New York, New York — After staying in the United States for more than 15 years, 200,000 Salvadoran non-citizens, who were granted Temporary Protected Status when they came to this country after earthquakes damaged their houses back home, have been told they must leave the U.S. Kerry Bretz, Partner, Bretz & Coven, LLP, says this directive by President Donald J. Trump will hurt these protected individuals who have since contributed to this country.

In 2001, two earthquakes hit El Salvador, killing approximately 1,000 people and destroying more than 100,000 homes. Those Salvadorans who came to the U.S. were granted Temporary Protected Status by then-President George W. Bush. Both he and his successor, then-President Barack Obama, renewed the Salvadorans’ status every 18 months, citing the Central American country had still not stabilized yet from the disasters and ongoing violence from the drug cartels.

On January 8, 2018, President Trump announced that he is ending Temporary Protected Status for these non-citizens effective September 2019. He stated that, if they stay beyond the deadline, they will be considered illegal immigrants and face deportation. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the country has since rebuilt from the earthquakes and it is no longer considered to be in a state of emergency.

“This measure affects thousands of Salvadoran non-citizens living on Long Island and the New York metropolitan area,” Mr. Bretz says. “Some may be eligible for other forms of relief, like the cancellation of removal or political asylum, but others already have final orders of removal. None of them have criminal histories, as it would have made them ineligible for the program. Temporary Protected Status has allowed them to work legally and pay taxes, as so many have done.”

For more information, call (212) 267-2555 or visit www.bretzlaw.com.

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About Bretz & Coven, LLP

Bretz & Coven, LLP is an immigration law firm located in New York, New York and Clark, New Jersey. The firm serves clients in and around the tri-state area, including Brooklyn, New York City, the Bronx, Queens, Kings County and Richmond County. Its team of dedicated attorneys is known for taking on cases that other lawyers turn down. Bretz & Coven assists individuals and their families understand the process of obtaining citizenship, New York residency or a green card and offer them a full range of options, including adjustment of status, asylum, available types of visas, waivers, removal defense and special programs and treaties. The attorneys can also help immigrants avoid deportation. For more information, call (212) 267-2555 or visit www.bretzlaw.com.

New York, New York — After campaigning on the promise to round up and deport the 11 million non-citizens covered under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) living in the United States, President Donald J. Trump announced today that he has endorsed a deal with Congressional Republicans and Democrats to provide those non-citizens known as “Dreamers” a pathway to citizenship. Kerry Bretz, Partner, Bretz & Coven, LLP, says the president’s reversal on his immigration stance is welcome and will allow non-citizens who came to the United States as children to live and work in the U.S.

President Trump announced that he is backing an immigration deal that would codify the protections under DACA. This would prevent 700,000-800,000 young immigrants, known as “Dreamers,” from being deported. However, as part of the deal, the president wants Congress to provide funding for the wall to be built along the U.S.-Mexico border, end “chain migration” — which allows those to enter the country because their relatives reside in the U.S. — and cancel the diversity visa lottery program. The announcement preceded a decision from a federal judge in San Francisco to block the Trump administration from ending DACA.

“I am pleased to see President Trump change his mind on DACA,” Mr. Bretz says. “If the president holds true to his decision about DACA, Dreamers may be able to continue to live and work in this country without fear. However, lack of agreement on the other issues — the border wall and ending ‘chain migration’ and the diversity visa lottery — might sink the deal.”

For more information, call (212) 267-2555 or visit www.bretzlaw.com.

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About Bretz & Coven, LLP

Bretz & Coven, LLP is an immigration law firm located in New York, New York and Clark, New Jersey. The firm serves clients in and around the tri-state area, including Brooklyn, New York City, the Bronx, Queens, Kings County and Richmond County. Its team of dedicated attorneys is known for taking on cases that other lawyers turn down. Bretz & Coven assists individuals and their families understand the process of obtaining citizenship, New York residency or a green card and offer them a full range of options, including adjustment of status, asylum, available types of visas, waivers, removal defense and special programs and treaties. The attorneys can also help immigrants avoid deportation. For more information, call (212) 267-2555 or visit www.bretzlaw.com.