Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Granted to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

Almost lost in the media attention given to the President's announcement on immigration yesterday was an announcement by the Department of Homeland Security extending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.  The move is meant to permit people who are present in the United States as of November 20, 214 to remain here for eighteen months while the Ebola outbreak continues in their home countries.

Those who qualify for the protection have until May 20, 2015 to apply.

TPS is a status designated by the U.S. Government to countries when it would be inhumane to require nationals from that country to return home.  Is permits people who are present in the United States to remain here without fear of deportation.  Aliens granted TPS may be given work authorization.

TPS does not lead to permanent residency or citizenship.  It is merely a temporary status, that expires once the U.S. Government determines that the conditions in the home country have improved.

TPS has been extended in the past due to such humanitarian reason as war and natural disasters.

By:  William J. Kovatch, Jr.
(703) 837-8832
wkovatch@kovatchlegalservices.com

Criminal Issues Require Precise Immigration Advice

If you are not a U.S. citizen, and you find yourself charged with a crime, you need precise immigration advice.  Immigration advice can be complicated, as there are seemingly inconsistencies within the immigration law itself, as well as inconsistencies between U.S. immigration law and state criminal law. 

How a criminal conviction affects eligibility for immigration benefits depends on the benefits sought.  Asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals all have their own different rules.  Plus all of these rules differ from whether the crime makes an alien inadmissible or deportable.

I go into further detail in this article.

For precise immigration advice on a criminal issue, consult with a knowledgeable immigration lawyer.

By:  William J. Kovatch, Jr.
(703) 837-8832
info@kovatchimmigrationlaw.com

USCIS Extends TPS for Haiti

USCIS extended temporary protected status (TPS) for Haiti for an additional 18 months.  TPS is a humanitarian program when Haitians who have resided in the United States since January 12, 2011 are permitted to stay and obtain work authorization.  TPS provides temporary protection only, and does not itself lead to permanent residency or citizenship.  TPS can be lost with the conviction of two misdemeanors or one felony.

To be eligible for TPS, applicants must register with USCIS.  For Haitians who already have TPS must re-register by November 30, 2012.  TPS protection for Haitians will last through July 22, 2014.

The USCIS press release can be found here.

By:  William J. Kovatch, Jr.
(703) 837-8832

Syria Given Temporary Protected Status

Due to the upheaval in Syria, the U.S. Government has designated it a temporary protected status ("TPS") country. Nationals of Syria may apply for TPS and work authorization. TPS allows a person the remain in the United States, but it does not lead to permanent residency status.

Syrians may apply for TPS up until September 25, 2012. TPS will remain in effect until September 30, 2013, unless extended by the United States.

For more information, see the USCIS website.