Federal Law on Immigration

Federal law on immigration to the United States has a history dating back to the early days of the Republic. In 1790, a year after Washington took office, the United States granted naturalization to “free white persons” of “good moral character” who had been in the country for at least two years and had lived in the same residence for one year. These numbers were increased in 1795 and 1798. Modern immigration laws passed after World War II include:

-The McCarran-Walter Act of 1952— first law specifying the number of immigrants allowed per year, regardless of race; gave preference to those from Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland who already had relatives living here

- The Hart-Cellar Act of 1965— eliminated national quotas

Tighter restrictions have been added since the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2005, the REAL ID Act was passed, tightening applications for asylum in order to prevent terrorists from taking advantage. This act also established new national standards for driver’s licenses and other forms of ID. That same year, the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism & Illegal Immigration Control Act was passed by the House (but not by the Senate) with a large number of provisions, including mandates on employers to electronically confirm the legal status of their employees; requiring FBI agents to seize custody of illegal aliens from local police where before they might have asked that they be released if they did not have the resources to prosecute; and the establishment of a Fraudulent Documents Center as part of the Department of Homeland Security, itself formed in 2002 in response to the attacks.

The profession of immigration attorney at law is a very prestigious one. The ideal immigration attorney is thoroughly conversant with all immigration laws and knows that lower fees do not necessarily have to mean lower-quality services. Many also provide special services for family and business immigration.

Immigration attorney fees can cover a wide range. Some put down monthly payment plans of $125,000 per month for family immigration matters. Others provide phone consultation for low fees (e.g. $30) and one-hour office consultation for $200.

.

Popular Search Queries