Election Day for Senate Runoff Race in Georgia

Photo Credit: WJCB

It’s election week, again! Today is the final day of voting in the runoff race for Georgia’s two elected positions in the U.S. Senate.

Two Republican incumbents, Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, are seeking to be re-elected, while two Democratic candidates, Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Rafael Warnock, are running against them.

This election is important because the results will determine which political party will hold a majority of the seats in the U.S. Senate, and therefore have greater control over which pieces of legislation are passed by the Senate.

If the two Democratic candidates are successful, then the Democratic Party will hold half of the seats in the U.S. Senate and Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris would hold the tie-breaking vote. This would make it much easier for the Democratic Party to pass immigrant-friendly legislation following the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris later this month.

If the two Republican candidates are successful at maintaining their senate seats, then the Republican Party will hold half of the seats in the U.S. Senate during the first part of Joe Biden’s Presidency. This has the potential to make it harder for democrats to pass immigration reform bills through the U.S. Senate.

Election results may be viewed at the following websites, among others:

NBC News:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-elections/georgia-senate-runoff-results

CBS News:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-runoff-election-results-how-to-watch/

Regardless of who wins in this runoff election, our attorneys will continue to fight for immigrants’ rights in the United States and to support just, humane, and sensible immigration policies.

If you are in need of immigration representation and would like to schedule a consultation to discuss your situation, please call our office at (425) 374-1681.

Attorneys Brittan and Mary Beth are currently available Monday through Friday via telephone or video conferencing.

Happy New Year!

Is starting an immigration case on your new year’s to-do list? We can help!

The attorneys at Schwartz & Sheehan have years of experience working with a wide variety of immigration applications and case types. We understand the complexities of U.S. immigration law, and we’re here to guide you through every step of your case.

Make 2021 the year you get your immigration application submitted!

If you have questions about what kind of immigration status you may be eligible to apply for, how any prior criminal history may impact your case, or whether you may be able to include family members as part of the application, we encourage you to speak with a reputable immigration attorney about your case.

Our consultations are confidential and are currently offered via telephone or video conferencing for your protection during this COVID-19 pandemic.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with attorneys Brittan or Mary Beth, please call our office at (425) 374-1681.

Please note: In observance of the New Year holiday, our office will be closed on Friday, January 1st 2021, however, we resume normal business hours on Monday, January 4th.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Happy Holidays from Schwartz & Sheehan!

It has been a long, difficult year for many, but we hope that this holiday season brings some much-needed light, hope, and peace into your life (albeit distanced, masked, and sanitized).

To the medical, grocery, emergency services, and other essential workers who will be on duty this Christmas or New Year’s Eve, we thank you for giving your time and energy to help others this holiday season. For those who have lost loved ones this year, we hope you are able to find comfort in the midst of your grief.

We wish you all a merry Christmas, a happy Channukah, a joyous Kwanzaa, a blessed Solstice, or simply a warm, love-filled December and end of the year. However you celebrate and whomever you are celebrating with this year, we hope you have a meaningful holiday season.

In observance of the Christmas holiday, our office will be closed on Thursday, December 24th and Friday, December 25th 2020.

We resume normal business hours on Monday, December 28th. If you have a question about your case or would like to schedule a consultation with Brittan or Mary Beth, you may contact us at (425) 374-1681.

Giovanna, Julie, Mary Beth, and Brittan

Priorities in 2021: Ending Family Separation

Photo Credit: ACLU

As the year is drawing to a close and many people are considering the changes they want to see in 2021, we fully support placing the ending of family separation at the top of our nation’s list of priorities.

The time has come for the parents and children separated at the U.S. border as part of the Trump administration’s cruel deterrence tactics to finally be reunited. No child deserves to be taken away from their parent as part of their immigration process, and separating a child from their family should never be done for strategic or political reasons.

What is Family Separation?

Back in 2017, the Trump administration began separating parents and children who arrived at the U.S. border under a pilot program designed to deter immigration through harsher policies. Over 1,000 parents were separated from their children when they were processed by U.S. immigration officials.

In 2018, the Trump administration made the practice of family separation official, announcing a “zero tolerance” policy under which hundreds more parents were separated from their children after arriving in the United States. A U.S. District Judge later ordered that the children be reunited with their families, but by that time many of the parents separated under the pilot program had already been sent back to their country of origin, while their children remained in the United States.

Today, several hundred parents still have not been reunited with their children. Despite the official ending of the family separation policy, the consequences of these harmful actions remain. Many children have not been reunited with their parents and desperately wish to be with their mothers and fathers once again.

What Can I Do to Help?

Several legal advocacy groups and non-profit organizations have been working to help locate and reunite families affected by the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” pilot program. For more information about the reunification efforts and to take action to help the parents and children who were separated by U.S. immigration officials, follow these key organizations working on this issue:

The ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project:

https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights

Families Belong Together:

https://www.familiesbelongtogether.org/

Justice in Motion:

https://www.justiceinmotion.org/

If you have a family member who is a citizen of another country and would like to immigrate to the United States, or if you are an immigrant in need of legal advice or representation regarding your own case, please call our office at (425) 374-1681 to schedule a consultation.

Attorneys Brittan and Mary Beth are available via telephone or video conference and are ready to answer your questions about a wide variety of immigration applications and issues.