Client Newsletter / June 2024

Hello RILA Family!

In honor of World Refugee Day, RILA will be using all of our platforms to raise awareness about refugees and asylum seekers!  Our hope is that our brothers and sisters who are being inhumanely and unjustly displaced anywhere in the world find a place where they can be welcomed and access the security and peace that they long for. The purpose of this day is to bring attention to the tragedies that refugees have had to endure in seeking protection. We stand with those who lost everything and yet continue to demonstrate resilience to make our communities a better place.

You can join us on June 20, 2024, in two ways:

1. You can share this message on social media and tag us to help spread awareness about World Refugee Day. 

2. We invite you to join us in praying for three things: Those are displaced and in danger around the world right now; Those who are seeking refuge in the United States through the Southern Border;  All of those in the RILA family who are in the process of applying for asylum and finding security here in the U.S.  We will be praying together as a community on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 7:30am-8:30am.  You can join us from wherever you are!

We are thankful for each and every one of you and the steps you have walked that have brought you here!  On World Refugee Day we celebrate you!

Legal Update

Understanding Family-Based Pathways to Long-Term Residency in the United States

At RILA we focus on humanitarian immigration pathways to permanent status, including:

1. Asylum is based on the fear of persecution on account of your race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group, in your home country. 

2. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status is available to children in Virginia under the age of 18 who have been abused, abandoned or neglected by one or both of their parents. 

3. VAWA is a special visa for victims of domestic violence at the hands of a U.S. Citizen or green card holding spouses, parents, children. 

4. T visas are for those who have been the victim of human trafficking, which can be defined as exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.

5. U visas are for those who cooperate with the police after suffering substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been the victim of a serious crime here in the U.S.

There is another category of immigration pathways outside of the scope of RILA’s work that is also important for you to know about.  These other pathways are based on family relationships.

There are two steps to file a family petition:

1. A U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident files Form I-130 and supporting documents.  This person is called the Petitioner.

2. The family member of the U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident, who is called the Beneficiary, files the necessary forms and supporting documents, which vary depending on several factors, including the manner in which the family member entered the U.S. and their relationship to the Petitioner.  In some cases, eligible family members may need to travel outside of the U.S. and process their cases through a U.S. consulate.  Others may be eligible to file Form I-485 and adjust their status (apply for legal permanent residency) while remaining in the U.S.

Who is Eligible?

Immediate relatives:

1. Spouse of a U.S. Citizen;

2. Unmarried children under the age of 21 of a U.S. Citizen;

3. Parents of a U.S. Citizen child who is at least 21 years old;

4. Orphans who are children and are adopted by a U.S. Citizen.

Family Preference Categories:

1. (F1) Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens;

2. (F2A) Spouses and children of Permanent Residents;

3. (F2B) Unmarried sons and daughters of Permanent Residents;

4. (F3) Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens;

5. (F4) Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens (over 21 years old).

People in the “Immediate relatives” group will have shorter wait times for their petitions to be processed.  People in the “family preference categories” group will have longer wait times, depending on which category they belong to.

You can learn more about the process for Immediate Relatives here.  You can learn more about the process for Family Preference Categories here. 

If you believe you may be eligible for this pathway, you can reach out to your legal advocate for information about what you can do next.  We hope this information helps you to understand your case better and the options that could be available to you.  Because asylum is discretionary and can be difficult to obtain even if you have a fear of returning to your home country, a family-based pathway may be your best option. 

As always, please let your legal advocate or Mirna know if you move or get a new phone number! It’s important that we stay connected as we walk through your immigration process together.