Attorneys

Carlos Maury

Carlos Maury is a former U.S. Immigration Judge who served at the Van Nuys Immigration Court (appointed in 2015) and now leads Carlos Maury Law, a national practice representing individuals, families, and businesses in immigration matters. Before the bench he served as counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the former INS, and as a public defender in Florida.

Articles by Carlos Maury

June 28, 2026 Motions to Reopen and Reconsider Before the BIA: A Complete Guide to 8 CFR § 1003.2
A detailed, plain-language guide to motions to reopen and reconsider before the Board of Immigration Appeals under 8 CFR § 1003.2 — deadlines, numerical limits, exceptions, the departure bar, and the electronic-filing rules.
June 28, 2026 TPS for Lebanon Extended Six Months: What the Automatic Extension Means for You
DHS automatically extended Temporary Protected Status for Lebanon through November 27, 2026, and auto-extended certain work permits. Here is what changed and what to do.
June 27, 2026 Court Order Puts Certain USCIS Hold Policies on Hold: What It Means for Your Case
A federal court vacated three USCIS hold policies that paused immigration applications for travel-ban nationals. Here is what the order does and what to do.
June 25, 2026 Denaturalization: When the Government Moves to Revoke U.S. Citizenship
What denaturalization means for naturalized citizens, the legal grounds the government must prove, and what to do if your citizenship is challenged.
June 12, 2026 BIA: Ask DHS for a Stay of Removal First — Matter of Herrera-Nunez (2026)
In Matter of Herrera-Nunez, the Board of Immigration Appeals announced that a noncitizen with a final removal order should first request a stay of removal from DHS before asking the Board to stay removal in connection with a motion to reopen or reconsider.
May 22, 2026 USCIS Says Adjustment of Status Is Now an 'Extraordinary' Remedy: What the New Policy Means
On May 22, 2026, USCIS announced a policy memo directing that most people seeking a green card from inside the U.S. apply through consular processing abroad instead, treating adjustment of status as an extraordinary remedy decided case-by-case. Here is what was announced and what it could mean for you.
May 4, 2026 Competency Safeguards and Mental-Health Asylum Claims: Matter of C-L-R- (BIA 2026)
A precedential Board of Immigration Appeals decision addresses two issues: the safeguards owed to a respondent found mentally incompetent, and what a mental-health-based particular social group must show to win withholding of removal.
February 20, 2026 DHS Proposes to Tighten Work Permits for Asylum Seekers: What the Proposed Rule Would Do
On Feb. 20, 2026, DHS proposed a rule that would change the filing and eligibility requirements for work permits based on a pending asylum application. Here is what the proposal would do, that it is not yet final, and what asylum seekers should watch for.
February 13, 2026 TPS Terminations in 2025–2026: Which Countries Were Affected and What TPS Holders Should Do
DHS announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for many countries during 2025 and 2026. Here is a plain-language timeline of the announcements, why TPS status is changing fast and being litigated, and the steps TPS holders should take now.
January 14, 2026 Good News for Faith Communities: DHS Drops the One-Year Wait for R-1 Religious Workers
An interim final rule eliminates the one-year foreign-residency requirement for R-1 religious workers who reach the 5-year maximum stay. Here is what changed and what it means for religious organizations and the priests, nuns, and rabbis they rely on.
December 23, 2025 H-1B Lottery Replaced by a Wage-Weighted Selection: What Employers and Workers Should Know
A DHS final rule replaces the random H-1B lottery with a weighted selection that favors higher-paid, higher-skilled positions, effective Feb. 27, 2026 for the FY 2027 cap season. Here is what changed and what it means for petitioners and beneficiaries.
December 4, 2025 USCIS Cuts Maximum Work-Permit Validity to 18 Months for Some Categories
USCIS reduced the maximum validity of Employment Authorization Documents from up to 5 years back to 18 months for several categories, effective for applications pending or filed on or after Dec. 5, 2025. Here is what it means and how it stacks with the end of automatic extensions.
November 27, 2025 USCIS Will Weigh 'Country-Specific Factors' for Applicants from 19 Designated Countries
Effective Nov. 27, 2025, USCIS guidance directs officers to consider negative country-specific factors when exercising discretion on applications from 19 designated high-risk countries. Here is what that means for affected applicants and how to prepare.
October 29, 2025 DHS Ends Automatic Extension of Work Permits: File Your EAD Renewal Early
An interim final rule ends the automatic extension of Employment Authorization Documents for renewals filed on or after Oct. 30, 2025. Here is what changed, who is affected, the TPS exception, and why filing your EAD renewal early now matters more than ever.
October 28, 2025 USCIS Now Requires Electronic Payment for Paper-Filed Forms: No More Checks or Money Orders
As of Oct. 28, 2025, USCIS only accepts electronic payments for paper-filed forms — by card (Form G-1450) or ACH bank debit (Form G-1650). Here is what changed, how to pay, and the limited exemptions.
September 30, 2025 H-2A Filing Gets Faster: USCIS Can Now Start Processing Before the Labor Certification Is Final
A final rule effective Oct. 2, 2025 lets USCIS begin processing certain H-2A agricultural worker petitions while the Department of Labor still reviews the labor certification, using the new Form I-129H2A. Here is what changed for farm employers.
September 17, 2025 USCIS Rolls Out the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test: What N-400 Applicants Should Know
On Sept. 17, 2025, USCIS announced the 2025 naturalization civics test and a series of related changes to the citizenship process. Here is what changed, who it affects, and how to prepare for your N-400 interview.
August 19, 2025 USCIS Expands Social-Media Vetting and Adds 'Anti-American Activity' as a Negative Discretionary Factor
USCIS updated its Policy Manual to weigh anti-American or terrorist-affiliated activity—and antisemitic activity—as negative factors in discretionary benefit decisions, and expanded social-media vetting. Here is what it means for applicants and why what you post can matter.
August 1, 2025 Asylees and Refugees Adjusting to a Green Card: USCIS Tightens Interview and Vetting Criteria
USCIS updated its Policy Manual to reestablish a uniform baseline of screening and vetting for interviews of asylees and refugees (and their derivatives) filing Form I-485. Here is what it means and how to prepare for a green-card interview.
June 12, 2025 A Denied Application Can Now Trigger Removal Proceedings: USCIS Expands Notices to Appear
Under guidance in effect since Feb. 28, 2025, USCIS now generally issues a Notice to Appear—placing a person in removal proceedings—after denying a benefit request when the applicant is removable. Here is what changed, who is at risk, and why getting advice before filing matters.
June 4, 2025 Visa Overstays Are Under Heightened Scrutiny: Check Your I-94 and Protect Your Status
Federal agencies announced a stepped-up review of visa overstays. Here is what that means, how to find your authorized stay on your Form I-94, what an overstay can cost you, and what to do if you have already overstayed.
January 20, 2025 How to Apply for U.S. Citizenship: A Guide to Form N-400
A plain-language guide to Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization — who can apply, the eligibility categories, how the process works from filing to the oath, and where to download the current form.
January 20, 2025 Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification: A Plain-Language Guide for Employees and Employers
Form I-9 verifies the identity and work authorization of everyone hired in the U.S. Here is who completes each section and when, the List A/B/C documents you can present, the anti-discrimination rules, remote examination, reverification, and retention.
January 20, 2025 Form I-485, Adjustment of Status: How to Apply for a Green Card from Inside the United States
Form I-485 is how eligible people become lawful permanent residents (get a green card) without leaving the U.S. Here is what adjustment of status is, who qualifies, the underlying petition and visa availability, the medical exam, and what to expect.
January 20, 2025 Form I-90, Replace Your Green Card: When to Use It to Renew, Replace, or Correct a Permanent Resident Card
Form I-90 renews an expiring green card and replaces one that is lost, stolen, damaged, or wrong. Here is when to use it, the key fact that your status does not expire even when the card does, and why conditional residents file a different form.
October 1, 2024 Form DS-10, Birth Affidavit: Proving U.S. Birth for a Passport Without a Birth Certificate
Form DS-10 (Birth Affidavit) lets a passport applicant prove a U.S. birth when no birth certificate exists or it was filed late. Here is who can sign it, what to submit with it, and how the process works.
December 13, 2023 USCIS Moves Form I-907 Premium Processing for a Pending Form I-140 to Lockbox Filing
USCIS changed where to file Form I-907 (Request for Premium Processing) when it is filed for an already-pending Form I-140. Here is what changed, the key dates, and what does not change.