http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/rss/feedsLaw Offices of Mehr & Soto LLP provides immigration relief to clients throughout the Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties.Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:30:39 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/our-attorneys--in-the-newshttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/our-attorneys--in-the-newsWith all the news on immigration - DACA, raids, funding, - it's important to have an attorney that cannot only take your case, but can explain it to you as well.At the Law Offices of Michael Mehr, educating our clients is a key component of our practice.Our very own Michael Mehr - founder and managing attorney of the office - was quoted recently in an article by the Santa Cruz Sentinel.Read more to find out! http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/events/20180202/attorneys-explain-immigration-options-to-salvadorans-at-tps-forum-in-live-oak Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:35:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/redadas-de-ice--informesehttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/redadas-de-ice--informeseLas noticias indican que las redadas de ICE vienen este mes.Por favor, infórmese. Le presento numeros de telefono de abogados que estan listos para responder a estas redadas. Mira en que condado estan antes de llamar. Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP)Region covered: Alameda County510-241-4011http://centrolegal.org/acilep/San Francisco Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: San Francisco City415-200-1548http://sfilen.org/Santa Clara County Rapid ResponseNetworkRegion Covered: Santa Clara County408-290-1144https://www.pactsj.org/santa-clara-county-rapid-response-network/Monterey County Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: Monterey County831-643-5225https://montereycountyrrn.com/Santa Cruz County Rapid Response(YARR)Region covered: Santa Cruz County831-239-4289https://www.facebook.com/YARRsantacruz/Marin Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: Marin County415-991-4545http://www.marinrrn.org/North Bay Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: Sonoma & Napa Counties707- 800-4544http://northbayop.org/rapidresponse/San Mateo Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: San Mateo County203-666-4472Fresno Rapid ResponseRegion covered: Fresno County San Joaquin, Merced, and Kern Counties559-206-0151Sacramento Rapid ResponseRegion covered: Sacramento County916-245-6773Services, Immigration Rights and Education Network (SIREN) Rapid Response Text PlatformRegion covered: Northern & Central CACommunity Members: 201-468-6088Allies: 918-609-4480www.siren-bayarea.org/Fri, 19 Jan 2018 14:13:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/ice-raids--please-readhttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/ice-raids--please-readNormally, blog posts have some light humor - or catchy phrasing - to get you hooked. This is not one of those blog posts.To EVERYONE in Bay Area cities: ICE is coming.If you or a loved one is detained, please consult the following resources (by county) of a network of immigration lawyers' Rapid Response. Call these numbers ASAP and you can be connected to immigration attorneys in your area: Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP)Region covered: Alameda County510-241-4011http://centrolegal.org/acilep/ San Francisco Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: San Francisco City415-200-1548http://sfilen.org/ Santa Clara County Rapid ResponseNetworkRegion Covered: Santa Clara County408-290-1144https://www.pactsj.org/santa-clara-county-rapid-response-network/ Monterey County Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: Monterey County831-643-5225https://montereycountyrrn.com/ Santa Cruz County Rapid Response(YARR)Region covered: San Cruz County831-239-4289https://www.facebook.com/YARRsantacruz/ Marin Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: Marin County415-991-4545http://www.marinrrn.org/ North Bay Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: Sonoma & Napa Counties707- 800-4544http://northbayop.org/rapidresponse/ San Mateo Rapid Response NetworkRegion covered: San Mateo County203-666-4472 Fresno Rapid ResponseRegion covered: Fresno County San Joaquin, Merced, and Kern Counties559-206-0151 Sacramento Rapid ResponseRegion covered: Sacramento County916-245-6773 Services, Immigration Rights and Education Network (SIREN) Rapid Response Text PlatformRegion covered: Northern & Central CACommunity Members: 201-468-6088Allies: 918-609-4480www.siren-bayarea.org/Fri, 19 Jan 2018 14:04:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/return-of-the-dacahttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/return-of-the-dacaFor those of you who missed last week's news, DACA is back! The 9th Circuit (covering California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and other western states) issued an order directing the federal government to restore DACA. Many immigration attorneys - including us! - decided to hold off on submitting any applications until immigration issued a statement.Well, now they have.Here are the 3 Most Important Points about DACA:One, DACA is back under its original terms, which means anyone whose last DACA expired September 5, 2016 or later should submit a renewal application NOW.Two, first-time applicants cannot request DACA now for the first time. But anyone who had DACA which expired September 4, 2016 or earlier should submit an initial application NOW. For this, you will need to fill out forms plus include evidence of presence in the U.S. on particular dates.Third, advanced parole applications will not be accepted. Forget about Form I-131, and focus on the rest of your application.In a nutshell, the 9th Circuit court order means...anybody who had DACA at any point in time can apply for DACA protection now, even if it was expired for a long time.For information on how to apply, and what kind of evidence you need in a renewal application versus an initial one, call us today and book your consult now! Tue, 16 Jan 2018 15:15:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/daca-its-back-for-nowhttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/daca-its-back-for-nowThe Ninth Circuit again leads the nation in resisting the policies of an Administration which has repeatedly broken its promises to the people in this country.To find out more about the decision, read here.As experienced attorneys, we have seen before how quickly cases can move through the court system. Remember DAPA -the protection for foreign-born parents of U.S. citizens? It never saw the light of day before being axed by the Supreme Court within months.We advise everyone to act quickly and submit your DACA renewal applications immediately. Remember, although the courts may change DACA quickly, for now, it is the law.Contact our office, we have several appointments left this week. Book your consult today and get your DACA application out in no time!Tue, 09 Jan 2018 21:28:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/thomas-homan-head-of-ice-no-ones-herohttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/thomas-homan-head-of-ice-no-ones-heroGroundhog Day is about a month away, and yet, every day I wake up and feel like I'm dreaming - with every bit of news about the leaders of this country throwing away our values and the rule of law.Thomas Homan, the head of ICE, speaking to Fox News, said he wants all politicians in sanctuary cities to be arrested and charged with crimes.Let's outline what this whole sanctuary policy means - states like California enforce state law (so do cities). The federal government enforces federal law. That's why, for example, when you get caught speeding on the highway - you get pulled over by local police, not the FBI. Respecting the difference between state and federal law is a *key* feature of our entire government.But this Administration wants to turn the rule of law on its head. What they want is for state jails to continue holding someone past their sentence, so that ICE can come and pick them up from jail. So if you got a 10 day sentence for something like a DUI well then guess what - ICE wants to extend your sentence longer - and without a hearing, judge, or attorneys being involved.Worse, now ICE is saying that state officials who follow the law should be charged with a crime. What crime? Under what statute? He doesn't say because it is complete nonsense. If ICE is allowed to impose this on the entire U.S., then in the future, the governor of Virginia could throw the Governor of Oregon in jail for not enforcing Virginia law. It's ludicrous and has no place in our system.If you're looking for a law firm made up of people who are willing to fight for your rights - and stick to the rule of law even when this country's leaders won't - call our office today. There is nothing more important than la lucha for our clients.Wed, 03 Jan 2018 12:09:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/why-dont-they-just-get-papers-alreadyhttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/why-dont-they-just-get-papers-alreadyA new year always brings new opportunities - new goals, new perspectives, new ideas.Unfortunately, many in this Administration and its supporters keep clinging to an old idea - why haven't all immigrants applied for their papers yet? Many of these same people think it's a matter of just walking into a government office and asking for an appointment. (It's not, and even if true, when was the last time you went to the DMV and spent a short amount of time?)At our firm, we counsel clients not just about what their options are, but also the way the law works generally. Education is a core component of our practice. And it's vital - most Americans have little to no idea how immigration actually works.The main point to keep in mind is that for most people seeking permanent residency (a "green card"), you need someone to petition for you - either a company or a family member. And not all family members qualify.For more information, feel free to call our office for a consultation. In the meantime, I counsel clients to explore this resource for an overview on our immigration system: https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/how-united-states-immigration-system-worksKeep yourself informed and in good hands. Call us today!Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:04:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/travel-ban--as-it-stands-nowhttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/travel-ban--as-it-stands-nowOur administration appears hellbent on making sure some version of the travel ban is in place. Unfortunately, with the Supreme Court's ruling on Monday, that time is now here.Here's what the ban does: it allows the Department of Homeland Security to deny permanent and temporary visas - and thus entries - to the U.S. for individuals from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, as well as North Korea, and a small set of Venezuelan government officials. It would not affect green card holders, or people who had visas at the time of the Executive Order (September 24, 2017).There is a waiver available, however, which Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) will consider on a case-by-case basis. If the person trying to enter the U.S. can show (i) undue hardship, (ii) that they are no threat to national security, and (iii) that it would be in the national interest, that person will be allowed to enter the U.S.It's very important to seek the right kind of legal help. Experienced attorneys know the types of evidence to submit to show hardship and national security factors. Contact our office today for a thorough consultation and we can help bring your relatives - or keep them here!For the text of the travel ban, see here. Wed, 13 Dec 2017 08:52:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/immigrants-entrepeneurshttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/immigrants-entrepeneursThe results are in!In 2017, 43% of companies on the Fortune 500 were founded by immigrants or their children - a total of 216 out of 500 companies. Within just the top 25, it's over 50%.Read more to find out about the research behind the numbers:https://qz.com/1151689/216-companies-on-the-fortune-500-were-founded-by-immigrants-or-their-children/ Sun, 10 Dec 2017 19:24:00 -0700http://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/immigration-judges-under-attackhttp://www.mehrlaw.com/blog/post/immigration-judges-under-attackIn another unsurprising move by our beleaguered Attorney General, a memo was released earlier this week outlining future goals for the Immigration Court system known as EOIR:https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1015996/downloadFirst, notice how this Administration - rather than using its resources to compile data and create a bottom-up solution to the problem of backlogged courts - issues a top-down directive in the form of a memo, again treating this country and its policies like a corporation.But the real problem is the text of the memo. There are 2 glaring problems.(1) The memorandum calls for a quota system to be used by judges, which the memo refers to as "performance measures." Justice and a blanket policy of deciding cases A.S.A.P. do not go together. In fact, our law office has compiled a list of every criminal court currently subject to a quota system, which you can find here.(2) The memorandum calls for a closer relationship between judges and immigration prosecutors. The line between the person arguing you should be deported, and the person deciding whether you should be deported, is already razor-thin. Session's response is a proverbial "hold my beer" while finding ways to make that line even thinner. If you find yourself in deportation proceedings, or want to know the risk of finding yourself there some day, please contact our office. It's important to have the best help possible in these tough and uncertain times.Thu, 07 Dec 2017 09:31:00 -0700