Stouffer Law

Stouffer Law We file affirmative applications with USCIS and defend individuals and families in immigration court

If a U visa petition is sitting on a waiting list, that does not mean nothing is happening.Congress set an annual limit ...
09/02/2026

If a U visa petition is sitting on a waiting list, that does not mean nothing is happening.

Congress set an annual limit of 10,000 U visas. When more approvable petitions arrive than that limit allows, USCIS does not deny the extras. It places them on a waiting list. Petitioners on that list can be considered for deferred action and work authorization while they wait.

So there are really two things moving at once: the visa itself, and the protections that can arrive well before it. A petition built around only the first one leaves something on the table.

If you are somewhere in that process and unsure what applies to you, we can walk through it with you.

Book a Confidential humanitarian consultation → www.stoufferlaw.com/contact

If your naturalization application has been pending years with no movement, the hardest part usually is not the waiting ...
08/31/2026

If your naturalization application has been pending years with no movement, the hardest part usually is not the waiting itself. It is the not knowing whether waiting is still the right thing to do.

Here is how we help sort that out.

Start with where your filing actually sits. USCIS publishes processing times by form and by office. A filing inside that window is slow. A filing well outside it is something different, and it deserves a closer look.

Then work the inquiry steps in order. An inquiry with USCIS comes first. A congressional inquiry may come next. Each step takes longer than the one before it, and each one puts on the record that the delay was raised.

If those steps run out, federal district court is next. A mandamus action asks a judge to order the agency to make a decision on your filing. It does not ask for a particular decision, and no one can promise you one. What it does is put the matter in front of a court and place the government on a response deadline.

There is also a unique path in federal district court written specifically for naturalization delays that happen after the interview stage. Which door fits depends on where your filing stopped.

You are not just unlucky. There is a process for this, and there is a way to find out whether it applies to your circumstances.

Wondering where your filing stands? Let’s talk it through → www.stoufferlaw.com/contact/

Together, every step, on the path to your future.
Juntos, en cada paso, construyendo tu futuro.

In August, our blog and other posts covered:- Delays. What “pending” actually means, and which tools exist once a wait s...
08/28/2026

In August, our blog and other posts covered:

- Delays. What “pending” actually means, and which tools exist once a wait stops being reasonable.
- Federal district court. Mandamus, APA challenges, habeas petitions in detention, and naturalization hearings under § 1447(b). Different tools for different situations, and an area where we are building more capacity.
- Back-to-school. Schools are required to educate every child regardless of immigration status (Plyler v. Doe, 1982). You are not required to share your status to enroll your child.�

If any of this hits close to home, the month is worth a second read.��

Catch up → https://stoufferlaw.com/blog/��

Together, every step, on the path to your future.
Juntos, en cada paso, construyendo tu futuro.

Today, August 26, marks the anniversary of the 19th Amendment.There is a gap between a law on paper and what can actuall...
08/26/2026

Today, August 26, marks the anniversary of the 19th Amendment.

There is a gap between a law on paper and what can actually be done to help someone with it. A lot our work lives in that gap. We think about it when a potential client sits across from us and says something out loud, for the first time in her life, about abuse she suffered. We think about it when she has been told, more than once, that speaking to anyone could cost her the life she’s built here.

Immigration law includes pathways meant for circumstances like these. These pathways include VAWA self-petitions, U visas, and other humanitarian options.

Finding out whether one of them fits starts with a single confidential consultation. You don’t need your documents in order (although that helps). You don’t need to have decided anything. You don’t need to be certain about what comes next.

You need somewhere to start. We’re here to give you an honest assessment of your options whenever you need us.

Humanitarian consult → https://stoufferlaw.com/contact/

Together, every step, on the path to your future.
Juntos, en cada paso, construyendo tu futuro.

"

Here is what the law says: Public schools are required to enroll and educate every child, regardless of immigration stat...
08/24/2026

Here is what the law says: Public schools are required to enroll and educate every child, regardless of immigration status. The Supreme Court settled that in 1982 in Plyler v. Doe. More than four decades later, it is still the law.

You do not have to share your immigration status to enroll your child. If a registration form asks about immigration status, you can ask the district a plain question in return: what is this information used for, and is answering it required to enroll? You are allowed to ask. You are allowed to ask in writing.

And if a school has already asked your family for something that did not sit right, you do not have to work out on your own whether it was proper. Bring it to us and we will look at it with you.

Questions? Book a consultation → https://stoufferlaw.com/contact/

Together, every step, on the path to your future.
Juntos, en cada paso, construyendo tu futuro.

At some point the administrative options simply run out. Even though you did everything right, filed on time, and follow...
08/21/2026

At some point the administrative options simply run out. Even though you did everything right, filed on time, and followed-up politely (and then maybe less politely), your case stopped moving. What's left in that situation is federal district court, and for most people that phrase lands somewhere between intimidating and unthinkable.

So, we wrote about what it actually looks like.

Often there’s no hearing at all. In filings of this kind, the government has a deadline to respond, and the matter typically resolves with a decision on your application. It doesn't decide the outcome. It only asks for one. That distinction matters, and it's the part almost nobody explains.

Read the full walkthrough → https://stoufferlaw.com/2026/07/why-administrative-delay-is-a-pattern-not-an-accident-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/

Together, every step, on the path to your future.
Juntos, en cada paso, construyendo tu futuro.

¿Todavía es seguro volar entre dos ciudades de EE. UU.?Vale la pena revisar tu documentación antes de reservar, no despu...
08/19/2026

¿Todavía es seguro volar entre dos ciudades de EE. UU.?

Vale la pena revisar tu documentación antes de reservar, no después.

🟢 Titulares de Green Card — tu tarjeta no te hace inmune a interrogatorios o deportación. Si nunca has sido arrestado ni has violado tu estatus, generalmente tienes menor riesgo, pero consulta con nosotros primero.

🔵 Titulares de visa — el sello en tu pasaporte te permite entrar. Tu I-94 es lo que te permite permanecer. Revisa el tuyo en 2 minutos en i94.cbp.dhs.gov.

🟡Sin estatus migratorio — este no es el momento de volar. Habla primero con tu abogado.

Algunas cosas que importan para todos:

Estados como AL, TX y FL conllevan riesgo adicional durante paradas de tráfico
La Patrulla Fronteriza puede abordar autobuses/trenes sin orden judicial dentro de las 100 millas de una frontera de EE. UU. — eso cubre más del país de lo que imaginas
Puedes optar por no usar el reconocimiento facial en el TSA y pedir una verificación manual de identificación

AILA tiene 3 guías gratuitas con todos los detalles aquí: https://www.aila.org/legal-resources/client-flyers/client-flyers-domestic-travel-information-for-green-card-holders-visa-holders-and-undocumented-immigrants.

¿Preguntas sobre tu propia situación? Para eso estamos aquí.

📞 Agenda una consulta: https://stoufferlaw.com/es/contactenos/

Is it still all right to fly between two U.S. cities? ✈️It's worth checking your paperwork before you book, not after.🟢 ...
08/19/2026

Is it still all right to fly between two U.S. cities? ✈️

It's worth checking your paperwork before you book, not after.

🟢 Green Card holders — your card doesn't make you immune from questioning or removal. If you've never been arrested or violated your status, you're generally lower-risk, but check with us first.

🔵 Visa holders — your passport stamp gets you in. Your I-94 is what lets you stay. Check yours in 2 minutes at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.

🟡 Without status — this isn't the moment to fly. Talk to your attorney first.

A few things that matter for everyone:

- States like AL, TX, and FL carry extra risk during traffic stops

- Border Patrol can board buses/trains without a warrant within 100 miles of a U.S. border — that covers more of the country than you'd think

- You can opt out of facial recognition at TSA and ask for manual ID check instead

AILA has 3 free guides with all the details here: https://www.aila.org/legal-resources/client-flyers/client-flyers-domestic-travel-information-for-green-card-holders-visa-holders-and-undocumented-immigrants.

Questions about your own situation? That's exactly what we're here for.

📞 Book a consultation: www.stoufferlaw.com/contact

Want to stay in the loop? 💌Send us a DM with your full name and email address, and we’ll make sure you don’t miss our la...
08/18/2026

Want to stay in the loop? 💌

Send us a DM with your full name and email address, and we’ll make sure you don’t miss our latest updates, resources, and helpful immigration information.

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2000 Hearst Avenue Suite 401
Berkeley, CA
94709

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Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm

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+15105404149

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