Linh Tran-Layton, U.S. Immigration Attorney

Linh Tran-Layton, U.S. Immigration Attorney United States immigration attorney supporting clients globally. All information provided on this page is informational only, not legal advice.

I have worked as a United States immigration attorney for over 15 years in Salt Lake City, Utah, supporting clients in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa with their U.S. immigration law matters. I am the co-managing partner of JLJ Law Group, PLLC and pride myself on collaborating with clients who seek knowledgeable guidance, a trusted and credible attorney, and desire peace of

mind for all their immigration needs. I have successfully assisted businesses seeking to hire foreign workers for lawful permanent residency through the PERM process, helped families with family-based immigration petitions, and assisted immigrants who have been victims of crime. Congruent to business-based immigration, I support clients with H-1Bs, L-1s, and E-2s. I also handle waivers for family-based immigration cases. As an immigrant who was brought to the U.S. by my parents as an infant, I understand the importance of making immigration resources accessible to all communities. It can be an extremely stressful and grueling process, and I hope to make it more streamlined and transparent. In 2017, I was recognized as the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Asian Professional. Any content on social media and the internet should be taken as informational, not legal advice. For legal help, call our office at JLJ Law Group at 801-883-8204, or schedule a consultation with me: https://lawyerlinhconsultation.as.me/schedule/9a88a256.

06/04/2026

With the new USCIS adjustment of status memo, more people are asking whether they should consular process instead. However, before making the decision to consular process, people must understand the potential risks. If someone has unlawful presence, leaving the U.S. could trigger the 3-year or 10-year bar, or other immigration consequences, and not everyone has a qualifying relative to be able to file for the waiver to come back to the U.S. before the 3 or 10-years has passed. Before choosing adjustment of status or consular processing, your immigration history needs to be reviewed carefully.

🎥Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

05/30/2026

DHS is now saying most green card applicants will not have to leave the U.S. despite the recent USCIS adjustment of status memo. Congress specifically enacted INA § 245 to allow for AOS as a lawful alternative to consular processing assuming all eligibility requirements are met. The statue also makes no mention about the applicant having to justify why AOS was filed instead of consular processing.

We’re still waiting to see how USCIS officers implement this memo in real cases, but a reminder that adjustment of status is still available.

🎥Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

May 29, 2026: The American Immigration Lawyers Association just released this flyer regarding the USCIS AOS policy memor...
05/29/2026

May 29, 2026: The American Immigration Lawyers Association just released this flyer regarding the USCIS AOS policy memorandum. As of this posting, we have not received any solid guidance on how this policy will be implemented, but filing for AOS is still available. Whether that path should be taken is highly dependent on each applicant’s circumstances.

This policy applies to most adjustment of status applications, including family-based, employment-based, and diversity visa categories.

Those who have “dual intent” visas such as H-1Bs and L-1s, are allowed you to pursue a green card while maintaining status. However, the memo states that being in a dual intent status alone is not enough to guarantee approval of your adjustment of AOS.

So far, we know this memo does NOT apply to those admitted under:
-Refugees status
-The Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA)
-The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA)
-The Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) law
-Those who already have green card status

I’ll be posting updates as we get more information and guidance.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

05/27/2026

5/27/2026: The ability to still file for adjustment of status has not gone away, despite what you may see online. USCIS still has not issued any clarification about how it will implement this policy, but there are reports of USCIS officers asking questions such as, “Why did you pursue adjustment of status instead of consular processing?” or “Why did you overstay your visa?” These are questions that were not really asked before.

🎥Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

Don't panic! USCIS recently issued a memorandum on adjustment of status, but it does not change the law that eliminates ...
05/26/2026

Don't panic! USCIS recently issued a memorandum on adjustment of status, but it does not change the law that eliminates the ability to file for a green card within the U.S. Instead, USCIS restated that adjustment of status has always been discretionary, meaning approval is not automatic even when an applicant meets the basic eligibility, and that officers should evaluate all relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining if an applicant should be granted what USCIS is calling an "extraordinary form of relief".

This policy does not apply to:

So far, we know this memo does NOT apply to those admitted under:

➡️ Refugees status
➡️ The Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA)
➡️ The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA)
➡️ The Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) law
➡️ Those who are already lawful permanent residents (LPR)
➡️ LPRs who need to file a renewal of their green cards, the I-751, and those who are applying for naturalization

Read our full article for a clear explanation of what this means for green card applicants: https://greenimmigration.us/uscis-shares-new-memo-on-adjustment-of-status/

05/23/2026

5/23/2026: The new USCIS adjustment of status policy has caused a lot of panic and worry. However, this does not mean that the ability to apply for adjustment of status is going away completely. We will have to wait and see how this plays out. Whether you research things on your own or decide to talk to an immigration attorney, it’s important to understand your options before making any abrupt decisions.

A reminder that this policy does not apply to those who already have their green cards.

🎥 Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

05/22/2026

5/22/2026: A new USCIS policy memo dropped today and it affects every pending I-485. Officers are now directed to treat adjustment of status as an exception, not the default. If you have any immigration violations that may not have mattered as much in the past, those will now have a bigger impact.

The new guidance emphasizes that officers should look at the “totality of the circumstances,” including immigration history, criminal history, honesty in prior filings, compliance with laws, and ties to the U.S.

This does NOT mean every adjustment of status case will be denied, but people should not assume that what might otherwise appear to be a straightforward case will automatically be approved the way it may have been in the past.

Some clarification: dual intent visa holders who apply for AOS could still be impacted, but there may be less of an impact. We will have to wait and see if more clarification comes out.

🎥 Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

05/20/2026

The busy summer travel season is coming up. Make sure you have all the proper immigration documents needed to enter or re-enter the U.S. after international travel.

🎥 Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

05/14/2026

On May 8, 2026, USCIS updated its policy manual on deferred action, and they are now taking a stricter approach in granting deferred action requests.

This doesn’t mean that deferred action is going away entirely, and it does not end programs like DACA, but it does signal that USCIS is looking more closely at deferred action requests moving forward. This likely also explains why DACA renewals have been taking much longer than before.

🎥 Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

05/13/2026

USCIS published a new rule on May 11, 2026, that will go into effect on July 10, 2026. The rule could cause an immigration filing to be denied even after it was accepted if a signature problem is discovered later, instead of allowing the issue to be fixed. This is especially important for cases with deadlines, visa availability issues, or age-out risks. Fortunately, you can easily prevent this issue by properly signing forms.

🎥 Watch this video for more details.

This is general information only, and not legal advice. If you have questions about your immigration situation, you can schedule a consultation through the link in my bio or by calling my office at 801-883-8204.

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Salt Lake City, UT
84101

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