This presentation was recorded in April 2009. In this presentation, Mr. Fred Tsao presents information on legal issues facing immigrants in the US including legal immigration categories, how immigrants can become citizens, sponsorship, public benefit eligibility, impact of 1996 Welfare Reform, rules on public charge, and constitutional rights of illegal immigrants. Mr Tsao also answers various questions posed by the audience on legal issues facing immigrants.

The presenter, Mr. Fred Tsao is the Policy Director at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. In this position, he provides technical support, trainings, and presentations on immigration-related topics to service providers, immigrant community organizations, and others who work with immigrants. A native of Chicago, Fred is the son of immigrants from China, and has had a lifelong concern with immigration issues.

Part 1 - Who’s who in the immigration “zoo”; identification of various immigration categories; how one becomes a citizen of US

Part 2 - Review of how an immigrant can become a lawful permanent resident including family sponsorship, employment sponsorship, refugee and asylee status; and other residency provisions.

Part 3 – Review of amnesty law, temporary protected status; public benefit eligibility for documented and undocumented immigrants, asylees, military veterans and PRUCOL (persons residing under color of law); and impact of 1996 Welfare Reform on eligibility.

Part 4 - Review public charge issue including impact on green card status, deportation, and affidavit of support from sponsoring family, what counts as public charge, and impact on citizenship application. Review of constitutional rights of immigrants including due process, unreasonable search and seizure, self-incrimination, right to council.

Part 5 - Continued review of legal rights including right to hearing and disposition of property after deportation. Questions and answers from audience included future of immigration laws and practices and resources in smaller underserved areas for immigrants.

Part 6 - Continued question and answers from the audience: protection from false or poor legal representation.