Got Immigration? The World’s Best Damn Blog About U.S. Immigration

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I’d like to just say what I – as an immigration attorney – am thankful for.  I am thankful that I live in a country that is by and large very accepting of immigrants.  Although I rant and complain about how immigrants are treated in the U.S., I don’t lose sight of the fact that the United States absorbs more new immigrants in absolute terms than any other country in the world (of course, we probably also have the most immigration demand of any country in the world, but that doesn’t affect my point here).  I am thankful that immigrants have a means to redress grievances against the government in most cases.  I am thankful that agencies such as USCIS listen to the concerns of the public, even if they ignore our concerns when it suits them, and I am especially thankful for the Vermont Service Center, which is much easier to work with than USCIS’s other service facilities.  I am thankful that, despite outcries from the right, USCIS didn’t distance itself too strongly from an internal memo that was leaked outlining ways to provide benefits to immigrants in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform.  And finally, I am thankful that, in spite of a seemingly bleak future for undocumented immigrants in this country, minor miracles happen all the time.  Immigration laws are strictly enforced and are often obtuse and difficult to understand, but when you know how to use them to a client’s advantage, great things can and do happen all the time.  I guess that my advice this Thanksgiving to anyone that wants a piece of the American dream is not to give up, no matter how bad things look.  Of course, it never hurts to be smart about how you immigrate to the United States – and hiring a reputable attorney is always a good idea too.  Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers.  I’ll be back with more immigration posts after the long holiday weekend.