Conversation

Notices

1. Embed this notice
   Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 13:50:51 JST Adrianna Tan

   For many immigrants who have been stuck without any movement in their case for years, the Writ of Mandamus is often the only way out of limbo.

   Lawyer will want 5-10K for it, on top of filing fees.

   Here this person explains how they did it themselves

   https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1ho0adh/stepbystep_guide_on_how_i_filed_a_writ_of/?chainedPosts=t3_1i97qga

   • Embed this notice
     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 13:52:34 JST Adrianna Tan

     in reply to

     Frankly, if you can afford it, get a lawyer, unless you like forms and stress, but I am also a fan of anyone advocating for themselves in these situations

   • Embed this notice
     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 14:16:42 JST Adrianna Tan

     in reply to

     i know it is not ideal to use an LLM to do any of this, but i also want to flag that if you have no money, it's either get stuck in this forever, or use a BS spewer to help you. there is no in-between. the system only works for people with lots of money. (pro bono lawyers exist but there are not enough of them)

   • Embed this notice
     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 14:19:08 JST Adrianna Tan

     in reply to

     • J. Steven York RESISTS

     @jstevenyork there aren't enough of them. immigration lawyers especially pro bono ones are very focused on border or community cases right now.

     i would say it's next to impossible to find pro bono support. i agree a lawyer is best, but they don't exist for the vast majority of people.

   • Embed this notice
     J. Steven York RESISTS (jstevenyork@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 14:19:09 JST J. Steven York RESISTS

     in reply to

     @skinnylatte
     Do you know any good organizations assisting immigrants who can't afford a lawyer get legal help? If so, seems like they might be a good place to boost and support right now.
     In my experience, in things of this importance, it's always better to have a lawyer involved.
     Years ago, a Canadian friend was working for Microsoft in Redmond, and they had a TEAM of lawyers that handled all his paperwork. All he had to do was sign things. But that everyone could be so lucky. Sigh.

   • Embed this notice
     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 14:25:35 JST Adrianna Tan

     in reply to

     the only reasonably better path i can see: people can and should publish open versions of their successful Writ filings, as templates that people can download.

     this has been done for some green card filings, for reference. however, this is still a super obscure legal instrument that people only do in desperation. it's also only gotten used a lot recently because of 45 era / then Covid- related stuff and understaffing = many processes became completely broken. There are people waiting for status adjustment for. thousands of days, unable to work, unable to move, unable to do anything.

     So far, the only people who can help are expensive lawyers who file Writs.

     I wish this could be more open, but I wish more for a functional government that doesn't have to be sued to open a file.

   • Embed this notice
     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 14:38:08 JST Adrianna Tan

     in reply to

     some of the people most likely to use this: US citizens trying to get green cards for their spouses, something which used to be easy, but is now a monumental task.

   • Embed this notice
     Adrianna Tan (skinnylatte@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 25-Jan-2025 14:42:33 JST Adrianna Tan

     in reply to

     this video explains this process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyY7p2xZTL4

     this guy is also an excellent explainer of all things immigration law