Trump's Travel Ban 2.0

On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order stating that citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya would be banned from entering the United States. The order did not differentiate between visa holders, people with green cards or even dual citizens.

Lawyers in various jurisdictions filed lawsuits to stay the enforcement of the order. As the 9^th circuit court of appeals considered a lower court’s decision to stay execution of the order, the Trump administration asked the court to hold its ruling so that the administration could issue a new order that was more carefully considered.

Here’s the latest breakdown of Trump's Travel Ban.

Immigration Lawyer in Houston: Travel Issues for Permanent Residents.

Here’s a surprising-but-true fact about Green Cards and U.S. immigration: Having a Green Card does not mean you will be allowed to board a plane to return to the U.S., and if you are allowed to board a plane to return to the U.S., the Green Card does not stop you from being detained or questioned when you return to the United States after international travel.

US Visa: Travel Risks Explained by an Immigration Lawyer in Houston

I’m going to start out by saying something that might surprise you, but it’s true: Having a visa in your passport or clearance through the Visa Waiver ESTA portal does not mean you will be allowed to enter the U.S., It’s hard to believe, but even after a person is approved for a US visa at an Embassy or Consulate, or is cleared by Customs and Border Protection through ESTA, CBP has the authority to refuse entry to a person. Here are some travel risks explained by an immigration lawyer in Houston.

Kathryn N. Karam in HoustonNewcomerGuides.com on the importance of checking your arrival/departure record.

Read the latest article in Lebanon Times Magazine - scroll to page 55!

According to an article published on the Houston Business Journal's website, a report from the Department of Commerce indicates that the number of overseas visitors coming to Houston increased 22% from 2012 to 2013, the largest increase of any city in the United States. The report did not include visitors from Canada and Mexico.

Members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recently noted at a USCIS headquarters meeting that the Q & A on Post-Completion Optional Practical Training and F-1 Status for Eligible Students under the H-1B Cap-Gap Regulations available on the USCIS website states that a student granted a cap-gap extension who elects to travel outside the United States during the cap-gap extension period, will not be able to return in F-1 status. However, AILA members noted that this statement conflicts with the regulations on this subject, which indicate that an F-1 student who is the Beneficiary of an H-1B petition filed for change of status and a valid post-completion OPT EAD may travel and return to the U.S. after a temporary absence and resume OPT employment if the student has a valid F-1 visa stamp, a properly endorsed I-20, and an EAD card which has been automatically extended under 8 CFR §214.2(f)(5)(vi)(A), provided the student is otherwise admissible.

USCIS announced on March 3rd that it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Haiti for an additional 18 months, through January 22, 2016. This is good news for all Haitian nationals present in the U.S. pursuant to TPS. See the full announcement here.