Archives for July, 2013

Acquiring a Green Card is a lengthy and often expensive process. Many Legal Permanent Residents (LPR’s) relax when they obtain a Green Card, believing that they can finally travel freely back and forth or even relocate to their home countries and can always reenter the U.S. using their Green Cards as a travel document. While a lengthy absence from the U.S. does not automatically cancel the LPR status of an alien, an extended absence may trigger the inquiry of the USCIS as to the alien’s intention to remain a permanent resident of the U.S. Further, unlike citizenship which cannot be taken away, LPR’s can have their Green Cards taken away for committing certain crimes.  As a result, many LPR’s mistakenly believe that acquiring a Green Card is the biggest hurdle to clear. However, as many of my clients have experienced, maintaining their Green Card can be as tricky as acquiring one. Read More

The Hintzen Law Firm applauds the U.S. Senate for passing comprehensive immigration reform legislation (S. 744) by a vote of 68-32 last Thursday. This vote reflects how far the country has come in understanding the significance of immigration reform to the health and well-being of the nation as a whole. Regardless of what may come next, last week’s vote reflects the irrefutable fact that the social and economic benefits of immigration reform are tangible and achievable. There will be much work ahead to continue to perfect the policies reflected in this bill. But for the moment, it provides a reasonable framework to deal with one of the greatest issues the nation has struggled with. Key elements of the bill are as follows: Read More