President Due to Issue an Executive Order Regarding Immigration

There is nothing official about helping “illegal” immigrants; but there is real hope.

President Obama is expected to announce—perhaps as early as this week—a temporary relief program  for almost 4 million people  from the fear of deportation and qualify for work permits. As president he does not have the authority to change the U.S. Immigration laws; but he  can order changes in how the law is applied—at least for the next two years.

 But it takes the U.S.  Congress  to change the Immigration laws with the agreement of the President. At this time, Congress does not seem willing to pass a new law to help the some 11 million illegal aliens in the U.S. Most Republican members of Congress are also objecting to the President’s plan by threatening not to make money available to pay for the cost of implementing it.

The order that is expected from the President would halt deportation fears for about 3.3 million immigrants who are either married to a U.S. citizen or are the parent of a U.S. citizen child and have been in the U.S. for at least 5 years.

 The White House is also considering expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which helped about 600,000 young immigrants who came to the U.S. prior to their 16^th birthday.  The expansion could help another 700,000 young people.  There is also discussion to allow parents of DACA children to qualify for deportation relief.

 It is important to know that this hope is not yet in effect nor will it be a permanent solution for those currently illegal in the U.S. Some unscrupulous  people—some call themselves “notarios”—are claiming they can already register illegals for the new policy the President has indicated he may order soon.

For the latest actual status of  any new Immigration policy, we suggest you check with the Jaensch  Immigration Law Firm website: www.visaamerica.com or call us at (941) 366-9841.

AILA: Renewal Process for DACA Opens; Get Started As Soon as You Can!

Visit our website, DeferredActionFlorida.com for more information on DACA and fill out our form to apply.

Cite as “AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 14060545 (posted Jun. 5, 2014)” 

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) commends U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for releasing details of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal process so that applicants can begin their renewal process in a timely manner.

Update from AILA CFC: Immigration Lawyers Advocate for Unaccompanied Children, End Unlawful “Detainers”

AILA CFC Advocates for Unaccompanied Children at Border

Country conditions in Central American countries such as El Salvador and Honduras have resulted in over 50,000 unaccompanied minor children making treacherous journeys to seek safety in the U.S. since October 2013. Some may be able to stay in the U.S. if they can demonstrate that their lives will be jeopardized if they returned to their country of origin. The Obama administration has started to speed up the process of scheduling immigration hearings on these children. AILA National, AILA Central Florida and legal aid organizations in Central Florida are working together to ensure that children in this region at least have basic legal representation.

The Obama Administration is considering administrative fixes due to Congressional inaction on immigration reform. These include potential remedies for undocumented parents of U.S. citizens here, and revising the way available green card numbers are counted so as to reduce waiting times in employment and family-based categories. An announcement could come as early as this month. AILA has been on the front line of presenting potential administrative fixes to the administration.

 AILA CFC Works to End Unlawful “Detainers”

Detainers are the so-called “immigration holds” that local police engage in on behalf of ICE. When someone suspected by law enforcement to be undocumented is detained by local police such as for a traffic stop, Sheriff’s offices are permitted to hold that individual for 48 hours while ICE determined their immigration status or whether to pursue removal proceedings against them.

Often Sheriff’s offices hold people for much longer than 48 hours. Some of these individuals are U.S. citizens or green card holders.  Immigration violations are a civil matter, not a criminal matter, and these individuals should not be held indefinitely without probable cause that they have committed a crime. Counties incur substantial costs and liability in breaking the law on behalf of ICE.  

Due to efforts by the ACLU, The Miami Law School Immigration Law Clinic, AILA Central Florida, and AILA South Florida, and other organizations, Sheriff’s offices throughout the state are ceasing these detainers unless there is probable cause to detain.

Repost: Historic Vote in Florida House Clears Way for Noncitizen to Practice Law

 Reposted from Tampa Bay Times.

Samperio

(English & Espanol) TheDream.US Offers College Scholarships to Qualifying DREAMers

There is a new source of scholarship money for DACA recipients who qualify.  A CEO, a former Secretary of Commerce, and a well-known philanthropist came together and raised $25 million to be offered as financial aid to qualifying DREAMers.

Each scholarship recipient is required to attend a partner institution. Currently, there are 12: The Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community College and Kingsborough Community College in New York; Miami Dade College in Florida; Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C.; El Paso Community College, South Texas College, University of Texas Pan American and University of Texas El Paso in Texas; Long Beach City College and California State University, Long Beach in California; and Mount Washington College, a national online college.

Requirements include:

• Be a first time college student applying to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program at one of the partner colleges,
• Have a GPA of 2.5 or greater (or equivalent GED score), and
• Be DACA eligible and have applied for or received DACA approval.

It is highly recommended that applicants who want to obtain one of these scholarships be willing to pursue a career-ready associate’s or bachelor’s degree program.  Courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, the “STEM” majors, should fall into this category.

The deadline to apply is March 31, 2014.

See more information in the Guidelines.

For more information on DACA, including whether or not you qualify, contact the attorneys at Jaensch Immigration Law Firm, (941) 366-9841.

Existen nuevos recursos de becados para los beneficiarios de DACA . Un CEO, un ex-secretario de Comercio , y un conocido filántropo se reunieron y recaudaron $25 millones para ser ofrecido como ayuda financiera a los soñadores que califican.

Los ganadores de la beca tienen que asistir a una institución asociada con The Dream.US. Hay 12 : The Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community College y Kingsborough Community College en Nueva York , Miami Dade College en la Florida, la Universidad Trinity de Washington en Washington , DC; El Paso Community College , South Texas College , Universidad de Texas Panamericana y la Universidad de Texas en El Paso, en Texas; Long Beach City College y la Universidad Estatal de California, Long Beach , en California , y Mount Washington college, una universidad nacional en línea.

Los requisitos incluyen :

• Ser un estudiante de la universidad por primera vez la aplicación o programa de licenciatura de asociado a una de las universidades asociadas,
• Tener promedio general de 2.5 o mayor (o puntuación de GED equivalente), y
• Sea DACA elegible y habra solicitado o recibido la aprobación DACA

Es altamente recomendable que los solicitantes que deseen obtener una de estas becas estarán dispuestos a seguir un programa de licenciatura asociado con una carrera.  Cursos en Ciencias , Tecnología , Ingeniería y Matemáticas, los ” STEM ” grandes, deben entrar en esta categoría.

La fecha límite para aplicar para el ano escolar que viene es el 31 de marzo de 2014.

Ver más información en la Guía.

Para obtener más información sobre DACA, incluyendo si usted califica o no, póngase en contacto con los abogados de Jaensch Immigration Law Firm, (941) 366-9841.

What Sarasota Immigrants Need to Know About Affordable Care Act

Sarasota immigrants are asking what the new Affordable Care Act means for them.  ImmigrationSarasota.com decided to investigate.

Source: www.komu.com

Overview

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed on March 21, 2010, is the largest overhaul of the United States’ health care system since 1965[1].  Its purpose is to reduce the cost of health care and increase the number of Americans with health insurance.  One of the ways it achieves these goals is through the “individual mandate,” a provision that requires anyone who is legally present in the US to have health insurance or face a penalty to be assessed in their taxes.

“The individual mandate goes into effect on January 1, 2014 and applies to all those legally present in the US,” says Victoria Jaensch Karins, president of the Central Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and attorney at Jaensch Immigration Law Firm.  “This includes those on temporary visas such as F-1 student visas, E-2 investor visas, and H-1B work visas,” she continues.

This means that all legal US immigrants, including those on temporary visas, will have to buy health insurance if they don’t have it already.

“Immigrants should be made aware so they can make the appropriate preparations,” said Peter Matthiessen, CEO of Deusa Group and a licensed insurance agent in California, Florida, Texas and Georgia.  “They should also be advised not to buy a foreign health insurance policy.  Most US medical providers don’t accept them,” he continued.

According to Taylor Tollerton, partner at Professional Benefits, Inc., Sarasota’s leading insurance group, immigrants should also know that, “some health insurance companies don’t offer coverage to legal residents if they have not been in the U.S. for longer than 6 months.”  She added that, “utilizing experts in the industry to help navigate your way through is vital.”

Exchanges

The Affordable Care Act establishes healthcare exchanges for insurance providers and consumers.  Temporary and permanent immigrants are eligible to participate in the exchanges.

Contact Information

Peter Matthiessen is the CEO of Deusa Group.  For the past 17 years, Deusa Group has specialized in this very complex insurance matter pertaining to foreign nationals entering or living in the USA.  Insurance outside the USA is also offered.  Every situation is different and requires a solution on a case by case basis.  Inquiries are welcome at any time – pm@deusagroup.com.

Founded in 1979 by Jim Tollerton, Professional Benefits Inc. (PBI) is Sarasota’s leading independent insurance group serving the community with insurance plans for individuals and employers by helping to establish employee benefits, executive compensation programs, and succession plans. In 2007, Mr. Tollerton partnered with Taylor Tollerton Collins and formed a second division of PBI with Benefits and Planning, Inc. managed by Mrs. Collins. Professional Benefits serves several local organizations including: Education Foundation, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, First Step of Sarasota, Argus, and the local National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisor chapter.  Mrs. Collins is available for interview.

Additional Resources

• How an Undocumented Alien Can Get Insured
• Foreign Health Insurance Companies Will No Longer Be Able to Offer Policies to American Residents

[1]“Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., date last updated (24 October 2013). Web. Date accessed (24 October 2013). <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act>

Sarasota Immigrants Can Use EAD Cards as Primary ID

Sarasota immigrants can now use the new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) card as a primary form of identification at BB&T Bank.  Also known as the U.S. Employment Authorization Document (EAD), the DACA card and a tax-identification number will allow any Sarasota immigrant to open up an account with BB&T.  The Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based bank is one of the first financial institutions in the country to accept this form of identification.

BB&T Locations

The DACA program launched in August 2012 and allows children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the country for two years and to apply for the U.S. Employment Authorization Card.  These individuals must have entered the United States as children and meet several key guidelines to earn the deferral.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) statistics show more than 260,000 people have been approved for the DACA card and the number is growing rapidly.  More information on the DACA program can be found on our website, DeferredActionFlorida.com, or by contacting attorney Victoria Jaensch Karins: 941-366-9841.

ImmigrationSarasota.com sat down with local BB&T representatives Abigail Collins and Rossana McConahay to learn more.

IS.com: Please tell me more about this new program.

Abigail Collins/Rossana McConahay: BB&T now accepts EAD cards as primary IDs.  This allows us to help more people in an important and growing demographic that is sometimes under-served financially.  We hope to offer an opportunity for EAD holders to open bank accounts with us.  In addition, we offer comprehensive educational resources and bilingual staff in many of our banking centers.  This allows BB&T to achieve our mission, which is to help our clients achieve economic success and financial security.

IS.com: EADs have existed for a while, how is this policy different from before?

A.C./R.M:  In the past, our clients were asked to present a visa or a social security card with their EAD.  Since people who apply for DACA have neither, this made it very difficult to open a bank account.

IS.com: What is the biggest obstacle you face in serving this perennially under-banked community?

A.C./R.M: Some members of the Hispanic community believe that providing their information puts them at risk for deportation.   That’s why our bilingual staff members do our best to make our clients feel like they are a part of our family.  We also urge them to tell their friends and family about their experiences with us.

IS.com: You also provide extensive educational material…

A.C./R.M:  Yes, we believe in building a strong relationship with our clients and empowering them to make their dreams come true.  BB&T e provides free educational material on topics such as education, getting a driver’s license, the world of work, how to prepare for an emergency, and the U.S. healthcare system.  We want our clients to have the knowledge they need to be successful in this country.

BB&T Representatives Abigail Collins and Rossana McConahay

Feel free to contact Ms. Collins or Ms. McConahay for more information.  Their office is located at 1201 South Tamiami Trail and their phone number is 941-366-5463.

Inmigrantes en Sarasota ya pueden usar los permisos de trabajo para abrir cuentas bancarias

Inmigrantes en Sarasota ya pueden usar la nueva tarjeta de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (conocida como DACA por su sigla en inglés) como una de las principales formas de identificación para las personas que no sean ciudadanas estadounidenses.  Esta tarjeta, a la que también se le llama Tarjeta de Autorización de Empleo en Estados Unidos, y un número de identificación para el pago de impuestos, permitirán que cualquier persona pueda abrir una cuenta en BB&T, una de las primeras instituciones financieras del país en aceptar este tipo de identificación.

El programa DACA fue lanzado en agosto de 2012 y permite que los hijos de inmigrantes indocumentados permanezcan en el país durante dos años y que soliciten la Tarjeta de Autorización de Empleo en Estados Unidos.  Estas personas deberán haber ingresado en Estados Unidos siendo niños y deben cumplir varias estipulaciones clave para obtener el aplazamiento.  Estadísticas del Servicio de Inmigración y Ciudadanía de Estados Unidos (USCIS por su sigla en inglés) muestran que más de 260,000 personas han sido aprobadas para la obtención de la tarjeta DACA y esa cifra sigue en aumento rápidamente.  Se puede encontrar más información sobre el programa DACA en la página de internet del USCIS.

Immigration Reform Update: Senator Rubio Urges Fellow Republicans to Act

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and co-author of the immigration reform bill that the Senate passed in June, recently warned fellow Republicans in the House of the potential consequences of not acting on the CIR bill.

Senator Rubio argued that if the Congress does not act on Comprehensive Immigration Reform then President Obama will use an executive order to legalize the undocumented.  The President’s has already used an executive order to grant deferred action to the DREAMers and legalization by executive order would build on that precedent.  An executive order would legalize 11 million undocumented without including any of the provisions that Republicans believe should go with immigration reform, such as border security advances and E-Verify.

“I believe that this president will be tempted, if nothing happens in Congress, he will be tempted to issue an executive order like he did for the DREAM Act kids a year ago, where he basically legalizes 11 million people by the sign of a pen.  Now, we won’t get an E-Verify, we won’t get any border security.  But he’ll legalize them,” Rubio said  on Tuesday.

“Unless we’re going to try to round up and deport 11 million people — something that not even the most vociferous opponent of the [Senate] bill proposed — then we are going to have to at some point address this issue,” Rubio said. “We can’t leave, in my mind, the way it is.  Because I think a year from now we could find ourselves with all 11 million people here legally under an executive order from the president, but no E-Verify, no more border security, no more border agents, none of the other reforms that we desperately need,” he continued.

To read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/marco-rubio-immigration-executive-order-95487.html#ixzz2bxU4M895

What do you think of Senator Rubio’s warning?  Let us know in the comments below.

News on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Amendments, DACA Statistics

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Survives Early Test:

On June 11th, the U.S. Senate voted to move the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act” (S. 744), the comprehensive immigration reform bill drafted by the “Gang of Eight,” to the floor for debate, where it is expected to face dozens of amendments in the coming weeks. The final vote to begin debate on the landmark legislation was 84 in favor and 15 against.

http://www.natlawreview.com/article/comprehensive-immigration-reform-proceeds-to-senate-floor-heated-debate-expected-to-

Sen John Cornyn (R-TX, Minority Whip) introduces “RESULTS” amendment which would have strengthened border security.  It is eventually opposed and dropped.

Mayor  Bloomberg announces support for immigration reform for students.

John Boehner and Marco Rubio met to discuss reform last week.

The divide between the Republican Party on immigration reform was highlighted on Friday during the annual Faith and Freedom conference in Washington, D.C.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush argued for immigration reform, stating that more legal immigration would add to the American workforce and create more revenues from payroll taxes.

However, U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., argued at the same meeting that passing the immigration package currently on the table would be a mistake.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Obama administration celebrated the one-year mark of the Deferred Action announcement, an executive order that announced that thousands of undocumented youths would be allowed to stay and work in the U.S. if they met certain requirements.

New Deferred Action Statistics Released:

These newly-released USCIS statistics on DACA cases from August 15, 2012 to May 31, 2013 indicate a decline in DACA applications; the statistics show 520,157 DACA applications accepted for processing, 507,301 biometric services appointments scheduled, 365,237 requests approved, and 3,816 requests denied.

UnidosNow Message on Senator Marco Rubio’s Visit

UnidosNow Concentrates on Friday to Urge Approval of Comprehensive Immigration Reform During Senator Rubio’s Visit to Sarasota The Nonprofit Group Prepares a Peaceful Rally to Show its Support of Bipartisan Efforts to Pass Immigration Reform During this Legislative Cycle For immediate release                   Media contact: Beatriz Paniego Béjar beatriz@unidosnow.org 941-914-1286 UnidosNow, the non-profit organization advocating in Southwest Florida for the approval of a Comprehensive Immigration Reform, has prepared a peaceful rally that will be held this Friday, March 15th, at 4pm at 1233 N Gulfstream Avenue in Sarasota. María Quezada, a DREAMer and a Future Leader, Manuel Chepote, successful business owner, as well as faith leaders and farmworkers, will be sharing their own personal immigration stories at 4.30pm, putting faces to the reform’s debate. The advocacy group, who stands behind the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ principles on immigration reform, plans to show its support to the bipartisan efforts presented by the Senate’s “Gang of 8” during Senator Marco Rubio’s visit to the area. “The stance and leadership that Senator Rubio has shown in the campaign for immigration reform is the kind of leadership we expect to find in our Congressman Vern Buchanan, especially now that he has become co-Chairman of the Congressional Delegation for Florida”, says Frankie Soriano, Executive Director of UnidosNow. Community leaders have also joined this concentration to demand action from Congress, and push the approval of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, one of the most discussed bills since the beginning of the year, but which has not yet materialized into a formal bill. “If we do not act today, tomorrow we will not have reform”, says Manuel Chepote, Hispanic business owner and community leader in Sarasota and Manatee counties. “The time is now; if we don’t act now, we’ll have to wait another two, four or more years for the immigration reform debate to become again an issue politicians are willing to address”. Asking everyone who attends to dress in white and bring their American flags, organizers expect more than 100 people to attend this concentration. “We want to send a positive message, expressing our support for the first steps taken by Senator Rubio and the Gang of 8. Therefore we will wear white, the color of peace and reconciliation”, explained Adriana Cerrillo, Community Coordinator with UnidosNow. UnidosNow is part of the statewide campaign Say Yes, seeking support to pass immigration reform during this legislative cycle. “The sentiment that the time for Comprehensive Immigration Reform is now already exists in the Capitol. We just need to remind our elected officials that the community is here to support their efforts, and that we are awaiting for their leadership to pass reform”, concludes Soriano. For more information, visit UnidosNow website, www.UnidosNow.org, or call 877-598-4466. For media, please contact Beatriz Paniego Béjar, at beatriz@unidosnow.org, or at 941-914-1286. About UnidosNow UnidosNow is dedicated to mobilize Southwest Florida’s Hispanic and associated communities to integrate and access the benefits of the state’s civic, economic, and cultural weave. Their goal is to increase civic participation among our immigrant and Hispanic population –recognizing and speaking to issues that affect this community-. UnidosNow se concentra este viernes para pedir la aprobación de una Reforma Migratoria Integral durante la visita del Senador Rubio a Sarasota El grupo sin fines de lucro prepara una concentración pacífica para mostrar apoyo a los esfuerzos bipartidistas para aprobar la reforma durante este ciclo legislativo Para publicación inmediata                                                 Contacto de prensa: Beatriz Paniego Béjar beatriz@unidosnow.org 941-914-1286 Una concentración pacífica preparada por UnidosNow, la organización sin fines de lucro defendiendo la aprobación de una Reforma Migratoria Integral en el Suroeste de la Florida, tendrá lugar este viernes, 15 de marzo, a las 4 de la tarde en 1233 N Gulfstream Avenue, Sarasota. María Quezada, soñadora (DREAmer) y Futura Líder, Manuel Chepote, exitoso dueño de negocios, así como líderes de fe y trabajadores del campo compartirán sus propias historias de inmigración a las 4.30pm, poniendo caras al debate de la reforma. El grupo de defensa, que respalda los principios de reforma migratoria del Caucus Hispano del Congreso, planea mostrar su apoyo a los esfuerzos bipartidistas presentados por la “Banda de los 8” del Senado durante la visita del senador Marco Rubio a la zona. “La postura y el liderazgo que ha mostrado el Senador Rubio en la campaña por una reforma migratoria es el tipo de liderazgo que esperamos encontrar en nuestro Congresista Vern Buchanan, especialmente ahora que se ha convertido en Presidente de la Delegación de Congresistas de la Florida”, dice Frankie Soriano, director ejecutivo de UnidosNow. Líderes de la comunidad también se han unido a esta concentración para reclamar acción en el Congreso y sacar adelante una Reforma Migratoria Integral, una de los proyectos de ley más discutidos desde comienzos del año pero que todavía no se ha materializado en un proyecto de ley formal. “Si no actuamos hoy, mañana no tendremos reforma”, dice Manuel Chepote, dueño de negocio y líder comunitario hispano en los condados de Sarasota y Manatee. “El momento es ahora, sino tendremos que esperar otros dos, cuatro o más años para que el debate de la reforma migratoria vuelva a ser un tema que los políticos estén dispuestos a abordar”. Pidiendo a los asistentes que atiendan vestidos de blanco y lleven sus banderas estadounidenses, los organizadores esperan que más de 100 personas acudan a esta concentración. “Queremos mandar un mensaje positivo, manifestando nuestro apoyo al primer paso tomado por el Senador Rubio y la Banda de los 8. Por ello nos vestiremos de blanco, el color de paz y la reconciliación”, explicaba Adriana Cerrillo, coordinadora de la comunidad con UnidosNow. UnidosNow es además parte de la campaña estatal Di que Sí, buscando la aprobación de la reforma migratoria durante este ciclo legislativo. “El sentimiento de que el momento de pasar una Reforma Migratoria Integral es ahora ya existe en el Capitolio. Solo tenemos que recordar a nuestros oficiales electos que la comunidad está aquí apoyando sus esfuerzos y esperando su liderazgo para pasar la reforma”, concluye Soriano. Para más información, visite la pagina web de UnidosNow, www.UnidosNow.org, o llame al 877-598-4466. Para los medios de comunicación, por favor póngase en contacto con Beatriz Paniego Béjar, en beatriz@unidosnow.org, o en el 941-914-1286. Acerca de UnidosNow UnidosNow se dedica a movilizar a las comunidades hispanas y asociadas del Suroeste de la Florida para integrar y acceder a los beneficios de la trama cívica, económica y cultural del estado. Su objetivo es aumentar la participación cívica de los inmigrantes y nuestra población hispana, reconociendo y dirigiéndose a los problemas que afectan a esta comunidad.

Immigration Reform May be Coming

Two pieces of news today that give us continuing hope that immigration reform may become a reality this year.

• President Obama and his staff continued meetings today with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (this is a group of 27 Hispanic Congresspersons). ABC News reports that President Obama will make a significant announcement on immigration next Tuesday during a trip to Las Vegas.
• The Washington Post reports that a bipartisan group of influential senators, who have been meeting quietly since the election, have reached agreement on core principles and may announce a plan for comprehensive immigration reform as early as Friday next week. The Post article states that this agreement, represents “the most substantive bipartisan effort” towards immigration reform in years.

There have been no details released from either the Administration or Congress.  However, we believe that the political will for immigration reform in both the Democratic and Republican parties is at its highest level in years.

UnidosNow Event: Saturday, 19 January, Rally for Immigration Reform

UnidosNow is holding a series of rallies for immigration reform with Vern Buchanan in attendance today 18 January, and tomorrow, 19 January.  The first meeting is in Bradenton and the second is in Sarasota.  Come out and let your voice be heard!  

Victoria Jaensch Karins Cited in Biz941 Article

More on Deferred Action for Employers

Sarasota Immigration Attorney Victoria Jaensch Karins

Continuing the theme of an earlier blog post regarding information on Deferred Action for employers we would like to provide this PDF entitled USCIS DACA Guidance to Employers.

Hope it helps and have a happy Thanksgiving!

What Do Employers Need to Know About Deferred Action?

Sarasota Immigration Attorney Victoria Jaensch Karins

I was recently asked this question by a reporter from “Biz941”.  Employers should definitely be aware of Deferred Action.  It creates a path for those who previously could not work legally to join the labor force.

To review, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a new government policy announced by President Obama on June 15th, 2012 and enacted on August 15th, 2012.  In essence the President announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will no longer pursue children of illegal immigrants who arrived in the US while minors as priority targets for deportation if they are granted Deferred Action.  The executive order also created a path for people who meet the Deferred Action requirements to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a Social Security Number.

This is important because it means that immigrants who previously could not work due to their legal status can now do so legally.  This has the potential to widen the labor pool.  But there still exists the potential for fraud.  Some workers who are not legally employable may present a false Social Security number when applying for a job.  It is illegal to hire anyone who does not have a valid Social Security number.  Employers should be aware of this and understand that a person who has been granted Deferred Action will also have a valid Social Security number and is legally employable.

One way to test whether an individual is legally employable is by using E-Verify, the web-based government program that allows employers to verify the legal status of their prospective workers, in most cases immediately.  The idea is that E-Verify will make it easier for employers to obey the law and hire legal workers.

But, there is a small error rate.  Sometimes the information entered into E-Verify does not find a match in either the Department of Homeland Security’s or the Social Security Administration’s databases. That is why it is important for employers who use E-Verify to make sure they enter their prospective employees’ information correctly and that they notify their prospective employees immediately if E-Verify returns what’s called a Tentative Non-Confirmation (TNC).  Understand that it is possible that an individual recently granted Deferred Action and a valid EAD and SSN will still produce a Tentative Non-Confirmation with the E-Verify system.

At this point E-Verify is voluntary for most Florida businesses.  Florida state agencies and contractors are required to use the program.