Undocumented immigrants receive answers to their fearful doubts
News from Univision Noticias
Jorge Cancino, a reporter from Univision Noticias, has been receiving emails from undocumented immigrants who fear and doubt their stay in the country. This week Cancino answers the doubts to questions such as: What happens if I signed a voluntary departure and stayed in the U.S.? If I am deported, what happens with my savings and properties? I was arrested in the past; will I have problems if my wife asks for my residence?
If an individual signs a voluntary departure, they have agreed to leave the country at a certain date and only return within legal terms. If they fail to leave the country at the given date, they will automatically receive a deportation order. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recommends individuals to be cautious and not be fooled by individuals who claim they can help under false laws.
Alex Gálvez, a Los Angeles based lawyer, stated that if a person were to be deported their savings and properties would be passed on to their spouse, if there is no spouse it would be given to their children who are 21 or older, and if neither of these was an option it would then go to a legal family member within the country. For the extreme case that none of these options are accessible, the deportee could take to a court law. If that does not work, the government would then legally take over their belongings.
Nelson Castillo, a Los Angeles based lawyer, stated that every case is different when it comes to a citizen seeking legal residency for their undocumented spouses. Many believe that getting married with a citizen guarantees them citizenship, but later discover there are various steps to follow. If the undocumented individual does not have a criminal record and entered the country legally, they would receive a legal status without leaving the country. If they came into the country illegally, they would have to submit an application for the provisional waiver I-106A, be granted their legal status, travel back to their country of origin to receive their documents, and return to the U.S. legally. This method does not work for everyone, which is why Castillo suggests individuals to hire lawyers who will clarify whether or not it would be possible to grant the undocumented individual with a legal status.
Cancino welcomes others to submit their questions to: jcancino@univision.net
