leadership expressing concern that the two-month grace period to transition to the new Form I-918 would cause hardship to survivors, advocates, and law enforcement agencies. On Friday, June 21, 2019, USCIS updated the I-918 Form website, so that information regarding the edition…
Read MorePractice Update: Implementation of NTA memo on survivor-based cases
In May and June of 2019, some practitioners have reported that USCIS issued a number of NTAs in connection with denied U and T visa applications. Given these reports, ASISTA in conjunction with CAST, Freedom Network USA, American Association of Immigration Lawyers (AILA), Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles created…
Read MoreLetter to USCIS: Extend grace period for new I-918 Forms
On May 29, 2019 AILA and ASISTA sent a letter to USCIS leadership as well as the CIS Ombudsman expressing concern that the two-month grace period to transition to the new Form I-918 is insufficient as it will cause hardship to survivors, advocates, as well as law enforcement agencies. Read the letter here.
Read MoreComment Today! USCIS Fraud Tip Form
On February 15, 2019 the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed form for notice and comment to collect information from the general public regarding purported immigration fraud. At ASISTA, we are particularly concerned about this Fraud Tip form as it represents another tool for abusers and perpetrators of crime to…
Read MoreNew Form I-539/I-539A Published Today
ASISTA drafted a short practice update on the newly published Form I-539 and I-539A. Read more about the grace period and the new biometrics requirements here.
Read MoreNew! Sample Language for Fee Waiver Cover Letters
Read our new publication on fee waiver requests or contesting denials.
Read MoreNew Amicus Brief: Addressing Sanchez Sosa and Continuances for U applicants
Read new amicus brief on importance of continuances in Immigration Court, submitted in the Seventh Circuit.
Read MoreASISTA Statement on Updated USCIS Guidance
New USCIS Guidance will create a chilling effect on survivors coming forward to access protection. Yesterday, USCIS released Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens (Updated NTA memo) which vastly expands the circumstances in which USCIS will issue NTAs or refer cases to ICE. …
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