Enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine in the heart of the Berkshires

When: March 18th, 2013, seatings at 5:00pm and 7:30pm

Where: Xicohténcatl Restaurant

50 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington (413) 528-2002

http://www.xicohmexican.com/

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Xicohténcatl Restaurant is pledging 50% of all dollars generated to help the Center during its funding crisis.

$30 per person for a two course prix fixe dinner, tax and tip not included.

Silent Auction

Reservations Recommended

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If you cannot join us, please make a donation today and help the Berkshire Immigrant Center continue to provide services.

DO NOT

• Do not go to “notarios publicos” for immigration help.
• Do not apply for a “legalization” benefit before the law passes.
• Do not pay anyone to complete “legalization” benefit applications before a law passes.
• Do not pay someone in advance to hold an appointment to complete a “legalization” benefit application.
• Do not register to vote.
• Do not vote in elections where non-citizens are ineligible to participate.
• Do not make false claims to U.S. citizenship.

DO

• Do go to an attorney or BIA accredited representative if you have immigration questions.
• Do obtain a government-issued photo identification document from your country of nationality.
• Do organize personal records of residence, employment and tax filings in chronological order.
• Do maintain good moral character and avoid activity which may cause you to be convicted of a crime.
• Do learn to speak, read and write in English to the best of your ability.
• Do learn U.S. history and government similar to questions asked on the naturalization test.
• Do save money to pay for future USCIS application fees and legal assistance fees.

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. www.cliniclegal.org
415 Michigan Ave NE, Suite 200 * W ashington DC 20017 * 202-635-2556

WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced the posting of a final rule in the Federal Register that reduces the time U.S. citizens are separated from their immediate relatives (spouse, children and parents), who are in the process of obtaining visas to become lawful permanent residents of the United States under certain circumstances. The final rule establishes a process that allows certain individuals to apply for a provisional unlawful presence waiver before they depart the United States to attend immigrant visa interviews in their countries of origin. The process will be effective on March 4, 2013 and more information about the filing process will be made available in the coming weeks at www.uscis.gov.

“This final rule facilitates the legal immigration process and reduces the amount of time that U.S. citizens are separated from their immediate relatives who are in the process of obtaining an immigrant visa,” said Secretary Napolitano.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received more than 4,000 comments in response to the April 2, 2012 proposed rule and considered all of them in preparing the final rule.

“The law is designed to avoid extreme hardship to U.S. citizens, which is precisely what this rule achieves,” USCIS Director Mayorkas said. “The change will have a significant impact on American families by greatly reducing the time family members are separated from those they rely upon.”

Under current law, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who are not eligible to adjust status in the United States to become lawful permanent residents must leave the U.S. and obtain an immigrant visa abroad. Individuals who have accrued more than six months of unlawful presence while in the United States must obtain a waiver to overcome the unlawful presence inadmissibility bar before they can return to the United States after departing to obtain an immigrant visa. Under the existing waiver process, which remains available to those who do not qualify for the new process, immediate relatives cannot file a waiver application until after they have appeared for an immigrant visa interview abroad and the Department of State has determined that they are inadmissible.

In order to obtain a provisional unlawful presence waiver, the applicant must be an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen, inadmissible only on account of unlawful presence, and demonstrate the denial of the waiver would result in extreme hardship to his or her U.S. citizen spouse or parent. USCIS will publish a new form, Form I-601A, Application for a Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver, for individuals to use when applying for a provisional unlawful presence waiver under the new process.

Under the new provisional waiver process, immediate relatives must still depart the United States for the consular immigrant visa process; however, they can apply for a provisional waiver before they depart for their immigrant visa interview abroad. Individuals who file the Form I-601A must notify the Department of State’s National Visa Center that they are or will be seeking a provisional waiver from USCIS. The new process will reduce the amount of time U.S. citizen are separated from their qualifying immediate relatives. Details on the process changes are available at www.regulations.gov.

BIC Newsletter Fall 2012

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Berkshire Immigrant Center
88 South Street, Pittsfield, MA  01201

With your help, we can continue to create a welcoming community for the more than 10,000 immigrants who are our neighbors, friends and co-workers in the Berkshires.

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