Think of Undocumented Immigrants as Parents, Not Problems

LOS ANGELES — SOMETHING happened while the immigration system in the United States got broken, something that should change the way we talk about fixing it. Years went by, and nature took its course. More than 11 million unauthorized immigrants settled into our communities; many formed families and had children. Now at least one of every 15 children living in the United States has an unauthorized parent, and nearly all of those children are native-born United States citizens.

Think of that statistic, one in 15, the next time you drive by a school or a playground. Think of those children living with the knowledge that the federal government can take their parents away. Common sense tells you that the threat of a parent’s deportation will exact a terrible price.

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How Much Do Undocumented Immigrants Pay in State and Local Taxes?

Undocumented immigrants—and their family members—are adding value to the U.S. economy; not only as taxpayers, but as workers, consumers, and entrepreneurs as well. If they had legal status, they would contribute even more

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Attorneys at David F. Vedder, P.A. Assist Survivor of Spousal Battery and Extreme Cruelty Obtain Permanent Residence.

On April 14, 2015, after two years of legal procedures, a Jamaican national immigrant woman who previously had been granted deferred action under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) finally obtained permanent residence in the United States.  

VAWA was enacted to provide immigration protection for abused spouses, children and parents of United State citizens or lawful permanent residents, allowing the victim (or survivor) to self-petition based on the abuse they have endured. VAWA self-petitioners may also concurrently or subsequently apply for lawful permanent status.

Attorneys David F. Vedder and Silvia Manzanero prepared a compelling VAWA self-petition for their client, demonstrating that she had suffered both battery and extreme cruelty by her U.S. citizen abusive spouse.

However, this was only the first step in the two-part process.  In this particular case, an old agency error jeopardized this immigrant woman’s chances of obtaining permanent residence.  At an adjustment of status interview, attorney Manzanero persuasively explained the factual and legal arguments to the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services officer, who rightly approved her client’s permanent residence application.

As a self-petitioner spouse of a U.S. citizen who has been battered or subjected to battery and extreme cruelty, Manzanero’s client will be able to apply for citizenship after three years as a permanent resident.

Attorneys Commitment to Pro Bono Legal Service at AILA’s 2015 Citizenship Day Event, in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida:

For the second consecutive year, Attorneys Silvia Manzanero and Daniel Ross of David F. Vedder, P.A. volunteered at the Citizenship Day event at Florida Coastal College of Law in Jacksonville on April 18, 2015.  The event was sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), in conjunction with Florida Coastal School of Law and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
Over the course of the day, approximately 100 individuals completed the paperwork necessary to become United States citizens.  Attorneys Manzanero and Ross assisted several lawful permanent residents by reviewing their applications and assisting with fee waiver requests.  The duo also helped train other attorneys less familiar with the nuances of naturalization law.

We would like to express our gratitude to everyone at Florida Coastal School of Law and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid for once again hosting a stellar event and for providing a venue for attorneys to deliver pro bono legal services.

At David F. Vedder, P.A. we pride ourselves in serving the community.  We currently plan on hosting a Citizenship Day event in the Daytona Beach area in September of 2015.














David F. Vedder, P.A. attorneys Silvia Manzanero and Daniel Ross, with Florida Coastal
School of Law Adjunct Professor and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid staff attorney Kara Roberts.

Report: Private Prison Lobbyists Spend Millions To Keep Immigrants Locked Up

In 2010, the Department of Homeland Security adopted a bed quota that required Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain about 34,000 individuals on any given day. The quota certainly did not benefit immigrants -- but it did prove to be extraordinarily lucrative for the private prison companies that picked up the new business. 

A report released last week by Grassroots Leadership, a Texas non-profit, details how private prison companies have spent five years lobbying the government, not only to maintain the quota, but to enact conservative immigration reform that would continue to ensure a steady flow of inmates into its detention centers.

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Leaders From Across U.S. Urge Court to End Injunction in Immigration Action Case

Multiple legal briefs are being filed today in support of ending the injunction against the Obama Administration’s expansion of deferred action. On February 16, 2015, a Texas federal judge issued a preliminarily injunction against the implementation of the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Legal Permanent Residents (DAPA) initiatives. The Obama Administration is appealing that decision and has requested expedited consideration of the appeal. In anticipation, attorneys general, 181 members of congress, 73 mayors and county officials from 27 States, civil rights, and business leaders are all filing legal briefs in support of the Administration’s appeal.

Overall the briefs argue the case challenging executive action, led by the State of Texas, is based on unproven or incomplete presentations to the court and should be reversed

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Four Myths That Sen. Sessions Believes About Immigration to the United States

Nativist ideology is filled with falsehoods, half-truths, and distortions. From the impact of immigrants on the economy to the pace of their integration into U.S. society, the nativist creed more often than not gets it wrong. For example, consider the current chairman of the Senate’s immigration subcommittee, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL). In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, titled “America needs to curb immigration flows,” Sen. Sessions displays four fundamental misunderstandings of the economic and social dynamics of immigration to this country: -

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