Fernanda M. Pereira Immigration Law

06/05/2026

You filed your I-485. You are eligible. You have been waiting. Can USCIS still deny your green card? Yes, and here is what that means for your case right now.

On May 21, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199. It does not change the law, but it signals how USCIS wants officers to apply discretion in adjustment cases, and that difference matters if you have a pending I-485.

In plain English: being eligible to file Form I-485 does not end the analysis. USCIS may look at the full picture of your case before deciding.

What may work against you in this discretionary review:

• Prior immigration violations or overstays

• Unauthorized employment

• Entry without inspection

• Criminal history, including arrests, charges, or convictions

• Conduct inconsistent with your original visa purpose

• Fraud, misrepresentation, or inconsistent information

What may work in your favor:

• Long residence in the United States

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident family members

• Employment history and tax compliance

• Community ties

• Clean criminal record

• Evidence of good moral character

• Hardship to family members if denied

• Rehabilitation, where relevant

What this means practically:

If your I-485 is pending and your record is clean, that is helpful. But adjustment of status is still discretionary, and no post can predict the result of an individual case.

If your record has any of the negative factors listed above, this memo may increase your risk and should be taken seriously. Do not wait for USCIS to raise the issue.

A stronger filing may include affirmative evidence of family unity, hardship, employment, tax compliance, community ties, rehabilitation where relevant, and good moral character. The point is to show not only that you are eligible, but why your case merits approval as a matter of discretion.

Address the issue proactively with an immigration attorney before the interview, before responding to a Request for Evidence, and before assuming the issue will not matter.

Save this post if you or someone you know has a pending I-485. Share it with someone waiting for a green card interview.

General questions are welcome in the comments, but please do not post private immigration details publicly. For your specific case, send a private message or call to schedule a consultation.

Follow this page for immigration updates explained in plain language in English and Spanish.

The Immigration Law Offices of Fernanda M. Pereira assists individuals and families with adjustment of status, family immigration, removal defense, naturalization, and immigration consequences of criminal charges and convictions.

Hablamos Español.
(209) 942-3300 | Stockton & Northern California

This post is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different.

06/04/2026

Yesterday, the Senate held a hearing on denaturalization. Here is what happened, and what it means for every naturalized U.S. citizen.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution met to debate the administration's expanding denaturalization campaign. Senators debated whether the administration's efforts are consistent with constitutional limits.
The numbers from the hearing:
▪ Between 1990 and 2017, the government opened an average of 11 denaturalization cases per year.
▪ Since January of this year, the government has already opened 34 cases and revoked citizenship from 11 people.
▪ USCIS is reviewing 100 to 200 potential cases per month.
What the hearing revealed that you should know: A June 2025 DOJ memo expanded the campaign beyond terrorism and war crimes to include fraud, s*x crimes, and - critically - "any other cases the division deems sufficiently important." That last phrase has no defined limit.
This is a serious concern. Naturalized citizens have already been stopped at airports and questioned about their immigration history despite holding U.S. citizenship.
The law still requires a federal court proceeding to denaturalize someone, and a misrepresentation must have been material to obtaining citizenship. the government still bears a high burden of proof, and a court, not an agency, makes the final decision.
However, the volume of cases is increasing and the scope is expanding. If you are a naturalized citizen with any of the following, now is the time - not later - to speak with an immigration attorney:

• A prior criminal conviction of any kind
• A prior immigration violation or misrepresentation
• A name discrepancy in your immigration record
• Any concern about what was disclosed during your naturalization process

The Immigration Law Offices of Fernanda M. Pereira assists individuals and families with citizenship, naturalization, removal defense, family immigration, and immigration consequences of criminal charges and convictions.

Hablamos Español. 📞 (209) 942-3300 | Stockton & Northern California
[email protected]

This post is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different.

06/02/2026

If you became a U.S. citizen through naturalization, you may be wondering: can the government take that away? The answer is: it depends, and right now, that question matters more than it ever has.
Recent reporting states that internal USCIS guidance calls for field offices to refer 100 to 200 potential denaturalization cases per month to the Department of Justice for fiscal year 2026. Historically, denaturalization has been rare, averaging about 11 cases per year between 1990 and 2017.
On June 3, 2026, the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on this issue.
Here is what the law generally requires:
▪ Denaturalization is not simply an executive decision. In most cases, the government must bring a case in federal court.
▪ The government has a high burden of proof.
▪ A false statement or omission is not automatically enough. The issue is whether the person illegally obtained citizenship or whether a willful misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact affected the naturalization decision.
▪ There is no statute of limitations. The government may examine conduct or records from many years ago.

What does this mean practically?
Most naturalized U.S. citizens should not panic. But naturalized citizens with complicated immigration histories, prior criminal issues, prior immigration violations, possible misrepresentations, name discrepancies, or concerns about what was disclosed in the naturalization application should take this seriously.
A referral is not a court finding. The strength of individual cases will vary significantly. Only a court can decide a denaturalization case. But it is far better to understand your immigration and criminal record before the government raises the issue, not after.
If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen and you are concerned about your naturalization file, prior immigration history, prior criminal record, or prior statements to immigration, speak with an immigration attorney before there is a problem.
The Immigration Law Offices of Fernanda M. Pereira assists individuals and families with immigration matters, including family immigration, removal defense, citizenship, and immigration consequences of criminal charges and convictions.

Hablamos Español. 📞 (209) 942-3300 | Stockton & Northern California

This post is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different.

Call now to connect with business.

05/28/2026

Actualización importante para personas con casos pendientes de visa U, visa T o VAWA: Un tribunal federal suspendió temporalmente una política de ICE de 2025 que permitía que ICE tomara una postura más agresiva contra algunas personas con casos pendientes de visa U, visa T o VAWA.

Esto no significa que todas las personas con un caso pendiente estén automáticamente protegidas. Los detalles de cada caso importan. Pero, en términos prácticos, esta orden puede importar si ICE intenta detener a una persona, avanzar con su deportación, o tratar un caso pendiente de visa U, visa T o VAWA como si no tuviera importancia.

Esta orden es preliminar y puede cambiar mientras el caso continúa. Un caso pendiente no protege automáticamente a una persona de ICE, pero ICE tampoco necesariamente puede ignorarlo.

Si usted o un familiar tiene un caso pendiente de visa U, visa T o VAWA y ha sido contactado por ICE, tiene una cita con ICE, tiene una orden final de deportación, o ha tenido cualquier contacto con la policía mientras su caso migratorio está pendiente, hable con un abogado de inmigración de inmediato.

La Oficina de Inmigración de Fernanda M. Pereira
Hablamos Español.
(209) 942-3300
Esta publicación es solo información general y no es asesoría legal. Cada caso es diferente.

Call now to connect with business.

05/26/2026

I-485 pending? The USCIS memo can affect your case. What changed: adjustment of status is discretionary, not automatic. USCIS may scrutinize your case more closely, including family ties, employment, taxes, immigration history, and other positive or negative factors. Pending cases are not clearly excluded. If you filed without an attorney, have an interview coming up, or have concerns about your history, take this seriously.
Some adjustment categories may be treated differently: asylee, refugee, certain U visa, SIJS, VAWA, and certain 245(i) adjustments.
If you would like assistance, please call us at (209) 942-3300.
Hablamos Español · Stockton & Central Valley
General information only — not legal advice. Every case is different.

Call now to connect with business.

05/22/2026

New USCIS I-485 Policy: What It Means for Your Green Card Case, and What It Does Not
USCIS recently issued a new policy memo about adjustment of status, which is the process many people use to apply for lawful permanent residence, or a green card, from inside the United States. This is an important development.
The memo emphasizes that adjustment of status is discretionary, not automatic. Adjustment cases have always involved discretion, and USCIS has always been able to consider positive and negative factors. What is different is the emphasis. USCIS is now signaling that officers should treat adjustment as an extraordinary discretionary benefit, not merely a routine paperwork process after eligibility is shown. In plain English, being legally eligible to file Form I-485 does not end the inquiry. The officer may also look at the person’s full immigration history, conduct, positive equities, and negative factors before deciding whether the case merits approval as a matter of discretion.
This does not mean every adjustment case will be denied. It does not create a new law, and it does not automatically make people ineligible. But it does mean that a Form I-485 adjustment application should not be treated as a simple paperwork filing.
Depending on the case, USCIS may look more closely at issues such as prior overstays, failure to maintain lawful status, unauthorized employment, prior immigration violations, criminal history, fraud or inconsistent information, prior removal history, and whether the applicant has strong positive factors in the case.
The concern is not only what the memo says, but how broadly USCIS may apply it. USCIS has discretion in adjustment cases, but discretion is not unlimited. A policy memo cannot create a new categorical bar that Congress did not put into the statute.
There is a major difference between USCIS weighing the positive and negative facts in an individual case, and USCIS denying cases as a general rule because the person could have processed through a U.S. consulate instead. That distinction matters because, in some cases, leaving the United States for consular processing may create additional legal risks or require waivers that may not be required if the person is eligible to adjust status inside the United States.
If USCIS applies this memo broadly to deny adjustment cases that are otherwise legally eligible, litigation is likely to follow. Courts may eventually have to decide whether USCIS is using discretion properly or whether the agency is effectively creating new barriers through policy guidance instead of law.
For now, applicants should take this seriously. Statutory eligibility alone may not be enough in some cases. The case should be prepared with the discretionary record in mind from the beginning.
That may include evidence of family unity, hardship, employment history, tax compliance, community ties, rehabilitation where relevant, and any humanitarian or positive factors that help explain why the person merits approval.
If you are applying for adjustment of status, especially if you have prior status issues, unauthorized employment, criminal history, misrepresentation concerns, prior immigration violations, or immigration court history, speak with an immigration attorney before filing.
The Immigration Law Offices of Fernanda M. Pereira assists individuals and families with immigration matters, including family immigration, removal defense, citizenship, and immigration consequences of criminal charges and convictions.
Hablamos Español.
(209) 942-3300
This post is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different.

05/22/2026

Nueva política de USCIS sobre el Formulario I-485: qué significa para su caso de residencia, y qué no significa

USCIS emitió recientemente un nuevo memorando de política sobre el ajuste de estatus, que es el proceso que muchas personas usan para solicitar la residencia permanente legal, también conocida como green card, desde dentro de los Estados Unidos. Esta es una actualización importante.
El memorando enfatiza que el ajuste de estatus es discrecional, no automático. Los casos de ajuste de estatus siempre han incluido discreción, y USCIS siempre ha podido considerar factores positivos y negativos. Lo diferente ahora es el énfasis. USCIS está señalando que los oficiales deben tratar el ajuste de estatus como un beneficio discrecional extraordinario, no simplemente como un trámite rutinario de documentos después de demostrar elegibilidad.
En palabras sencillas, ser legalmente elegible para presentar el Formulario I-485 no termina el análisis. El oficial también puede revisar el historial migratorio completo de la persona, su conducta, sus factores positivos y sus factores negativos antes de decidir si el caso merece aprobación en el ejercicio de discreción.
Esto no significa que todos los casos de ajuste de estatus serán negados. No crea una nueva ley, y no hace que las personas automáticamente dejen de ser elegibles. Pero sí significa que una solicitud de ajuste de estatus mediante el Formulario I-485 no debe tratarse como un simple trámite de documentos.
Dependiendo del caso, USCIS puede revisar más cuidadosamente asuntos como haberse quedado más tiempo del permitido, no haber mantenido estatus legal, empleo sin autorización, violaciones migratorias anteriores, historial criminal, fraude o información inconsistente, órdenes previas de deportación o historial en corte de inmigración, y si la persona tiene factores positivos fuertes en su caso.
La preocupación no es solamente lo que dice el memorando, sino qué tan ampliamente USCIS lo puede aplicar. USCIS tiene discreción en casos de ajuste de estatus, pero esa discreción no es ilimitada. Un memorando de política no puede crear una nueva barrera categórica que el Congreso no puso en la ley.
Hay una diferencia importante entre que USCIS evalúe los factores positivos y negativos en un caso individual, y que USCIS niegue casos como regla general porque la persona pudo haber hecho el proceso a través de un consulado de los Estados Unidos. Esa distinción importa porque, en algunos casos, salir de los Estados Unidos para procesamiento consular puede crear riesgos legales adicionales o requerir perdones que tal vez no serían necesarios si la persona es elegible para ajustar estatus dentro de los Estados Unidos.
Si USCIS aplica este memorando ampliamente para negar casos de ajuste de estatus que de otra manera son legalmente elegibles, es probable que haya litigios. Eventualmente, los tribunales podrían tener que decidir si USCIS está usando su discreción correctamente o si la agencia está creando nuevas barreras por medio de una guía de política en lugar de una ley.
Por ahora, los solicitantes deben tomar esto en serio. La elegibilidad legal por sí sola puede no ser suficiente en algunos casos. El caso debe prepararse desde el principio teniendo en cuenta los factores discrecionales.
Eso puede incluir evidencia de unidad familiar, dificultades familiares, médicas, económicas u otras circunstancias humanitarias, historial de empleo, cumplimiento con impuestos, lazos comunitarios, rehabilitación cuando sea relevante, y cualquier factor humanitario o positivo que ayude a explicar por qué la persona merece la aprobación.
Si usted está solicitando ajuste de estatus, especialmente si tiene problemas previos de estatus, empleo sin autorización, historial criminal, información falsa, errores importantes o inconsistencias, violaciones migratorias anteriores, o historial en corte de inmigración, hable con un abogado de inmigración antes de presentar su caso.
La Oficina de Inmigración de Fernanda M. Pereira asiste a personas y familias con asuntos de inmigración, incluyendo inmigración familiar, defensa en corte de inmigración, ciudadanía, y consecuencias migratorias de cargos o condenas penales.
(209) 942-3300
Esta publicación es solo información general y no es asesoría legal. Cada caso es diferente.

05/21/2026

Sabemos que llamar a un abogado puede sentirse intimidante, especialmente cuando hay una audiencia, entrevista, caso pendiente o preocupación migratoria.

No tiene que saber exactamente qué hacer antes de llamar. Puede empezar explicando qué está pasando, si hay una fecha importante, y qué tipo de ayuda necesita.

La Oficina de Inmigración de Fernanda M. Pereira asiste con inmigración familiar, defensa en corte de inmigración, ciudadanía y consecuencias migratorias de cargos o condenas penales.

Para una consulta, llame o envíe un mensaje. (209) 942-3300

05/14/2026

Antes de la audiencia. Antes de declararse culpable. Antes de que se forme el récord.

La Oficina de Inmigración de Fernanda M. Pereira asiste a personas, familias y abogados defensores en casos de inmigración familiar, defensa en la corte de inmigración, ciudadanía y consecuencias migratorias de cargos o condenas penales.

Una petición, audiencia, declaración en un caso penal, sentencia o récord criminal puede afectar el futuro migratorio de una persona por años. Cada caso requiere análisis legal individualizado.

Para una consulta, llame o envíe un mensaje. Hablamos Español. (209) 942-3300

——

Before the hearing. Before the plea. Before the record is made.

The Immigration Law Offices of Fernanda M. Pereira assists individuals, families, and criminal defense attorneys with family immigration, removal defense, citizenship and naturalization, and immigration consequences of criminal charges and convictions.

A court filing, hearing, criminal plea, sentence, or record of conviction can affect a person’s immigration future for years. Every case requires individualized legal analysis.

For criminal defense counsel, early immigration analysis can help identify risks before a plea, sentencing, or creation of the record of conviction.

To schedule a consultation, call or send a message. (209) 942-3300