https://app.lawmatics.com/forms/share/f2e860e1-462b-4132-a2de-3e993aa2c740

AK Poku Law, PLLC - US Immigration Law Firm Representing Immigrants, 7538 Diplomat Drive, Manassas, VA (2025)

04/23/2025

On April 14, 2025, President Donald Trump met with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office. During the meeting, Trump stated that his administration is exploring legal options to allow U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes to be imprisoned in foreign countries—specifically in El Salvador.

Attorneys and advocates strongly oppose the proposal, arguing that it would violate constitutional rights, including the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. They warn that the plan raises serious constitutional questions never before pursued by any prior administration.

Trump defended the idea as a cost-saving measure and suggested that El Salvador would need to build additional prisons to house what he referred to as “homegrown” criminals.

*****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

🇸🇻

04/23/2025

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s purse was stolen Sunday night at a Washington, D.C. restaurant.

According to officials, the purse contained around $3,000 in cash, her keys, driver’s license, passport, checks, makeup, medication, and her Homeland Security badge. The department said the money was meant for gifts and Easter activities with her children and grandchildren.

At the time of the theft, at least two plainclothes Secret Service agents were present at the restaurant. Surveillance footage reportedly shows a white male suspect wearing a medical mask taking the purse and exiting the establishment.

The Secret Service is reviewing the footage, and authorities have not yet determined whether Noem was specifically targeted or if the theft was random.

As Secretary of Homeland Security, Noem plays a key role in shaping U.S. immigration policy. She has recently focused on stricter enforcement measures, including proposals that would encourage undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. with the possibility of reentering legally.

She has also supported increased border security and efforts to streamline immigration processes through employer-based sponsorship and tighter screening protocols.

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/22/2025

At a cabinet meeting on April 10, 2025, President Donald Trump suggested that some undocumented workers, including those in agriculture and hospitality, could leave the U.S. and return as legal workers if their employers vouch for them.

Trump proposed a system where employers provide letters supporting their workers, allowing them to “go out” and return legally.

However, it remains unclear what “slowing it down” means in this context. Trump emphasized the importance of working with immigrants to bring them back legally, offering a timeline of around 60 days.

Do you think America is seeing a labor shortage?

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/22/2025

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new passport policy that would ban the use of the “X” gender marker and restrict changes to gender markers on U.S. passports — a move that directly impacts immigration and international travel for nonbinary, transgender, and intersex Americans.

The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of seven plaintiffs, argued that the policy would prevent individuals from obtaining accurate identity documents, exposing them to discrimination and safety risks when crossing U.S. borders or traveling abroad.

The Trump administration defended the policy, claiming it did not violate constitutional protections and arguing that the president has broad authority over passport regulations.

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/22/2025

The Department of State (DOS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are increasingly targeting international students for visa revocation, status termination, and removal — even those without protest history.

A new “Catch and Revoke” program uses AI to screen students’ social media, leading to hundreds of revoked visas, often after police encounters that didn’t result in convictions.

ICE has also started mass termination of student SEVIS records, possibly using AI to flag students with arrest records.

AILA collected 327 reports of visa revocations and SEVIS terminations from attorneys, students, and university employees. These reports paint a concerning picture of the arbitrary nature of these visa revocations and terminations. Of these reports:

50 percent were on Optional Practical Training (OPT), meaning they had graduated and were employed in the United States.

These individuals are unable to work immediately upon the termination of their SEVIS record. The road to re-instating status for those who have already graduated and are employed on OPT is much more difficult and murkier than those who are currently students.

50 percent of these students were from India, followed by 14 percent from China. Other significant countries represented in this data include South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Our law firm, AK Poku Law is also working with students from Africa such as Ghana and Nigeria who have been impacted by these sevis terminations.

*****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/22/2025

Last week, I attended a USCIS interview with a client. The officer was kind and courteous—he was patient and allowed several breaks when our elderly client needed them. But midway through the interview, he asked a legally inappropriate question.

I immediately objected. He pushed back, and I asked to speak with a supervisor.

He then tried to negotiate with me. “It’s not inappropriate,” he said. “I’ve accommodated you so much—allow me to finish the interview.” In other words, because he had been “nice,” I was expected to be nice in return.

He wanted me to wait until he was finished before I could “ask my questions.” Absolutely not. He wasn’t going to dictate my role as an attorney or an advocate. Section 8 C.F.R. 292.5(b) does that. It makes clear that attorneys have the right to actively participate in USCIS interviews—including the express right to:
• Examine or cross-examine the applicant and/or witnesses
• Introduce evidence into the record
• Make legal objections (which must be entered into the administrative record)
• Submit briefs

I would stop him a hundred times if I had to. I showed him—right from their own manual—why his question was inappropriate. He rephrased the question, and I didn’t need to escalate further.

I told him that while we appreciated his courtesy, I still had to object. I couldn’t let a legally improper question that could impact my client’s eligibility go unchallenged.

Let this be your reminder: Always stay alert during immigration interviews. Never let your guard down, even when the officer seems friendly. Some clients relax when an officer is pleasant—and that’s exactly when costly mistakes could happen.

Remember that no matter how nice an immigration officer is, they are not your friend. Their job is not to help you win your case. Their default is to deny your case. By law, the burden is on you to prove you qualify for the immigration benefit. That burden must be carried carefully and attentively—and we are here to help you bear it.

04/21/2025

A lot has happened over the past year — and this year has already thrown plenty our way. But through it all, we’ve pushed forward, grown, and kept showing up for our amazing clients.

Now it’s time for some BIG news! We’ve been working on something really special behind the scenes, and we can’t wait to finally share it with you.

This one means a lot to us — and it’s all possible because of your support.
Stay tuned… the big reveal is happening TOMORROW!

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/21/2025

ICYMI: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently sent out emails informing some individuals in the U.S. on temporary legal status that their "parole" has been terminated and that they must leave the country. However, many of these emails appear to have been sent in error - including to U.S. citizens and legal residents.

If you or someone you know received this email, do not panic and do not take any action until you've spoken with a qualified immigration attorney. Mistakes in government communications can happen, so it's important to get proper legal advice before responding or making decisions.

This notice does not apply to everyone, and DHS has confirmed it does not apply to individuals under certain parole programs like Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) or Operation Allies Welcome (OAW).

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/21/2025

On April 18, 2025, Judge Brian E. Murphy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that before the U.S. government can deport a noncitizen to a third country not listed in their removal order, it must first provide key due process protections. The court certified a nationwide class of people with final deportation orders who were, or will be, removed on or after February 18, 2025, to a country that wasn’t previously named in their immigration case, and also issued a preliminary order to protect their rights.

The court reasoned that, while the Immigration and Nationality Act permits removal to “any country whose government will accept the alien,” that authority is limited by statutory and constitutional protections that prohibit removal to countries where the person would face persecution or torture.

The court emphasized:

“It simply cannot be, as Defendants contend, that the Government can decide right now that someone who is in [] custody is getting deported to a third country, give them no notice and no opportunity to say, ‘I will be killed the moment I arrive there,’ and, as long as the [Government] doesn’t already know that there’s someone standing there waiting to shoot him, that’s [] fine.”

Judge Murphy ordered that, before DHS proceeds with a third-country removal, it must:
a. Provide written notice to the noncitizen and their attorney—in a language the individual understands—stating the intended third country;
b. Offer a meaningful opportunity for the individual to raise a fear of return;
c. If a reasonable fear is found, DHS must move to reopen immigration proceedings;
d. If no reasonable fear is found, DHS must still allow at least 15 days for the individual to file a motion to reopen on their own.

The court held that these are the minimum safeguards required under the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always ready to assist you.

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

04/21/2025

On April 15, 2025, President Trump issued a presidential memorandum titled “Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits” directing federal agencies to strengthen efforts to prevent ineligible noncitizens from receiving benefits under Social Security Act programs.

The memo instructs the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Commissioner of Social Security — in consultation with the DHS Secretary — to take all reasonable steps to ensure only eligible individuals receive these benefits.

This includes issuing new guidance, improving enforcement, and ensuring grantees verify eligibility and stop payments to deceased or ineligible recipients.

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/20/2025

On April 19,2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7–2 decision temporarily blocking the deportation of a group of Venezuelan men detained at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Texas. The deportations were being carried out under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), a law from 1798 that permits the U.S. government to detain and deport nationals of hostile nations during times of war.

The Trump administration revived the Alien Enemies Act in 2025, citing Venezuela as a national security threat. Immigrant advocates, including the ACLU, challenged the deportations, arguing that detainees were not given notice, nor the opportunity to contest their removal in court, in violation of due process protections.

On April 9, 2025, following the Supreme Court’s initial order, federal judges in Colorado, New York, and southern Texas issued rulings barring removals under the Alien Enemies Act unless the government provides detainees with access to the courts to assert legal claims. However, no such protection had been issued in northern Texas, where the Bluebonnet Detention Center is located—24 miles north of Abilene.

The Supreme Court’s ruling is temporary and limited to this specific group of detainees. Still, it signals a major constitutional challenge to the use of the Alien Enemies Act, especially concerning the lack of due process for noncitizens facing expedited deportation.

04/20/2025

Christ is Risen. Hope is Alive.
This Easter, we’re reminded that no darkness is permanent, no setback final. The stone was rolled away—and with it, fear, doubt, and defeat.

May this season renew our faith, restore our strength, and remind us that resurrection is possible in every area of life.
May we keep pressing forward. Victory has already been declared.

Wishing you a beautiful Easter filled with peace, love, and renewal.

Happy Easter from AK Poku Law.

****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

04/19/2025

On 4/18/25, USCIS assisted ICE in detaining an immigrant following an adjustment of status interview, during which the individual admitted under oath that their marriage was for immigration purposes.

USCIS has increasingly facilitated arrests at field office appointments for certain undocumented immigrants. ICE may now take individuals into custody immediately after interviews, especially in cases involving marriage fraud admissions.

Previously, such cases were typically referred to immigration court. Now, direct transfers to ICE custody can happen on-site. USCIS is also intensifying its scrutiny of marriage-based cases.

If you have an upcoming USCIS interview, consult a qualified U.S. immigration attorney to ensure you’re fully prepared.

04/18/2025

The New York Times has reported that the Social Security Administration (SSA) finalized an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allowing the SSA to share the last known addresses of approximately 98,000 individuals with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This move is part of the government’s effort to locate and track noncitizens who may be subject to immigration enforcement actions.

According to the report, this is not the first time DHS has attempted to access Social Security data. During President Trump’s first term, the agency also pushed for access to the SSA’s records. However, at that time, privacy concerns prevented the data-sharing request from moving forward. The recent agreement suggests a significant shift in how federal agencies are now working together under the current administration’s stricter immigration policies.

*****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/18/2025

On April 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis granted a motion for expedited discovery in the case of Abrego Garcia v. Noem. The motion sought to uncover “the Government’s actions (or failure to act) to facilitate Abrego-Garcia’s return to the United States,” including any agreements involving CECOT, Abrego Garcia’s current location and custodial status and what steps—if any—it has taken or will take to facilitate his return to the United States.

The government opposed the motion, claiming it was “not consistent with the Supreme Court’s order” and raised “fundamental constitutional infirmities.” It then filed a motion for emergency stay pending appeal and for a writ of mandamus with the Fourth Circuit.

But on April 17, 2025, the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s request—rebuking its legal theory and failure to act. The court emphasized that the Supreme Court’s ruling is not optional:

“The Supreme Court’s decision does not, however, allow the government to do essentially nothing. It requires the government ‘to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.’”

The government argued that its obligation was merely to remove domestic barriers. The Fourth Circuit rejected that position outright:

“‘Facilitate’ is an active verb. It requires that steps be taken as the Supreme Court has made perfectly clear… The plain and active meaning of the word cannot be diluted by its constriction, as the government would have it, to a narrow term of art.”

“The government’s argument that all it must do is ‘remove any domestic barriers to [Abrego Garcia’s] return’… is not well taken in light of the Supreme Court’s command.”

The court also issued a sharp warning:

“Facilitation does not permit the admittedly erroneous deportation of an individual to the one country’s prisons that the withholding order forbids… It would reduce the rule of law to lawlessness and tarnish the very values for which Americans of diverse views and persuasions have always stood.”

04/18/2025

According to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN, the Trump administration is considering closing nearly 30 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. While a complete official list has not been publicly released, several specific locations have been identified.

Embassies reportedly under consideration for closure:
    •    Malta
    •    Luxembourg
    •    Lesotho
    •    Republic of the Congo
    •    Central African Republic
    •    South Sudan

Consulates reportedly under consideration for closure:
    •    Edinburgh, Scotland
    •    Leipzig, Germany
    •    Hamburg, Germany
    •    Düsseldorf, Germany
    •    Bordeaux, France
    •    Strasbourg, France
    •    Florence, Italy

These proposed closures are part of a broader plan to reduce the U.S. government’s diplomatic footprint abroad. The final list of affected embassies and consulates is still under review, and any closures would require congressional approval before being implemented.

These closures could limit visa services, worsen case backlogs, delay diplomatic coordination, and reduce support for U.S. citizens overseas.

*****

If you need help or guidance with any U.S. immigration matters, especially with these major changes, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always ready to assist you.

akpokulaw.com/consult/

☎️☎️+1 (802) 780 0564☎️☎️
🌍: www.akpokulaw.com
📨: [email protected]

Post by Innocentia
From the AK Poku Law Team

04/17/2025

Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a 20-year-old U.S.-born citizen from Georgia, is currently being held in a Florida jail after being arrested under Florida’s controversial new immigration law, SB 4-C. Lopez-Gomez was merely a passenger in a car that was stopped for speeding, yet he was taken into custody and flagged for immigration enforcement.

In court, he presented his U.S. birth certificate and Social Security card. The judge acknowledged the documents were valid but stated she could not release him due to an ICE detainer request (ICE had formally asked the jail to hold him).

Although the misdemeanor charge against him has already been dropped, ICE may still attempt to take him into federal custody within 48 hours.

His mother, Sebastiana Gomez-Perez, expressed heartbreak over the detention of her son—a U.S. citizen who resides in Georgia.

At issue is Florida’s SB 4-C, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on February 14, 2025. The law makes it a misdemeanor for undocumented immigrants over the age of 18 to “knowingly” enter Florida after avoiding immigration inspection. However, U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams temporarily blocked the state from enforcing SB 4-C on April 4, casting serious doubt on the legality of Lopez-Gomez’s arrest and detention.

Two other men in the vehicle were also charged under the same law. The driver additionally faces a charge for driving without a license.

Lopez-Gomez apparently does not speak English. His case raises urgent questions about due process, racial profiling, and the wrongful application of immigration law to U.S. citizens—particularly in a climate of heightened enforcement.

04/17/2025

The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has issued new guidance clarifying that Immigration Judges (IJs) may pretermit — meaning dismiss or deny without a hearing — asylum applications that are found to be legally insufficient.

The policy memo issued by EOIR states that “current regulations expressly note that no further hearing is necessary once an Immigration Judge determines that an asylum application is subject to certain grounds for mandatory denial.”

However, it’s important to remember that according to Matter of Fefe, 20 I&N Dec. 116 (BIA 1989):
An applicant for asylum cannot meet their burden of proof unless they testify under oath regarding their application.An Immigration Judge should not adjudicate an asylum application without oral testimony in support.At minimum, the applicant must take the stand, be placed under oath, and confirm whether their written application is complete and correct — even if the examination is brief, especially when the parties agree the testimony would match the written application.
Additionally, 8 C.F.R. § 1240.11(c)(3)(iii) makes clear:

“During the removal hearing, the alien shall be examined under oath on his or her application and may present evidence and witnesses in his or her own behalf.”

Given these established legal standards, the new EOIR policy is expected to face court challenges, especially if cases are pretermitted unlawfully based solely on the memo.

AK Poku Law, PLLC - US Immigration Law Firm Representing Immigrants

04/23/2025

04/23/2025

04/22/2025

04/22/2025

04/22/2025

04/22/2025

04/21/2025

04/21/2025

04/21/2025

04/21/2025

04/20/2025

04/20/2025

04/19/2025

04/18/2025

04/18/2025

04/18/2025

04/17/2025

04/17/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category