PDA

View Full Version : Problems with INS/USCIS, who to turn to?


J646
11-23-2007, 02:23 AM
***I just now realized this may be the wrong subsection, please move or let it slide lol, sorry ****

I have a rather complicated situation so if you'd like to take a crack at it, read below (I apologize if this is the wrong forum).

Some years ago my father was being sponsored through work, a case that fell apart due to a complete mishandling of our case (on purpose might I add) but it at least resulted in my family being covered by 245i.

In 2003 my mother (covered by 245i through my father) won the DV-2004 lottery. We had filed a case on the basis that as a person covered by 245i she was eligible to adjust status within the US.

Their decision reads as follows:

You indicated on your I-485 that you are out of status. You provided as evidence of eligibility for 245i a copy of your spouse's, -----, labor certification that was filed ------. You are applying as a principal applicant and not as an accompanying or following to join applicant. You cannot categorize yourself as a "beneficiary" and, as such, are not grandfathered for 245i purposes.

-----

This decision may not be appealed. If you believe the law was inappropriately applied or the analysis used in reaching your decision was inconsistent with information provided or with precedent decisions, you may file a motion to reconsider. If you have new or additional information which you wish to have considered, you may file a motion to reopen.


Our lawyer filed a motion to reconsider saying that my mother was eligible to adjust in this way.

This motion was denied writing:

Section 245i defines the term "beneficiary" to include a spouse or child 'eligible to receive a visa under section 203d of the Act'. This applies to spouses or children 'accompanying or following to join' the principal alien. Both citations acknowledge that you must apply as the beneficiary of a principal alien. You need not adjust at the same time as the principal but you must be a "beneficiary" and not a principal applicant.

And so on, all this might I add with typing errors that quite frankly might reveal lots about the writer of that letter.

Our lawyer sent a letter to them citing the legal principle of "alien based reading" of 245i that stated "relatives of alien grandfathered for 245i are entitled to grandfathering as well, EVEN IF they have their own, different, new basis for adjustment of status" and suggested they consult the BICE Counsel and change their decision.

At this point our lawyer told us that they didn't accept this explanation and explaining to us (whether truthfully or not I don't know) that all the decisions were made by one problematic person at (back then) INS who would not reverse her own decision because it would imply she was wrong (again this may be bs but that's what he said).

My questions are:

Is there something that I am not understanding here? Was our lawyer wrong in that my mother for some reason can't adjust in this way?

If you don't see any errors is there ANYTHING we can do? Our lawyer said there isn't. Is there any court that can review this?

I realize this was a few years ago. My parents felt really bad about this especially given the "it's 100% sure" attitude of our lawyer. I would really, honestly appreciated your opinion on this issue. Thank you.

djones9714
11-23-2007, 02:32 AM
I understand what the laws are saying and I believe this is correct. Your mother was the "beneficiary" of your dad's petition and not the original "petitioner."


What about your father finding another sponsor? Since your father never went forward on this application, there is nothing else to do unless he finds another sponsor.

J646
11-23-2007, 02:37 AM
Right she was a beneficiary of 245i and then a primary petitioner on the DV case. Can she not benefit from it since relatives are covered the same way?

My father can't really find another sponsor given the fact that it would AGAIN involve working at the same employer for (how many years is the backlog now?) and people always are exploited when that happens.

My parents attitude is "wait". Mine "take action" but it really doesn't look great.

djones9714
11-23-2007, 02:43 AM
I am not sure but will try to find some information on this for you. Since your dad's I-130 was not approved and it was dropped, I just don't know if this allowed your mom to be grandfathered under another application.

djones9714
11-23-2007, 03:01 AM
I think I finally found the real problem here and will try to explain it. The rules state: "Your mother will always be grandfathered under 245(i) and so will your father and anyone else on that application as long as they are not the "principal beneficiary" because your father is only the "principal beneficiary."

Let's say for instance your mom and dad divorce and your mom marries someone else. She would still be eligible for 245(i) and her new husband could petition for her and she would still qualify under 245(i) as a "beneficiary" but not the "principal beneficiary."

They are saying that your mother qualifies but NOT as the principal beneficiary -- only your dad. That is why they are saying that she doesn't qualify under the Lottery program because she is applying as the "principal'.

It is too bad that your father wasn't the one winning the lottery. If I were your father, I would try to find some way to take advantage of this -- how about a small part-time job, future prospect of job, any one in the family U.S. citizens?

J646
11-23-2007, 03:36 AM
See this is what I'm a little confused about. If someone in my mother's situation can't adjust through this does that essentially mean that family members covered by 245i can't adjust through the DV lottery? The way our lawyer interpreted this was that 245i basically covers us and how we adjust doesn't matter.

I realize there's little hope for this now but I see a lot of people on the DREAM forum saying they'll be applying and given this case I don't think they can benefit from it.

As for my father, well he has a job and could get sponsored through it but like I mentioned earlier, the time and expense of the whole process may not be worth it given so many things can go wrong (loss of job, employer closing business, case errors, etc).

I'm 21 now, will be getting my BA soon and then on to grad school so since I'm covered by 245i (lol, I hope at least I can benefit) I might consider adjusting in the future.

Thanks for the help.

pen1137
11-23-2007, 06:03 AM
sounds like your mom filed as the principal for the DV and USCIS is getting the other application confused with that. i'm not sure about the DV, but maybe they don't let you adjust within the states (using both the 245 and that together).

i'm not too familiar with the lottery, but i wish you luck!

Cynthia
11-23-2007, 03:08 PM
***I just now realized this may be the wrong subsection, please move or let it slide lol, sorry ****



Your thread may *stay* in this forum.. :)

tasksgirl
11-25-2007, 03:58 AM
Hey J sorry I know how frustrating your case is. You should ask Laurel Scott what your family's best options are.. or look into employer sponsorship. If anyone deserves this, I know it is you

djones9714
11-25-2007, 09:19 PM
I am not 100% positive -- however, please double check this with an attorney. The mother won the Lottery -- NOT the dad. The mother is illegal and in order to gain the benefit of the Lottery, she will have to do one of 2 things: either leave the U.S. and adjust status overseas or adjust status through 245(i) and she cannot adjust status until and unless the dad adjust status because she was not the principal beneficiary of that application -- she was a derivative beneficiary.

245(i) does not cover you if you win the lottery. I believe this statement is true because my son-in-law also applied back in 2002 for the lottery thinking that if he won he might be saved but that wasn't true. 245(i) will only help you if you were the beneficiary of an I-130 or I-140. It doesn't help anybody -- especially a lottery winner.

I hope this information helps.

J646
11-27-2007, 02:58 AM
Thank you everyone for your feedback. It's unfortunate that the law is this complicated, I think all of us would have an easier life if we could just talk to a judge and tell them our story.

Well, we all just have to keep going.

djones9714
11-27-2007, 03:11 AM
You are correct. Life is difficult and we have to make the most of it. I hope I am wrong in the information I have posted and that a good attorney will tell you I am wrong. However, I have been reading for 6 years now about 245(i) as we were hoping to use this for my son-in-law but we weren't able to do so since his boss wouldn't sponsor him because he was afraid. Therefore, my son-in-law missed the deadline back in 2001 and here we are today.

TakeAPillChill
12-07-2007, 09:37 AM
I am going to post this in case someone wants to know if they qualify in the future for adjustment of status etc. under 245i.

This is STRAIGHT from USCIS clarifying who is eligible for adjustment of status. and they specifically states that you will be eligible to adjust your status if you win the DV Lotto even if you are dependent beneficiary of a 245i petition.

Scenario 1 illustrates the conditions under which a grandfathered alien’s spouse and child
are also grandfathered.
An application for labor certification is filed on behalf of principal alien “A” in 2000. At
that time, principal alien “A” is married to spouse “B” and they have child “C.” Principal alien
“A” and spouse “B” divorce in 2003. Today, spouse “B” and child “C” win the diversity lottery.
If all other grandfathering requirements are satisfied, spouse “B” and child “C” are
grandfathered aliens. Principal alien “A” is a grandfathered alien, because the application for
labor certification was filed on the principal alien’s behalf on or before April 30, 2001. Spouse
“B” and child “C” are also grandfathered, because a qualifying relationship existed at the time
the application for labor certification was filed. Therefore, spouse “B” and child “C” may apply
for adjustment under section 245(i) based on a winning lottery application or any other proper
basis.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/245iClarification030905.pdf

k2i42loveu
12-13-2007, 06:20 AM
what is it i'm suppose to do to turn it on ?