Immigration

In November 2016, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. His four-year term as President begins in January 2017.  When campaigning for the Presidency, Mr. Trump repeatedly pledged to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. and to make Mexico pay for it; furthermore, he took a hard line on immigration, which,…

In the last few years, 25 different states have changed their laws about marijuana. Some have completely legalized it, and others have made exceptions for the use of marijuana for medical use only. In Tennessee, however, the laws have not changed: it is illegal to possess, sell, buy or distribute marijuana in the state. Even…

In 2014, President Obama tried to ease fears of immigrants by promising to focus on the removal of criminals from the U.S., and not families who have built their lives across the country: “Felons, not families. Criminals, not children. Gang members, not a mom who’s working hard to provide for her kids.” Two years later,…

On August 18, 2016, the Justice Department announced that it would no longer use private prisons to house people convicted of federal crimes. The Washington Post reported that private prison facilities were “both less safe and less effective” than prisons run by the government. This decision however, for complicated legal reasons, does not affect state-run…

Many immigrants who come to the United States as children serve honorably as members of the military. However, being a military veteran is not necessarily enough to keep you from facing removal charges from the United States if you are charged with and/or convicted of a crime after your return to civilian life. The American…

In July, a woman in Placentia, California reported to the police department that a man came to her place of work and tried to extort money from her. Luis Flores-Mendoza “allegedly wore a green uniform similar to a police uniform complete with a vest, badge and gun. The man allegedly gave her a phony letter…

Removal, or deportation, is the process of removing an immigrant from the United States. Only non-citizens can be removed, so an individual in the U.S. on a “Green Card,” on another visa, or who is undocumented can face removal. The removal process starts with a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge for a hearing.…

In 2015, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) removed or “deported” more than 235,000 immigrants from the country. Not all of them were removed because of criminal activity. In fact, an immigrant may face removal from the U.S. for many reasons. At the Law Office of Perry A. Craft, PLLC, we help immigrants who are…

One method of protest for those who are virtually powerless – such as detainees in ICE facilities awaiting removal – is to refuse to eat for a long time, called a “hunger strike.” A hunger strike’s purpose is to show the protester’s strong disapproval of his or her treatment or of particular policies or procedures.…