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Asheville Citizen-Times

DOJ moves to strip citizenship from 40 people. What to know in NC

DOJ moves to strip citizenship from 40 people. What to know in NC

Department of Justice moves to denaturalization 40 naturalized citizens. Take a look at North Carolina statistics.

Kilmar Ábrego Garcia Fights Second Deportation Attempt to Liberia After Mistaken Removal to El Salvador

Kilmar Ábrego Garcia Fights Second Deportation Attempt to Liberia After Mistaken Removal to El Salvador

Kilmar Ábrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national with an American wife and child, is back in federal court to contest a second deportation attempt, this time to Liberia. This legal battle follows his mistaken deportation to El Salvador last year, an incident ICE officials admitted was an 'administrative error.' Despite a U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis issuing a preliminary injunction preventing his detention and deportation to Liberia, the government is now seeking to vacate this injunction. Ábrego Garcia's legal team is pushing for the injunction to be made permanent. He argues that if deported, it should be to Costa Rica, which had previously agreed to accept him. However, Todd Lyons, former acting director of ICE, stated that deporting him to Costa Rica would be 'prejudicial to the United States,' citing resources expended in negotiating with Liberia to accept third-country nationals, even after an agreement was signed with Costa Rica for deportees.

Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates

Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates

The Trump administration is creating a team of attorneys to represent children who traveled alone to the United States in immigration proceedings, which critics say would deprive them of having lawyers who aren’t employed by the government and could put them at greater risk of deportation

Refugees Face Deportation Risk Despite Status Following Criminal Convictions

Refugees Face Deportation Risk Despite Status Following Criminal Convictions

Refugees admitted to the United States can be deported, or 'removed' as per the official legal term, if they are convicted of a qualifying crime, even though their refugee status itself is not revoked by the conviction. U.S. immigration law, specifically INA § 237, applies deportability grounds to any noncitizen who has been admitted, including refugees. While refugee status is granted to individuals fleeing persecution and is generally protected unless obtained through fraud, a criminal conviction can trigger removal proceedings. The process for removal and the maintenance of refugee status operate on two separate tracks. Many refugees are unaware that they are required to apply for a green card one year after admission, and failure to do so can make them more vulnerable to removal if they commit a crime, as they may be placed directly into removal proceedings without their refugee status being terminated first.

Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US

Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students who are seeking to work in the United States

US judge orders return of Egyptian deported to Equatorial Guinea

US judge orders return of Egyptian deported to Equatorial Guinea

DAKAR, Oct 8 (Reuters) - A US judge has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the release and return of an Egyptian man who was deported to Equatorial Guinea this year and has since been jailed there.

Department of State Seeks Visa Specialist for Kentucky Consular Center to Combat Fraud

Department of State Seeks Visa Specialist for Kentucky Consular Center to Combat Fraud

The U.S. Department of State is hiring a Visa Specialist for the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, within the Office of Domestic Operations, Visa Directorate, Bureau of Consular Affairs. This position is crucial for overseeing Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) operations and assisting the Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) in ensuring effective and timely contractor performance. The KCC processes over 600,000 petition-based non-immigrant and diversity immigrant visas annually and conducts facial recognition checks for approximately 20 million visa and passport applications. The Visa Specialist will provide technical guidance on immigration policies, legal changes, and emerging fraud patterns to contractor staff, and assist in developing and implementing new programs in response to Administration priorities. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, subject to random drug testing, and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance. The role requires specialized experience in unde...

US freezes Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys green-card applications over alleged fraud

US freezes Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys green-card applications over alleged fraud

By Steve Holland and Akash Sriram WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - The Trump administration froze on Thursday some green-card filings by Microsoft, Adobe and major IT outsourcers and opened probes into nine elite universities, widening a visa crackdown it says targets fraud and American job losses.

Federal Tort Claims Act Governs Slip and Fall Cases on U.S. Government Property

Federal Tort Claims Act Governs Slip and Fall Cases on U.S. Government Property

Individuals who experience slip and fall incidents on federal property, such as a federal building, post office, or VA facility, must pursue their claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). This act establishes a distinct legal framework for seeking compensation from the U.S. government, differing significantly from claims against private entities or state and local governments. Unlike traditional lawsuits, the process under the FTCA begins with filing an administrative claim directly with the responsible federal agency. This initial administrative step is a mandatory prerequisite before any lawsuit can be filed in federal court. The FTCA outlines specific requirements and deadlines that claimants must adhere to, making the process more complex and stringent compared to other premises liability cases. The types of locations covered include a wide range of federal facilities where the U.S. government has ownership and operational responsibility.

Higher Education Organizations Sue Federal Agencies Over International Student Externship Restrictions

Higher Education Organizations Sue Federal Agencies Over International Student Externship Restrictions

Four higher education associations have filed a lawsuit against federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenges new restrictions placed on international students' access to externships. The plaintiff organizations contend that the federal government has abruptly reversed over 35 years of established policy without providing adequate explanation or justification for the change. This legal action highlights a significant dispute between academic institutions and federal authorities regarding the parameters of international student programs and their practical training components. The core of the complaint is that the new policy unlawfully restricts opportunities for international students, potentially impacting their educational and professional development in the United States. The lawsuit seeks to overturn these re...

Federal Judge Orders Release of Louisville Woman Detained by ICE

Federal Judge Orders Release of Louisville Woman Detained by ICE

A federal judge has ordered the immediate release of Armelle Bondonga, a Louisville woman who had been held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Southern Indiana for eight weeks. Judge Tanya Walton Pratt granted a writ of habeas corpus on Tuesday, mandating her release. Bondonga was arrested by ICE agents on August 12 during a routine interview for her marriage-based green card. An immigration judge had previously denied her bond in September, citing an 'administratively final' removal order that placed her case under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security. However, Judge Pratt's order noted that the 90-day removal period Bondonga faced had expired. Bondonga's legal team argued that ICE 'disobeyed the law' by detaining her, and she has initiated proceedings to reopen her removal case. Bondonga immigrated to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo with her family in 2013.

ICE Detention Periods Vary Based on Stage of Removal Proceedings, Supreme Court Limits Post-Order Detention

ICE Detention Periods Vary Based on Stage of Removal Proceedings, Supreme Court Limits Post-Order Detention

The duration an individual can be held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before deportation varies significantly depending on the stage of their removal proceedings. An immigration detainer, which is a request from the Department of Homeland Security for a jail or prison to hold someone briefly, allows for a maximum of 48 hours beyond the time they would otherwise be released, excluding weekends and holidays. This 48-hour limit applies to the jail, not ICE. Once ICE assumes custody, this detainer clock ends. For individuals in ICE custody without a final removal order, there is no fixed end date for detention, as authorized by 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), though release on bond or conditional parole is possible in some cases. However, 8 U.S.C. § 1226(c) mandates detention for individuals with specific criminal grounds. After a final removal order is issued, a 90-day removal period begins, as per 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(1). Detention can extend beyond this 90-day period under § 1231(a)(6) for certain categorie...