Washington D.C. I-864 Affidavit of Support lawyer

Washington, D.C. Form I-864 Affidavit of Support enforcement lawyer.

We represent clients in Washington D.C. in lawsuits to enforce the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Attorney Greg McLawsen, Sound Immigration’s founding attorney, is admitted to the federal district court for the District of Columbia. Mr. McLawsen has litigated more Affidavit of Support enforcement cases than any lawyer in the United States.

Contact us about enforcing the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

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Sound Immigration represents green card holders in lawsuits to enforce the USCIS Form I-864 Affidavit of Support. *We do not represent sponsors.* Please do not provide confidential information with this form. No attorney-client relationship is created with our firm unless and until a written agreement is signed. *

Form I-864, Affidavit of Support enforcement cases in Washington, D.C.

To date, there has been no known Affidavit of Support enforcement case filed in federal district court for the District of Columbia. Indeed, Sound Immigration is often the first law firm to file an I-864 enforcement lawsuit in a new jurisdiction. There is little doubt that a federal court in Washington D.C. has jurisdiction over such a matter, per the private right of action created at 8 U.S.C. 1183a(e)(1).

Learn more about enforcing the Form I-864

What goes into an I-864 Affidavit of Support lawsuit complaint?
I’ve been representing clients in lawsuits to enforce the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support for about a decade at this point. Over that time, I’ve made a lot of changes to the template that we use for federal lawsuit complaints. (A complaint is the initial case document that sets forth the plaintiff’s legal claim…
What is a joint sponsor’s liability under the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?
A joint sponsor (also called co-sponsor) has the same liability under an Affidavit of Support as the primary sponsor. By signing the USCIS Form I-864, the joint sponsor agrees to “joint and several” liability on the contract. The sponsored immigrant can sue the joint sponsor for financial support in state or federal court. A joint…
Can you enforce the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support in a divorce case?
Yes – in most states the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support can be enforced in a divorce case. A family law court has the authority to enforce the I-864 either (1) as a breach of contract claim or (2) through spousal maintenance (also called alimony). But as discussed below, divorce court is not necessarily…
USCIS Form I-864 enforcement in divorce court – another cautionary tale (Marriage of Bychina)
It is a theme that I have written about many times on this blog and elsewhere. Yes, the Affidavit of Support can theoretically be enforced in family law proceedings. But in practice, beneficiaries frequently encounter problems in that forum. Here is another example. Marriage of Bychina was a family law case in Illinois. See No.…
How do you calculate damages under the I-864, Affidavit of Support
In an important ruling for one of our I-864 enforcement clients, a Court ruled today that damages under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support are determined based on taxable income. In Flores v. Flores, the Western District of Washington ruled that the term “income” is governed by the definition contained at 8 C.F.R. §…
How do you settle a claim under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?
As I explain elsewhere on this blog, almost all claims under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support result in settlement. To get an idea of how long that process takes, read this post. Having settled many of these claims, here is an overview of how we generally approach settlement. What goes into an Affidavit…
Can you enforce the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support with a preliminary injunction?
Non-citizens needing to enforce the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support are usually in serious need of help. To have a claim under the Affidavit, their income needs to be below 125 percent of the poverty line. That’s about $1,400 per month for a household of one. But a lawsuit can take months or even…
What affirmative defenses are available to Form I-864 sponsors? None.
The Eleventh Circuit has held that the common law defenses of unclean hands, anticipatory breach, and equitable estoppel are unavailable to a sponsor who has signed a USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Blevich v. Thomas, 17 F.4th 1048 (11th Cir. 2021). Belevich joins a growing line of cases that stand for the proposition that…
The federal right to immigration “alimony” under the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support
A version of this article first appeared in the Side Bar journal for the Litigation Section of the Federal Bar Association (Spring 2021). If you are like most federal litigators – this author included – you would never enter divorce court unless your name was on the case caption. The vitriol, the sabotage, the meanness.…
How long does the I-864 support last?
A sponsor's obligation under the Form I-864 lasts indefinitely. It terminates only upon one of five Terminating Events, including when the green card holder has 40 quarters of work or becomes a U.S. citizen. It *does not* terminate automatically after ten years, even though lawyers mistakenly

Washington, D.C. Form I-864 Affidavit of Support enforcement lawyer.

Contact us about enforcing the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

Form I-864, Affidavit of Support enforcement cases in Washington, D.C.

What are the consequences of signing the Form I-864?

5 reasons to sue an I-864 sponsor who “doesn’t have any money”

What goes into an I-864 Affidavit of Support lawsuit complaint?

No, Uniting for Ukraine sponsors cannot be sued under the I-134 Affidavit of Support

What is a joint sponsor’s liability under the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?

Can you enforce the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support in a divorce case?

USCIS Form I-864 enforcement in divorce court – another cautionary tale (Marriage of Bychina)

How do you calculate damages under the I-864, Affidavit of Support

How do you settle a claim under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?

Contact us about enforcing the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

Washington, D.C. Form I-864 Affidavit of Support enforcement lawyer.

Contact us about enforcing the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

Form I-864, Affidavit of Support enforcement cases in Washington, D.C.

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