Few documents cause more fear than a Notice to Appear. It means the Department of Homeland Security has started removal (deportation) proceedings against you and that your case will be decided by an immigration judge. But a Notice to Appear is the beginning of a legal process, not its outcome — and understanding how that process works is the first step toward building a real defense. What Is a Notice to Appear? A Notice to Appear, or NTA, is the charging document DHS files wi
What Applicants Need to Know About the Latest DHS Announcement On July 27, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an important change to the affirmative asylum process that could affect thousands of applicants with pending cases. Under a new interim final rule, USCIS may now refer certain affirmative asylum applications directly to an Immigration Judge without first conducting an asylum interview. For many applicants, this represents a significant p
