Discussion Points for Punto Legal –June 19, 2019

Discussion Points for Punto Legal –June 19, 2019

 

1. Immigration Enforcement.

Donald Trump said yesterday that immigration authorities would next week target migrants in the country illegally in large-scale arrests. This statement was followed by an interview with the ICE director clearly signaling that the Trump Administration and ICE will launch a highly publicized round-up of immigrants with deportation orders. These remarks tell me that family members without deportation orders will also be rounded up. In the past, ICE would generally go after immigrants with deportation orders twice a year. But ICE has not done so in the last two years. Now there are an estimated 1 million immigrants with deportation orders.

Let’s review your rights if ICE comes to your home.

To enter your home, immigration officers or the police need either a valid warrant signed by a judge or your permission. They will never have a warrant signed by judge. And you never need to give them permission to enter your house. So DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. The officers will try to intimidate you or trick you to get into your house. Look through a window and demand to see their identification. Then ask if they have a warrant. Once again, if they do not have a warrant, they do not have a right to enter. Ask them to leave. If they say they do have a warrant, ask the officers to slide it under the door. If it is not signed by a federal judge-and it won’t be-tell them it is not valid.

What I have told you works! Several years ago, I talked to a woman who lived in the Apple Tree trailer park in New Castle. ICE came to her door. They stayed for two hours trying to intimidate her into opening her door to them. She refused to let them in. Finally, the ICE agents had to leave, and they have not been back.

Make sure everyone in your household knows they should never let ICE into their home.

2. Visa Bulletin.

The July 2019 visa bulletin has been published. The wait list for spouses and children of residents from Mexico has disappeared. There is no wait for July. On the other hand, the cut-off date for brothers and sisters of citizens from Mexico went backwards for 13 months. Last month, it was 8 February 1998; for July, it is 1 January 1997.

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