Florida could be one of the states that is most impacted by one of the immigration changes introduced by the Obama administration. Some people who are trying to come to the United States to flee from persecution in other countries may now find that process easier, even if they have provided some support to terrorist groups in the past. The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security are now taking the position that people who have given support to terrorists won’t be automatically prevented from coming to the U.S.
After 9/11, a provision was added to immigration statutes that kept anyone suspected of involvement in terrorism from admission to the U.S. Immigrants who were already here were also under scrutiny if they were thought to have terrorist connections. DHS has now released a statement that says the new rules will grant the government greater leeway when looking at immigration candidates although national security will still be considered when reviewing an applicant.
A 49-year-old man hopes that the new laws will open the doors for him to gain legal status. As a teen, he handed out fliers for a group in his native country that at one time was considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. but which has since been removed from the list. He regrets his actions but said he didn’t know better at the time. His green card status has been in limbo for more than a decade over his activities even though he was open about his involvement. His attorney is working on the case and said that every situation needs to be considered individually.
People in their teens, both here and abroad, often make poor choices in their activities. An immigration attorney might be able to craft a successful argument for an applicant who had previous limited connections to a terrorist organization.
Source: ABC News, “US Easing Immigration Rule for Terrorist Support”, Alicia A. Caldwell, February 09, 2014
