Coronavirus stalled benefits for thousands of immigrants. A lawyer explains their options
On March 18, The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) temporarily suspended all in-person services to immigrants in an effort to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The office closure affects tens of thousands of individuals awaiting immigration benefits such as extensions of status, work permits, green cards and U.S. citizenship through naturalization — including those who have interview appointments, biometric services and naturalization ceremonies.
The paralysis of immigration procedures has generated anxiety in people with open processes, such as asylum seekers, permanent residents with green cards awaiting for American citizenship, and others with pending cases in immigration courts.
Similarly, there are thousands of foreign nationals on tourist visas whose authorized stay is due to expire and cannot return to their countries due to the pandemic and must file an application to extend their non-immigrant status.
At the same time, numerous international students suddenly find themselves in a situation of financial need and want to apply for a work permit.
In a bilingual video interview with el Nuevo Herald, immigration attorney Adriana Kostencki, partner at Nelles Kostencki, PLLC., answered some of the most common questions immigrants in the U.S. have in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
You can also watch the full interview in el Nuevo Herald’s Spanish-language immigration channel in YouTube.
Read more: Immigrants can lose their green cards and face deportation if they make these mistakes
Daniel Shoer Roth is a journalist covering immigration law who does not offer legal advice or individual assistance to applicants. Follow him on Twitter @DanielShoerRoth or Instagram. The contents of this story do not constitute legal advice.
Read more about legal and immigration issues in Spanish at AccesoMiami.com
This story was originally published April 11, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
