Azucena Valencia Law Corporation

03/08/2024

We proudly sponsor Immaculate Conception STEM Academy's golf tournament for the second year in a row. Come join us on the golf course!

Azucena Valencia Law
319 S Park Ave., Pomona, CA 91766
909.766.8338 / www.azvalaw.com

Proud to sponsor the IC STEM Academy Golf Tournament
March 22 at the California Country Club

08/29/2022

Another grateful client! We're happy to have a positive impact in the lives of our clients.

04/22/2022

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a new program called "Uniting for Ukraine" that will provide a streamlined process for Ukrainian refugees seeking to come to the United States.

03/30/2022

USCIS Announces New Actions to Reduce Backlogs, Expand Premium Processing, and Provide Relief to Work Permit Holders

Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is announcing a trio of efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system. USCIS will set new agency-wide backlog reduction goals, expand premium processing to additional form types, and work to improve timely access to employment authorization documents. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resource constraints resulting from the prior administration, USCIS inherited a significant number of pending cases and increased processing times. Through today’s actions by the Biden administration, USCIS is acting to reduce these caseloads and processing times, while also ensuring that fair and efficient services are available to applicants and petitioners.

“USCIS remains committed to delivering timely and fair decisions to all we serve,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Every application we adjudicate represents the hopes and dreams of immigrants and their families, as well as their critical immediate needs such as financial stability and humanitarian protection.”

Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is announcing a trio of efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system.

03/16/2022

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today the designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Only individuals who are already residing in the United States as of March 15, 2022, will be eligible for TPS.

“This TPS designation will help to protect Afghan nationals who have already been living in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Under this designation, TPS will also provide additional protections and assurances to trusted partners and vulnerable Afghans who supported the U.S. military, diplomatic, and humanitarian missions in Afghanistan over the last 20 years.”

Secretary Mayorkas is designating Afghanistan for TPS on the statutory basis of ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent the country’s nationals from returning in safety. Armed conflict that poses a serious threat to the safety of returning nationals is ongoing in Afghanistan as the Taliban seeks to impose control in all areas of the country and Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) conducts attacks against civilians. Extraordinary and temporary conditions that further prevent nationals from returning in safety include a collapsing public sector, a worsening economic crisis, drought, food and water insecurity, lack of access to healthcare, internal displacement, human rights abuses and repression by the Taliban, destruction of infrastructure, and increasing criminality.

Through Operation Allies Welcome, most Afghan nationals who arrived as part of the evacuation effort were paroled into the United States on a case-by-case basis, for humanitarian reasons, for a period of two years and received work authorization. These individuals may also be eligible for TPS. Additional information about registering for TPS can be found at Temporary Protected Status | USCIS.

TPS will apply only to those individuals who are already residing in the United States as of March 15, 2022, and meet all other requirements, including undergoing security and background checks. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after March 15, 2022, will not be eligible for TPS.

The 18-month designation of TPS for Afghanistan will go into effect on the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice. The Federal Register notice will provide instructions for applying for TPS and an Employment Authorization Document.

03/03/2022

Secretary Mayorkas Designates Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months

WASHINGTON— The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.

“Russia’s premeditated and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war, senseless violence, and Ukrainians forced to seek refuge in other countries,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “In these extraordinary times, we will continue to offer our support and protection to Ukrainian nationals in the United States.”

A country may be designated for TPS when conditions in the country fall into one or more of the three statutory bases for designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. This designation is based on both ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Ukraine that prevent Ukrainian nationals, and those of no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine, from returning to Ukraine safely. These conditions result from the full-scale Russian military invasion into Ukraine, which marks the largest conventional military action in Europe since World War II. This invasion has caused a humanitarian crisis with significant numbers of individuals fleeing and damage to civilian infrastructure that has left nearly a million individuals without electricity or water or access to food, basic supplies, shelter, and emergency medical services.

Individuals eligible for TPS under this designation must have continuously resided in the United States since March 1, 2022. Individuals who attempt to travel to the United States after March 1, 2022, will not be eligible for TPS. Ukraine’s 18-month designation will go into effect on the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice. The Federal Register notice will provide instructions for applying for TPS and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). TPS applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and undergo security and background checks.

03/03/2022

Biden administration will extend immigration relief to Ukrainians in the US, sources say.

The Department of Homeland Security will allow Ukrainians who are in the United States to remain in country under a form of humanitarian relief, according to three sources familiar with the decision.

The Department of Homeland Security will allow Ukrainians who are in the United States to remain in country under a form of humanitarian relief, according to three sources familiar with the decision.

03/02/2022

HOW THE UNITED STATES CAN HELP UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANTS

The U.S. can extend family-based visas. Ukrainians who are fleeing the violence in their country should be able to join their family members already living in the U.S. The Biden Administration can extend family-based visas with expedited processing times.

Now is the time to help however we can.

02/08/2022

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today published updated policy guidance to change the maximum validity period that may be granted for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued to certain applicants, as well as to provide general guidance on adjudicating Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.

Starting today, USCIS will generally grant new and renewed EADs that are valid for two years to applicants in the following categories:

Admitted as a refugee (a)(3);
Granted asylum (a)(5);
Granted withholding of deportation or removal (a)(10); and
VAWA self-petitioner (c)(31).
Additionally, USCIS will generally grant new and renewed EADs up to the end of the parole or deferred action period to applicants in the following categories:

Paroled into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit (c)(11); and
Granted deferred action (non-DACA) (c)(14).
Increasing the maximum validity period that may be provided on EADs for these categories will help ease processing backlogs by reducing the frequency and number of times these applicants must renew their EADs and will help prevent gaps in employment authorization and documentation.

This policy update is effective immediately. Therefore, new and renewed EADs issued for impacted categories on or after Feb. 7, 2022, will reflect the updated validity periods. EADs issued before Feb. 7, 2022, are not affected. USCIS will continue to issue replacement EADs with the same validity date as the original EAD.

11/12/2021

Remembering with gratitude the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

09/15/2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Series Required for Immigration Medical Examinations

Effective Oct. 1, 2021, applicants subject to the immigration medical examination must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the civil surgeon can complete an immigration medical examination and sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. This guidance applies prospectively to Form I-693 signed by civil surgeons on or after Oct. 1, 2021.

USCIS is updating its policy guidance in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Aug. 17 update to the Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons. We are working on updating Form I-693 and the form instructions to incorporate this new requirement. Applicants must complete the COVID-19 vaccine series (one or two doses, depending on the vaccine) and provide documentation of vaccination to a USCIS-designated civil surgeon before completion of the immigration medical examination.

09/12/2021