Immigration Law

Recent Posts

Nielsen Thumbs Nose at Mattis over Deportation of Veterans
Posted on 4 Apr 2018 by Daniel M. Kowalski

Alex Horton, Washington Post, Apr. 4, 2018 - "Immigration and Customs Enforcement appears to have ignored a directive from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to prevent the deportation of noncitizen troops and veterans, seeking to remove a Chinese immigrant... Read More

MAVNI Security Clearance Victory in Seattle - Tiwari v. Mattis
Posted on 12 Apr 2018 by Daniel M. Kowalski

Tiwari v. Mattis, Apr. 11, 2018 - "THIS MATTER comes before the Court on Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction, docket no. 78 (the “Motion”). The Motion presents the following question: Should the Department of Defense ... Read More

Violating Federal Law, Army Bans Green Card Holders From Enlisting
Posted on 17 Oct 2017 by Daniel M. Kowalski

Emily Singer and Ashley Edwards, Mic Network, Oct. 17, 2017 - "Army recruiters have been told to stop enlisting green card holders into the Army effective immediately, according to an email sent to military recruiters and obtained by Mic, a move... Read More

An American Dies in Uniform...Still Waiting (UPDATED)
Posted on 20 Apr 2018 by Daniel M. Kowalski

Tara Copp, Military Times, Apr. 20, 2018 - "Spc. Nemanja “Yani” Janicijevic, 25, an immigrant soldier who died last week while waiting 11 months for the military to clear him for duty , had been naturalized months before and was a U.S... Read More

Foreign-Born Recruits, Promised Fast Track to Citizenship, Stuck in ‘Mindless Bureaucracy’
Posted on 11 Apr 2018 by Daniel M. Kowalski

Dianna Cahn, Stars and Stripes, Apr. 9, 2018 - "Their brains, specialized talents and home country made them sought-after assets for the U.S. military. Now these ambitious, well-educated Army recruits are finding themselves sidelined and under... Read More

Tags: stock , mavni , Army

Pentagon Blocks Army Reservists From Naturalizing Under INA Sec. 329
Posted on 24 Aug 2017 by Daniel M. Kowalski

DoD Memo, Aug. 17, 2017 - "Effectively immediately, I withhold authority to certify the honorable service (N-426) of Soldiers who have not yet attended Initial Entry Training (IET)." Margaret Stock , BIB Editorial Board Member, MacArthur... Read More

US Army Bars Dual US Citizens from Most Jobs
Posted on 26 Oct 2011 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"Earlier this year, the US Army issued a revised personnel regulation in which the Army announced that dual citizens of the United States and another country are not permitted to enlist in the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard into jobs... Read More

Military Basic Training Naturalizations for Army, Navy, Air Force
Posted on 11 Oct 2011 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"In July 2002, President George W. Bush issued an Executive Order invoking Section 329 of the Immigration & Nationality Act , which allows persons in the United States military to earn their US citizenship on an expedited basis if they serve... Read More

Good Citizenship
Posted on 25 Mar 2014 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"“I’m not in a powerful position,” says Margaret Stock MPA 2001. “All I can do are the little things I’m capable of doing.” Even so, those little things have added up to a lot—specifically, a program that... Read More

Immigrant Oscar Vazquez fought for right to fight for U.S.
Posted on 1 Jan 2012 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"On July 5, a newly minted U.S. citizen, Oscar Vazquez, found himself in a plane over North Carolina preparing for his first jump as a member of the Army's Airborne unit. Being in that plane with his Airborne brothers fulfilled a dream ... Read More

Tags: immigrant , waiver , Army

When a U.S. Passport Just Isn't Good Enough
Posted on 7 Aug 2014 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"Most of us think a U.S. passport is the "gold standard" of proof of American citizenship. Think again. All three "flavors" of American citizens -- native-born, naturalized and those born abroad -- may apply for U.S. passports... Read More

Iraq War Army Veteran Now Immigration Reform Activist
Posted on 14 Nov 2013 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"Francisco Lema has become an immigration activist — in great part because the Ecuadorian-born Iraq war veteran has family members who are undocumented. “I still have some relatives that live here in New York, that unfortunately don’t... Read More

Tags: veteran , Iraq , pearson , reform , lema , Army

Army Spokesperson Says Soldiers With Undocumented Spouses Are 'Harboring'
Posted on 17 Dec 2013 by Daniel M. Kowalski

"JUDE JOFFE-BLOCK, BYLINE: Margaret Stock is an immigration lawyer and a nationally known expert in military issues, and her phone has been ringing a lot lately. MARGARET STOCK: There's been a lot of confusion about whether people are allowed... Read More

Tags: stock , welker , harboring , Army

Army Sgt. from Nepal (Naturalized via MAVNI) Named 'Soldier of the Year'
Posted on 9 Dec 2012 by Daniel M. Kowalski

USCIS, Dec. 7, 2012 : "Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, SGT Saral K. Shrestha knew he wanted a military career from the time he was a small boy. Watching shows about the military on television, he dreamed of life as a soldier. As a young man... Read More