Immigration
Saigon Sentinel · Section
Immigration policy, visas, deportation, asylum, naturalization — the issues that define diaspora life.
- Guides
Access to Federal Services When English Is Limited: What You Need to Know About Title VI
Many older Vietnamese people still think the right to a free interpreter was eliminated along with the recent federal guidance. The fact is that the original Title VI law still protects them, but how it is enforced in pr…
- Houston
When local police are powerless against ICE shootings
The ICE shooting in Houston exposes a jurisdictional gap: when a federal agency causes a death, local police have virtually no legal tools to investigate on their own.
- US
DHS Withdraws Guidance on Language Access Rights for People with Limited English Proficiency
DHS has withdrawn guidance documents that once directed hospitals, schools, and federal-funded agencies on their obligation to provide language support to people with limited English proficiency, even though the underlyi…
- East Coast
New Jersey Immigration Detention Facility 'Canceled Then Restored' Within Two Weeks: DHS Changes Course for Third Time
DHS reversing its decision three times on the Roxbury detention facility in a matter of weeks demonstrates that the nearly 1 billion dollar immigration detention expansion campaign is proceeding faster than courts can bl…
- US
Adoption Tax Credit Expanded, with Portion Now Refundable in Cash
The IRS has announced that a portion of the adoption tax credit is now refundable, allowing families to receive cash back even if they owe no taxes — a change that could benefit tens of thousands of families annually.
- US
USCIS Continues to Extend Work Permits for Syrian Citizens Despite Court Permission to End TPS
Although the Supreme Court has cleared the way for ending TPS, an order from another federal court is still forcing USCIS to temporarily extend work permits for approximately 6,100 Syrians until July 10, 2026.
- US
Court Order Opens Tacoma Detention Center: Lessons for Vietnamese American Families With Relatives Held by ICE
The court order forcing GEO Group to open the Tacoma detention center for state health inspections is not merely a Washington issue — it exposes a web of financial interests and personnel conflicts shaping how private de…
- US
US Supreme Court Clears Path to End Haiti TPS by End of July
The US Supreme Court has just cleared the way for the government to end temporary protected status for more than 500,000 Haitians, while USCIS simultaneously extended this right for Yemenis—demonstrating that each migran…
- Guides
Automatic Extension of Work Permit (EAD): What Vietnamese People Need to Know to Avoid Work Interruption
Not everyone who files an EAD renewal application automatically gets permission to continue working—conditions, the timing of filing, and the type of category all determine whether you are protected.
- Houston
When ICE Opens Fire in Houston: Who Investigates If the Person Shot is Vietnamese American?
An ICE shooting death of a man awaiting a green card in Houston reveals an overlooked gap: when the federal government controls the scene, local police have almost no way to investigate independently — a silent risk faci…
- Houston
Death While Green Card Application Pending: Houston ICE Shooting Exposes Supervision Gaps
A pending green card application could not stop an ICE bullet in Houston — and precedent from Minneapolis to South Padre Island suggests it is nearly certain no one will be prosecuted for this.
- US
USCIS Warning: Using Outdated Forms May Result in Parole in Place Application Rejection
USCIS reminds applicants that all pages in a Form I-131 application must belong to the same version; otherwise, applications for travel documents or Parole in Place status may be rejected immediately during the technical…
- US
U.S. Tax Agency Automatically Waives Penalties for Timely Filers — No Need to Request Anymore
The IRS is completely eliminating the penalty waiver request process for timely tax filers, shifting to automatic review — but certain returns like estate and gift tax returns remain excluded from this new mechanism.
- US
ICE circumvents court orders: immigration court appearances still lead to arrests
ICE is transforming a narrow public safety exception into a standing reason to arrest people directly at immigration court, despite federal court orders — shifting the risk onto those who comply with their scheduled appe…
- US
New evidentiary standards narrow legal options for immigrant abuse victims
New evidentiary rules do not simply tighten abuse documentation — they compound fears of government contact, making it harder for exactly those who need protection most to prove their case.
- Guides
What Is Medicare Part D? How to Avoid Losing Drug Coverage Due to Misunderstandings
A forgotten English-language letter buried in a pile of advertisements could cost your parents their drug insurance after just a few months of missed payments. Here is what you need to know to avoid that situation.
- US
USCIS Tightens Handwritten Signature Requirements for Immigration Applications Starting July 10, Amid Soaring Fee Increases
A new DHS regulation requires all signatures on immigration applications to be handwritten in real ink, taking effect just days before the public comment deadline closes — while naturalization fees are also being propose…
- SoCal
Federal government buys out immigrant detention facilities, removes California's oversight shield
When the Department of Homeland Security owns the detention facility land itself rather than simply contracting private operators, the medical and legal oversight shield that California once secured faces the risk of los…
- Politics
How does ICE investigate online critics? What you need to know
An internal ICE division is sending warnings to social media users who criticize immigration employees — even as independent ICE oversight bodies have been nearly completely stripped of their staff.
- Politics
Court Orders Immigration Review: Small Victory, But Backlog Remains
Courts have repeatedly ruled that USCIS's policy of suspending immigration case review is illegal, but most people affected are not plaintiffs in any lawsuit — and for Vietnamese families with relatives from restricted c…