FAQs & Explainers

On December 9, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they will automatically extend the validity of Permanent Resident Cards—also known as green cards—for those who apply for naturalization on or after December 12, 2022. This FAQ covers what the changes mean, how the implementation works, and more.

In recent years, California’s appellate courts have provided guidance on the state court’s role in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases. The following decisions clarify many of the common questions that these cases present in state courts, including one-parent SIJS, notice and service issues, and the role of the state court

In September 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1766 – CA IDs For All – which expands standard CA ID eligibility to all Californians, regardless of immigration status. In this downloadable guide, we walk through this new law’s implications, the opportunities for immigrants living in California, how this differs from AB 60 and the REAL ID, and more.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is available to individuals from certain countries designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who cannot return to their home countries due to natural disaster, armed conflict, or other conditions that make it unsafe. This overview guide shares key insights about TPS eligibility, benefits, and more.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has created opportunities for individuals to get protection from deportation, among other benefits, if they have suffered abuse from a spouse or certain family members. This brief overview walks through the immigration eligibility and benefits involved with VAWA.

This fact sheet describes new Cal. Penal Code 372.5 ( AB 2195 ). As of January 1, 2023, a California defendant who is charged with any of several drug offenses, from infractions to felonies, can ask for the drug charge/s to be dismissed and instead to plead guilty to being a “public nuisance” ( Penal Code § 370 ). Section 372.5 provides that in this circumstance, the public nuisance offense is...

On October 5, 2022, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in the Texas v United States case. In their decision, the Fifth Circuit agreed with Texas and found that the DACA policy is unlawful but sent the case back to the Southern District of Texas to consider the recently issued final DACA rule. The Fifth Circuit maintained the court order allowing those who are eligible to...

On September 26, 2022, the Ninth Circuit en banc panel held that GEO group was likely to succeed in their lawsuit to find California's private prison and dertention ba (Bonta-AB 32 unconstitutional, and could continue seeking a preliminary injunction to block the law pending further proceedings at the lower court level. This summary provides a review of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ en banc...

This one-page guide provides an overview of Prosecutorial Discretion and how it can be applied when someone has come in contact with ICE.

Many undocumented immigrants are now eligible for Medi-Cal. This bilingual, two-sided flyer is meant to provide a quick overview of eligibility and key notes regarding the healthcare benefit. Included are also links for identifying registration directories as well as a national directory for free or low-cost immigration legal services. On December 23, 2022 a new rule on public charge went into...