American Dreamers

Who Can File?

1. Did you come to the US before your 15^th birthday?
2. Did you live in the US continuously (ie did not leave US) since August 15, 2007?
3. Are you currently under the age of 31?
4. Are you currently in school, have a high school diploma, A GED certificate, or honorably discharged by the military?
5. Do you have any criminal record—ie Felony or a significant Misdemeanor?
6. Were you present in the US on June 15, 2012?
7. Were you out of status on or before June 30, 2012?

When can you apply?

The Citizenship and Immigration Service has said they will release information on August 15, and you can apply from that day

What documents do you need?

1. Proof of present enrollment in school, or Diploma or certificate or military
2. Proof of being in the United States before 16^th birthday----- proof of school records from 9^th or 10^th grade or below.
3. Birth certificate—If in other language, translated in English
4. Proof of current residence (in June) in the United States----like bills, pay checks, school records, etc
5. Citizenship and Immigration Service fees of $380/-
6. 2 passport size photos
7. If minor criminal record, proof of it.

What will You get?

You will not get the Green Card (Permanent Resident Card).  But you will get the WORK PERMIT, can work legally, and won’t get deported

What is the procedure?

You will file on or after August 15^th.

You will have to go in for fingerprints

You can check your status on line

Then you will have the Work Permit mailed to you by Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Contact Houston Immigration Lawyer, or Houston Immigration Attorney Annie Banerjee, for more information

Voting and Illegal Immigrants

The anti immigrant forces are up in arms saying that illegal immigrants are voting in record numbers.  They point to statistics from 2005, that 3 % of 30,000 individuals called to jury duty was not citizens.  And hence they assume that everyone who is illegal is probably dying to vote.

First, in many states jury is selected by driver's license rather than voter registration.  Such is the case in Texas. Many permanent residents and non immigrants have the right to drive.  And the jury can be called based on that.  Which is why you have the question asking whether or not you are a citizen on the  jury questionnaire.

Second, lets face it, voting is a right, but its a chore. (Just like Jury duty). You stand in line, sometimes for hours, to vote.  Yet you get nothing out of it. Yours is just one vote, it does not even guarantee that your favorite candidate will win. While I am certainly not discouraging anyone from voting, lets face it, I have not voted in every race. And so is the case of most Americans judging by the poll numbers.

So why would an illegal immigrant, waste his time to vote, knowing that she might get caught doing an illegal act and be deported. Unlike working, voting does not give you money. An illegal immigrant would probably relax and sleep rather than waste her time voting.

Illegal immigrants come to this country to make a living. They have nothing in their country.  So they come, work and make a living. Its survival, the most basic of all instincts that lead them to work illegally.

The REAL ID ACT has denied a lot of illegal immigrants the right to drive. Yet they have to,  to work and to survive.   And they can't get insurance. Accidents can and do happen. And then we all share the cost. The same is true of medical insurance.  And we all as a society pay the cost, instead of the illegal immigrants paying for themselves.  I wish the anti immigrant organization were made to pay for this even for one day. They would change their stance and see the reality. 

Contact Houston Immigration Lawyer, or Houston Immigration Attorney Annie Banerjee, for more information.