What Immigration Changes to Expect in the New Presidential Administration

When President-Elect Donald Trump is sworn into office on January 20, 2017, immigration policies will be at the top of the new administration’s agenda. We anticipate that changes in this uncharted post-Obama era will be announced gradually and will affect aliens in communities throughout California and across the country.

The legal team at Nalbandian Law, an immigration firm in the Los Angeles area, will be closely monitoring the changes in U.S. immigration policies and procedures on a daily basis. We will frequently post important breaking news and updates on our Nalbandian Law Facebook page , so we urge you to stay informed by following us on Facebook.
At this point in time, we do know that the following immigration issues are “red-flag” areas of real concern for aliens:

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA)

The DACA program was created by an executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012. DACA allows certain undocumented immigrants in the United States who entered the country before their 16th birthday and before June 2007 to receive a renewable two-year work permit and exemption from deportation. DACA was met with tremendous relief and elation by this special group of immigrants. They would no longer have to worry about I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents knocking on their door in the middle of the night and taking them into custody to await deportation back to their native country.

How DACA Protection Could Change

During his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump repeated promised to “immediately terminate” the DACA program. Therefore, Nalbandian Law and many other immigration firms expect the Trump administration to discontinue President Obama’s executive order as soon as possible.

For undocumented non-criminal aliens who have DACA applications pending, the outcome is currently unclear. Many immigration attorneys are advising undocumented aliens eligible for DACA to not apply, because the biographic information on their applications could be used to track them down for deportation, which in the past DHS (Department of Homeland Security has promised not to do.

According to Department of Homeland Security statistics, more than 740,000 people have been approved to receive DACA status. The biggest fear is that the Trump administration will place this vast database in the hands of I.C.E. agents who then will go door-to-door, detaining and deporting hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who had finally felt safe and secure.

Criminal Aliens

If you have any conviction what so ever in your past (even if you have completed probation and the case has been dismissed), and you are not yet a US Citizen, follow us very closely on changes regarding the changes in criminal immigration laws that are expected in President Trump’s Election.

Non-Criminal Aliens With Final Orders of Removal

If your asylum case, for example, was denied by the U.S. Court of Appeals, don’t give up. You still may be able to have your order of removal reopened and remain in the United States. “Nalbandian Law has successfully represented asylum clients who had lost their final appeal when another attorney was handling their case,” said lead immigration attorney Sassoun A. Nalbandian, “and we were still able to have their cases reopened. So don’t give up.” In recent cases, Mr. Nalbandian has been able to prove to the immigration court that:

The asylum client had “ineffective counsel” and, therefore, was not adequately represented by the previous attorney
Conditions in the client’s native country had worsened to the point that sending the asylee back home would cause more even more persecution and potentially death.

If you are an asylee facing deportation, call the immigration experts at Nalbandian Law, (818) 244-0310, and schedule a consultation with Mr. Nalbandian. He will review your case carefully and only agree to represent you if he believes your case can be won.

What to Do if an I.C.E. Agent Knocks on Your Door

During the previous Bush administration, there was a major crackdown on aliens. I.C.E. agents went door to door, detaining aliens with final removal orders even when they had no criminal history. This could happen again when Mr. Trump is president!
These are your rights as an record if an I.C.E. agent knocks on your door:

You have the right not to open the door without an arrest/search warrant.
You have the right to ask for their warrant signed by a judge before you allow them to enter.
You have the right to call your lawyer.
You have the right to refuse to answer questions or even tell them your name.
You have the right to refuse to answer questions even when they are searching your home.
Make sure that you take pictures and videos to document everything the I.C.E. agents are doing.

As your immigration attorney, Nalbandian Law will file a motion for “stay of removal” so that you won’t be deported while your motion to reopen is pending.
Contact Nalbandian Law immediately—(818) 244-0310—if you are in any of the following situations:

You are an alien from a country that is considered a “high-risk country”
Example: If you are from a Middle Eastern country or other “high-risk country”–even if you are not Muslim—you may contact us to discuss how to protect your rights in the face of possible immigration policy changes.
Waiting for a VISA for loved ones
The Trump administration can take the action of temporarily suspending visas from countries with terrorist ties as well as introduce an ideological test for those entering the United States. Additionally, new U.S. immigration policies can quickly change the number of VISAs permitted from individual countries. Follow us on Facebook to be alerted about changes that can affect your loved one’s visa.
Changes at the U.S. border regarding arriving aliens seeking asylum
It’s too soon to know if more detention facilities will be built to detain asylees for a longer period of time. It’s uncertain if the parole process will continue under the new administration or whether women with children under 18 and elderly individuals will still be paroled or will be detained in family detention facilities. These are all changes that could happen overnight, so make sure you follow us on Facebook for breaking news.

“Attorney Sassoun Nalbandian worked his magic! My uncle had been trying to get asylum for 14 years and could have easily been deported after such a long time… After hearing the facts about my uncle’s plight, he took his case. His fee was reasonable, and he was very responsible. He never promised us things he couldn’t deliver, and he never gave us the false security of a guarantee. He told us what to reasonably expect and what we could do if all our efforts failed. I’m happy to report that Mr. Nalbandian worked his magic. When my uncle was granted asylum, I can honestly say that Mr. Nalbandian was responsible for giving me one of the most joyful days of my life.” — Mariam, N. Hollywood, CA

Schedule a Private Consultation Today!

Call Nalbandian Law at (818) 244-0310 or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation with lead attorney and criminal immigration expert Sassoun A. Nalbandian. He will review your situation carefully and determine the best course of action for you. Mr. Nalbandian has a 99% success rate* of winning cases for clients.

*Approval rates do not guarantee future approval of your petition. No attorney can ethically guarantee any outcome. Always consult with a licensed, competent immigration attorney such as the experienced immigration attorneys at Nalbandian Law before filing your case.