Here at Pozo Goldstein, LLP our experienced New York immigration attorneys are here to guide you through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security defines its mission as one which focuses on securing the United States from any and all national threats. In order to protect the U.S. from danger of any degree, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees more than 240,000 individuals whose jobs range from border security, to emergency response, to cyber security, to immigration.

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The enforcement and administration of U.S. immigration laws is a top priority for employees of the DHS, many of whom have committed their careers to “streamlining and facilitating the legal immigration process,” as depicted on the DHS website. Since its inception, the department has fundamentally implemented reforms to the enforcement of immigration in the U.S. Today, its priority focuses on the identification and removal of criminal aliens who are believed to pose a threat to public safety.

Employers who knowingly and continuously break the law by employing illegal aliens are also high up on the department’s radar. The Department of Homeland Security openly recognizes that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, and the department works in close conjunction with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to strengthen the immigration system. If you are acting on behalf of a foreign national who wishes to enter the U.S. as an immigrant, or you are immigrating yourself, be prepared to work with both the USCIS and DHS.

For immigrants, family members, and employers alike, Pozo Goldstien, LLP offers professional legal guidance to individuals in need. Under the direction of a New York immigration lawyer from our firm, you can confidently address your immigration matter with the DHS, the USCIS, or both. Together, we have dedicated more than half a century to the practice of law, acting first as U.S. immigration prosecutors, and a U.S. judge, and now as immigration attorneys for you. Therefore, we encourage you to contact our office for support and guidance as you make your way through any of our nation’s many immigration processes.

How the Responsibilities of the DHS Could Affect Your Immigration

The Department of Homeland Security applies a self-described multi-layered, risk-based system designed to ensure that immigration benefits are not granted to certain individuals who seem to pose a threat to national security. The steps taken by the DHS to prevent against threats to the national security include:

Combating Immigration Fraud

The DHS utilizes the Visa Security Program (VSP), which is also used in conjunction with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of State (DOS), to deploy specially trained agents to high-risk visa activity posts overseas. In this way, potential terrorists and criminals can be identified before they reach the U.S.

Strengthening Identification Verification

In 2009, the DHS implemented the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) for land and sea travel to the U.S. The initiative requires citizens of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to present a passport or other form of secure travel document for identification when entering the US.

Biometric Information Sharing

The DHS and DOS have entered into an international agreement with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom which calls for the sharing of biometric information collected for the purpose of immigration. In so doing, cases of immigration fraud can be identified, as can dangerous persons traveling under false identities.

If, in their efforts to protect the United States, the Department of Homeland Security has reason to suspect you as a threat to the country, your ability to immigrate into the U.S. could be significantly and adversely impacted. Even if you are not a terrorist, if something goes wrong during your immigration process, thus resulting in the belief that you could pose a threat to U.S. national security, your immigration might be denied and more consequences could result.

It is imperative to work with an immigration attorney at this time in order to ensure that you complete the process free of any mistakes or other detractions that could take away from your ability to successfully enter the United States and ultimately be granted citizenship.

Overview of Citizenship & Immigration Services

Today, individuals who immigrate to the U.S. are unfortunately up against the guarded mentality that has been developed in an era of increasing global threats and challenges to national security. Accordingly, it can be difficult to enter the country, or obtain citizenship once you’re here, without ample support from an attorney at our office.

If you’re questioning whether or not an immigration lawyer is necessary to help you through the immigration process – or any post-immigration issues that may arise – consider the following statistics. Without an attorney by your side, it could be significantly more challenging to complete the process and obtain the status for which you are looking.

On average, the DHS and USCIS:

• Welcome approximately 3,000 new citizens into the United States
• Process about 30,000 applications for different types of immigration benefits
• Conduct up to 135,000 national security background checks
• Review employment eligibility for at least 80,000 newly hired employees in the United States
• Grant 3,400 people with permanent residence in the United States
• Issue up to 7,300 Permanent Residence Cards
• Grant asylum to no fewer than 40 people who are already residing in the United States
• Complete the processing of 200 refugee applications around the world

Citizens who are new the U.S., as well as individuals who are awaiting citizenship, would do well to align themselves with an experienced attorney such as that which can be found at Pozo Goldstein, LLP. Doing so can ensure that your immigration and citizenship needs are attended to in high regard of the privileges and benefits that can come from gaining lawful presence in the United States. We know that these are important matters to our clients, and our actions are designed to reflect this importance accordingly.

Contact Pozo Goldstein, LLP

In your pursuit of immigration or your quest for citizenship, you cannot stand to go through the process alone. At Pozo Goldstein, LLP you won’t have to. Our experienced professionals are here to guide you through all of the ins and outs of immigration procedures, including those that involve the Department of Homeland Security.