ERM Immigration Law, PLLC

06/19/2026

Proud to announce that Emily Reber-Mariniello, founding attorney, and Emily "L." Kubow-Durbin, associate attorney, have both been 2026 Super Lawyer Rated. Emily Reber-Mariniello made Super Lawyer this year with "L." Kubow-Durbin as Rising Star.

06/08/2026

Help us keep the streak alive as a WINNER for a third year in a row! You can vote for us in the Immigration Law and Law Firm categories every day until 06/26/2026. Thank you for your support!

Vote once per day from June 8 through June 26.

06/05/2026

Law still matters. Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island proved that this morning when he struck down unlawful and craven immigration policies that paused asylum processing and delayed immigration benefits for thousands of applicants. Doctors, scientists, engineers; mothers, fathers, spouses, children, even babies of US citizens -- even the most exceptional of individuals left in a lurch. Meanwhile, our nation suffers not just economically, but morally, from the injustice of these policies that included a worldwide freeze on ALL immigration benefits, despite being lawful, for those born or holding citizenship in the affected countries. The policy is devastating for individuals, families, and businesses with beneficiaries from these 39 countries, which are subject to the administration’s expanded travel ban, known as the "national security ban," including Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, Nigeria, Cuba, and many others.

This now-unlawful policy arbitrarily and capriciously prevented applicants from obtaining work authorization, green cards, naturalization, visas, and other immigration benefits for months while their cases remained pending indefinitely.

Judge McConnell couldn't have been more correct when he noted that the burden of these policies fell hardest on the people who actually followed the law -- a principle that this federal administration and its supporters purport to be the cornerstone of US immigration: "we just want them to get in line and come legally."

Judge McConnell opines: “The court is reminded of a line often repeated in discussions around immigration policy: If people wish to immigrate to the United States, they ought to ‘follow the law’ and ‘do things the right way,’” he wrote. “This case serves as a perfect example of immigrants doing just that.”

Under the law, we cannot discriminate solely on the basis of a person's nationality; there must be more to the banning of an entire group of people than where they were born. It is absurd; we have clients affected by this ban who fled the very regimes the US is claiming they supported...as newborns. It is illegal, cruel, and inhumane. Today, the Justice System did its job in recognizing that; hopefully, the Administration will be true to its Oath and respect the Rule of Law by immediately resuming the processing of these cases that have harmed so many.

This is not the end; this ruling could be stayed (overruled temporarily) or even reversed, but today we take the 'W' and look forward to a future with hope that this Nation of Immigrants will never forget where it came from, what made us Great, and what will make us even better - immigrants.

06/05/2026

39 Country Travel Ban Lifted!

06/02/2026

AOS Memo Update: DHS has walked back their Memo, and as INA Section 245 states, most people will indeed be able to adjust their status within the US.

“This was just a reminder to officers of their discretionary authority, which has always existed on a case-by-case basis,” a DHS spokesperson told The New York Times.

So, what does this mean? As predicted, this follows the pattern of Memos the administration has been releasing: restate existing law in the scariest terms, stretch interpretations of policy so that it is unrecognizable and likely illegal, torment immigrants and add friction to lawful processes, and hope it curbs immigration.

The timing of this memo, before the FIFA World Cup, is also suspicious (not to mention when, naturally, many students pursue marriage after graduation or people have their summer weddings planned).

While we expect increased scrutiny on this issue, we should not fear the process. ERM attorneys frequently and regularly appear at the Field Offices for interviews, and we have our finger on the pulse of all trends. Make no mistake, this is not to say we should be complacent; no, we must be respectful of the power the government wields, and the great responsibility of diligence we have to our clients. However, we ARE prepared and ready to pursue the benefits you, your loved one, or your employee is eligible for under the Law.

At ERM, we saw this coming and kept a steady hand. We will continue to keep a level head; we will "adapt and overcome."

05/23/2026

For all the people who are afraid and their loved ones: The new adjustment of status memo follows a pattern of the memos this administration has released before it. It states existing law and makes it sounds extremely scary. This is meant to deter immigrants, another tool to curb immigration.

Adjudicators are already required to consider all of these memo factors. However, when looking at other similar memos, in practice there has not been significant material change in adjudication outcomes, although higher scrutiny on these issues should be expected. Of course, we always anticipate change and cannot ignore the possibility of change or stronger enforcement. We must be vigilant.

While alarming, people should not panic, especially attorneys. Section 245 allows for adjustment of status and so states the law.

Take a deep breath. Hang in there. Know that most of America values you and we at ERM love you.

05/22/2026

You may have seen the recent policy announcement that eligibility for adjustment of status in the US has been significantly narrowed. FIRST, DON'T PANIC! This memo does not say that all immigration is stopped.

The released memo reiterates existing law that officers have always considered. However, it may signal a tightening up or a higher level of scrutiny. For now, we can't jump to any conclusions until we learn more. We will be closely monitoring the situation and providing updates when they become available. Sit tight, everyone.

04/30/2026

Have you noticed a slowdown or a downgrade in the status of your case? We have. It is likely due to a new vetting process that the government has implemented. While slow to schedule, interviews are happening. Post-interview decision timelines are becoming much longer as well. Looks like we need to reach down deep and find more patience. Eventually, we'll get there!

According to AILA Doc. No. 26042805:
On April 27, 2026, American Immigration Lawyers' Association (AILA) members began reporting that USCIS field and asylum offices across the country were notifying applicants and attorneys that adjudications were subject to a hold. Reports indicated that this was impacting adjustment of status cases and asylum cases, but that it could be a much broader hold impacting all USCIS adjudications.

Although USCIS has not yet officially announced this public hold, AILA has learned through various credible sources that this hold is as a result of a new security vetting process that took effect on April 27, 2026. The new vetting process will require fingerprints to be resubmitted for almost all pending cases (with the possible exception for Naturalization applicants with scheduled oath ceremonies) for which fingerprints were previously submitted for FBI checks prior to April 27, 2026. Once those cases have completed the updated vetting process, new cases would be submitted for fingerprint checks. It is unclear how long of a delay this new process will cause or how many applications are impacted.