On November 7, 2011, the USCIS published a policy memorandum regarding the priorities that they will follow in placing certain immigrants in removal proceedings through the Notice to Appear).
This newly issued policy memo provides guidance to USCIS officers on how to initially issue the NTA. The policy memo states that cases involving fraud, serious crimes, categorized as aggravated felonies under the Immigration and Nationality Act, (murder, rape, sexual abuse of minors, possession and/or trafficking in illicit firearms and explosives, crimes of violence, ransom, child porn, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, human rights violators, gang members, and re-entry after a prior deportation), and threats to national security will be the top immigration enforcement priority. Other cases are categorized as “non-egregious public safety” cases. Depending on the circumstances of each case, the policy memo requires the USCIS to follow a complicated referral procedure where USCIS will refer the case to ICE first and let ICE decide whether it is worth their while to pursue. Absent a finding by ICE, USCIS will not issue an NTA in those cases. In other cases, USCIS may automatically refer the cases for an NTA.
Also, under this new policy, USCIS will issue NTAs where required by statute or regulation. For example, such cases include termination of conditional permanent resident status, denials of form I-751 petitions, denials of form I-829 petitions by entrepreneurs to remove conditions, termination of refugee status, denials of NACARA 202 and HRIFA adjustments, referrals of asylum cases to immigration court, and when an asylum applicant withdraws his/her application. USCIS will also issue an NTA if a Statement of Findings substantiating fraud is part of the record.
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