USCIS – Covid-19 Update

The Massachusetts State Senate passed a bill that may allow people without legal immigration status to get Massachusetts driver’s licenses beginning next year. The Massachusetts House passed a similar bill two months ago by a veto-proof margin. The out-going Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker has repeatedly said he doesn’t support allowing people without legal immigration status to obtain driver licenses. If the Legislature over-rides Governor Baker’s expected veto, people without legal immigration status could obtain a driver’s license by providing two documents that prove their identity. The documentation could be a foreign passport and a birth certificate with a certified English translation or a foreign passport and a marriage certificate. If it becomes law, the new identification requirements would take effect on July 1, 2023. The bill’s passage would mean Massachusetts would join 16 other states and the District of Colombia where undocumented individuals are allowed to receive driver licenses. While it has been considered before, the Massachusetts legislation now has the support of a number of interested parties including a majority of the state’s Sheriffs and district attorneys and the Massachusetts Major Cities Chiefs of Police Association. While the new law will not be implemented for more than a year, Foley Law Offices is compiling a list of individuals who plan to apply for a driver’s license as soon as they are legally able to do so. Attorney John Foley said “these are people who are out of immigration status but they drive every day because they work or they have kids. They are your neighbors. Allowing them to get driver licenses will make our roads safer and it will allow them to breath a bit easier as they go about their day.” For more information on what documents you need to provide to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and to get on the filing waiting list, call Foley Law Offices at (617) 397-4787.

After a long journey over many years, I was delighted to welcome Souleymane Conde to Boston, Massachusetts and the United States of America. Souleymane is married to Esther King who lives in the Dorchester section of Boston. Esther was a teenager living in Liberia in west Africa when a brutal civil war forced her to walk over 250 miles north to an international refugee camp in Guinea. There Esther met Souleymane where he was working as a teacher. Esther’s refugee status took her to the United States but, in her words “I never forgot the love of my life, Souleymane.” After she had built a life for herself in the U.S., Esther returned to Guinea to find Souleymane. She said “despite the years it was as if we had never been apart.” On a later trip, Souleymane and Esther were married. Esther is a U.S. citizen and she tried to bring Souleymane to the United States in 2014 but for unknown reasons the U.S. Consulate denied her petition. We were hired in 2019 and despite the pandemic and a previous U.S. administration that didn’t want to bring in immigrants from Africa, we were able to make it through the U.S. immigration gauntlet and Souleymane’s case was finally approved. Souleymane arrived in the U.S. on March 18th and was welcomed into the loving arms of his wife, Esther. It was a long journey but they were finally together. It can be a struggle dealing with U.S. immigration and the different U.S. Consulates around the world but when you are able to help re-unite a family ---- it is worth it. Welcome Souleymane! And Congratulations Esther!

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Lessons learned........VOTE!

FYI — All U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) offices are closed tomorrow, December 24th.

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