Friday Last Day to Comment on Family Waiver

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - BusinessOn April 2, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Proposed Rule that would make an important change in the process for applying for a waiver to a bar to re-entering the U.S. Under current law, undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. without status for six months or more are barred from re-entering for three years once they leave. If they have been here without status for a year or more, the bar to re-entry goes up to ten years.

The proposed provisional waiver process will alleviate the problems that result when families suffer lengthy separation because a family member must wait abroad for his or her waiver to be processed. The rule could go further, however, to reduce family separation. You can weigh in to help improve the rule. Public comments are being accepted until June 1. Here’s how you can make your voice heard. Go to the Federal Register page where you find the proposed rule, titled ‘Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers of Inadmissibility for Certain Immediate Relatives,’ www.regulations.gov. Families who want more information or need referrals for legal or other help can call ICIRR’s Family Support Hotline, 855-435-7693.

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