From the Firm
News – Page 4
Immigration news and analysis from Carlos Maury Law.
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The 3- and 10-Year Bars: How Unlawful Presence Works
Time in the U.S. without status can trigger a 3- or 10-year bar to returning, often set off by leaving. We explain how the bars work and what counts.
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USCIS Calls Adjustment of Status Rare
USCIS now directs most green-card seekers inside the U.S. toward consular processing abroad instead. What the new policy means for your case.
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Charlotte Immigration Court: The New Judges EOIR Assigned From October 2025 to May 2026
EOIR assigned five new judges to the Charlotte Immigration Court between October 2025 and May 2026. Who they are and what it means if your case is there.
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Consular Processing: Getting an Immigrant Visa Abroad
A green card obtained from abroad runs through a U.S. consulate. We explain the process, the consular officer's role, and how it differs from adjustment.
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Premium Processing: Paying for a Faster Decision
Premium processing lets certain petitioners pay an extra fee for a faster USCIS decision. Which cases can use it, and what it does and does not guarantee.
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Parole and Advance Parole: Entry and Travel Without a Visa
Parole lets some people enter or travel without a visa. Learn why parole is not an admission and how advance parole protects a pending case.
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Waivers of Inadmissibility: Forgiving What Blocks a Green Card
A ground of inadmissibility can block a visa or green card, but a waiver may forgive it. How the main waivers work and the extreme hardship standard.
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Good Moral Character: What It Means in Immigration Law
Naturalization and other relief require good moral character. The statutory bars, the permanent aggravated-felony bar, and the fact-specific catch-all.
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Aggravated Felony: The Immigration Term That Isn't What It Sounds Like
In immigration law, aggravated felony is a defined list, and a minor conviction can qualify. What it covers, the one-year threshold, and its severity.
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Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude: A Concept That Shapes Cases
A crime involving moral turpitude can make someone inadmissible or deportable, yet the law gives no simple list. We explain the term and its exceptions.
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The Diversity Visa Lottery: A Green Card by Chance and Merit
The diversity visa lottery offers green cards to people from countries with low U.S. immigration. Learn who is eligible and the education or work rule.
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BIA Sets New Mental-Health Asylum Rules
A BIA decision sets safeguards for mentally incompetent respondents and standards for mental-health-based asylum claims. What it means for your case.
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Voluntary Departure: Leaving on Your Own Terms — and Its Risks
Voluntary departure lets someone leave the U.S. instead of being formally removed. Its benefits, strict deadlines, and penalties for not leaving on time.
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When TPS Ends: How a Termination Works and What to Do
TPS is reviewed periodically and can be terminated. We explain the law's review, notice, and 60-day rules, and why planning ahead matters if TPS may end.
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San Francisco Immigration Court Closes: Its Cases Now Belong to the Concord Immigration Court
EOIR closed the San Francisco Immigration Court on Sept. 4, 2026, and its docket moved to Concord. Here is what changed and what to check in your case.
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Who Can't Adjust Status: The Bars and a Key Exception
Not everyone can get a green card from inside the U.S. Learn the bars to adjustment of status, like unauthorized work, and the key exception.
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The Affidavit of Support: A Sponsor's Binding Promise
Most family green cards need a sponsor's Affidavit of Support. Learn what it commits the sponsor to, the 125%-of-poverty rule, and why it is enforceable.
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The Public Charge Rule: What It Is and What It Considers
The public charge ground can block a green card. We explain the factors the law requires, the role of the affidavit of support, and common myths.
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Birthright Citizenship: What the Law Says About Being Born a Citizen
Citizenship at birth rests on the 14th Amendment and federal statute. Learn what "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" means and citizenship by descent.
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Citizenship Through Military Service: An Honored Path
Noncitizens who serve honorably in the U.S. armed forces have a special path to citizenship. What the law provides for service in periods of hostilities.
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Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Protection for Vulnerable Children
SIJS is a green card path for children abused, neglected or abandoned by a parent. Who qualifies, the court order, Form I-360, visa waits and 2026 changes.
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Registry: A Green Card for Very Long-Term Residents
Registry is a little-known path to a green card for people in the U.S. since before 1972. We explain what the law requires and why the date matters.
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TPS Terminations 2025-26: What to Do Now
DHS terminated TPS for several countries in 2025-2026. A plain-language timeline of the announcements and what TPS holders should do now.
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DHS Proposes Tighter Asylum Work Permits
DHS proposed tightening work-permit rules for pending asylum applications on Feb. 20, 2026. What the proposal would do and what to watch for.
How we can help
Carlos Maury, a former U.S. Immigration Judge, handles immigration cases in these practice areas: