On August 26, 2024, a federal court in Texas ordered the USCIS to stop approving the Keep Families Together Parole in Place applications while the legal issues were reviewed. Although the court initially placed a temporary halt until September 23, 2024, the situation became more complicated. On September 4, 2024, the court extended the pause, and by September 11, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered all proceedings in the District Court to be suspended while it addressed related matters. As a result, the program has been left on indefinite hold. As of October 2024, the USCIS is still accepting applications but cannot approve them. Applicants are advised that while they can submit their paperwork, they risk losing their filing fee if the courts ultimately block the program from moving forward. The legal battle could stretch for months leaving immigrant families in uncertainty.

On June 18, 2024,  President Biden unveiled a new initiative aimed at easing the path to lawful status for certain individuals who entered the country without authorization. This program introduces "parole-in-place," allowing eligible individuals to apply for temporary protection and a work permit, with the opportunity of eventually obtaining their green card without the need to risk lengthy separations from their families.

Under U.S. immigration law, the definition of "child" holds significant importance because it provides an important legal basis for immigration benefits and protections. To understand the intricate facets of the term "child", including its definitional variations, implications, and rules governing age determination, helps parents and children achieve their goals for immigration to the U.S.  

Criminal conduct may affect a noncitizen’s eligibility for U.S. immigration benefits or ability to stay with his family members in the U.S. The categorical approach is the main legal framework used to evaluate whether a crime committed by noncitizens renders them removable or ineligible for immigration benefits. Under this approach, the elements of the crime for which noncitizens are charged and convicted are compared with those of the generic definition of the criminal ground provided by the immigration statute to determine if the crime is an inadmissible or deportable offense.  

Employment-based immigrant visas allow noncitizens to immigrate to the United States for permanent residence. These visas are divided into five preference categories: the first three categories are reserved for skilled or unskilled workers, talented professionals or scientists, and executives of multinational companies, and the fourth and fifth categories for certain religious workers and other special immigrants. In this article, we will be focusing on the first three preference categories.

Keeping close family members together in the U.S. is an important goal of U.S. immigration law. The pathway most commonly taken to reach this goal is through marriage immigration. More people immigrate to the U.S. each year for lawful permanent residence based on marriages to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents than under any other category. Unlike other contexts where marriage serves as the basis for federal benefits, the marriage involving a noncitizen for immigration purposes requires more than just meeting the legal requirements under the marriage laws. To qualify for U.S. immigration, a married couple must also demonstrate that their marriage is factually bona fide.