Legal Updates

All people who are living in the United States have certain rights that are given to them by the U.S. Constitution. This includes citizens, lawful permanent residents, those who are here on a visa, humanitarian parolees, other immigrants, and those who are undocumented. The term "undocumented" refers to a person residing in the United States without legal documentation. This can be people who entered the U.S. without inspection and proper permission from the government, as well as those who entered with a visa or a legal status that is no longer valid. If you or someone you know are approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), know your rights at work, at home, or in public places. Read more

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a temporary immigration protection that is provided to nationals of certain countries who cannot return to their home countries due to an ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other dangerous conditions defined by the U.S. State Department. Individuals who are granted TPS are protected from being removed from the United States.... Read more

Minor children (children under 18 years old) are only allowed to enter the United States when accompanied by an adult who can verify their legal custody of the child. Thus, children who are traveling to the U.S. under Uniting for Ukraine must be accompanied by at least one parent or legal guardian, and the adult must have proof of legal custody over the child. Read more

Most Ukrainians who came through the U.S.-Mexico border in March and April 2022 were given a “DT” admission class code on their I-94 Arrival/Departure Record and were granted humanitarian parole for one year. Unless they entered the U.S. on or before April 11, 2022, they are not eligible to apply for the current TPS term. For Ukrainians who are eligible for TPS but have not yet applied for or been granted TPS protection, their parole will expire when their I-94 authorized stay expires. Read more

There has been an increase in scams and predatory behavior targeting individuals from Ukraine and other countries who may be considered for parole under the Uniting for Ukraine.  USCIS is asking potential sponsors and beneficiaries to be cautious of scams and rumors. Read more

The Ukraine Immigration Task Force is excited to announce a new program that hopes to increase the number of refugees admitted from other countries. The State Department just launched Welcome Corps, which represents the first major development in U.S. refugee immigration in a long time. This program will enable Americans to help thousands of people from around the world start new lives in the United States through private sponsorship.  The new program follows President Biden’s February 2021 Executive Order... Read more

Ukrainian humanitarian parolees must apply for an Advance Parole Travel Document in order to travel outside of the United States or a U.S. territory. To apply for an Advance Parole Travel Document... Read more

Ukrainian humanitarian parolees are eligible to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) without receiving employment authorization. This is called a non-working SSN. However, it is only issued to individuals who are able to demonstrate that they require a non-working SSN in order to obtain health or social services benefits. Read more

We are excited to share a major legal update about employment by Ukrainians prior to receiving work permits! Today, USCIS announced a major update on employment authorization for Ukrainian humanitarian parolees. Please see the full announcement at the bottom of this post. Read more

The new final rule on the public charge ground of inadmissibility was announced on September 8, 2022. Under the final rule, a public charge is defined as "an alien who has received one or more public benefits, as defined in the rule, for more than 12 months within any 36-month period." For those not familiar with the public charge ground of inadmissibility, an alien who is likely at any time to become a public charge is generally inadmissible to the United States and ineligible to become a lawful permanent resident. Read more