South Jersey Premier Trial Firm Blog

The legal environment for immigrants in the United States, including in New Jersey, is not a friendly one these days. The federal government has often come into conflict with the states by adopting a no-holds-barred kind of strict enforcement policy. This policy reflects criminal arrests as well as harsh deportation tactics by the feds. Criminal defense attorneys who understand and work in immigration law are at a premium.

In one recent incident, a New Jersey teacher who has an asylum request pending was seized outside his apartment by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The 33-year-old was taken by seven ICE officers to a detention center in Elizabeth. He remains there, pending what he hopes will be some semblance of legal process.

When another motorist's negligence causes you injury, you may encounter financial difficulties during recovery. In addition to the emotional trauma often associated with motor vehicle accidents, medical bills, need for time off work and physical pain may intensify one's suffering. For some New Jersey residents, other issues may complicate their recovery process, such as those who are injured by no fault of their own but are hesitant to pursue personal injury recovery because their immigration paperwork is not in order.  

Although state laws vary, it's often possible for undocumented immigrants to seek compensation for damages they've suffered in motor vehicle collisions. You may have more options than you realize. While it's understandable that such circumstances would cause someone in your situation to feel anxious or worried about the future, it's also a good idea to rely on immigrant advocates who can point you in the right direction for obtaining the help and restitution you deserve.  

Emigrating from another country of origin to live and work in New Jersey is not without its challenges for most immigrants. The first weeks or months in the United States may be spent overcoming a language barrier and dealing with a certain amount of culture shock. In time, new surroundings may start to feel like home, unless a serious problem arises that causes things to get a lot worse before they get better, such as winding up with a serious need for criminal defense.

Even getting a traffic ticket can be problematic for an immigrant, especially one whose residence is tied to a temporary visa, or worse, someone who has no paperwork at all. If prosecutors charge an immigrant with a serious crime, one that is listed as a felony, it may mean that life in the United States will come to an abrupt halt, and deportation proceedings will begin. If immigration officials determine removal is not necessary, a downgrade in legal status may be issued.

It's no secret that there is never a shortage of political debate in New Jersey and across the country about immigration issues. On any given day, it's likely that a survey regarding immigration and naturalization issues would produce hundreds of different answers, depending on personal, professional or partisan opinions. One situation currently being litigated at the federal level may impact the lives of many immigrants throughout the nation.

The U.S. Supreme Court has reportedly agreed to hear a case filed by the presidential administration to appeal a lower court decision. The administration argues that the lower court's ruling has impeded its efforts deport immigrants who have committed crimes. The main issue at hand is a previous court decision holding that any immigrant who has satisfied a criminal sentence may not be indefinitely detained later if he or she was not immediately detained upon completing the criminal sentence.