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It is now easier to apply for SSI

It is now easier to apply for SSI

It has been difficult in the past to apply for SSI because you had to call the field office or the 1-800 customer service number to start the process. It was difficult to get ahold of anyone and thus people gave up or applied later than they would have. To their credit, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) recognized the problem and created an easy online process that helps people to…

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Can I be found guilty of a false claim to U.S. citizenship when my statement was not made to an immigration official?

Can I be found guilty of a false claim to U.S. citizenship when my statement was not made to an immigration official?

I am currently working on a case for a client who applied for a Social Security card claiming that he was a U.S. citizen. He did not realize at the time that his misstatement would have severe immigration consequences. An individual is inadmissible (not permitted into the United States) if they make a misrepresentation of U.S. Citizenship for any purpose or benefit under the Immigration and…

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Rally to End Title 42 Expulsions and Welcome Asylum Seekers With Dignity

Rally to End Title 42 Expulsions and Welcome Asylum Seekers With Dignity

There will be an Immigration Rally today at the federal building in San Francisco!  Several immigrants’ rights groups together with Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity will be holding a rally to urge President Biden to end Title 42 at the border.  Title 42 is an obscure provision of a public health law that the Trump administration exploited during the COVID-19 pandemic to deny families,…

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Five tips to prepare for your telephone disability hearing

Five tips to prepare for your telephone disability hearing

I do many telephonic disability hearings with my clients in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it is better to appear in person, the Social Security Administration had to do something during the pandemic to ensure that cases moved forward, so they began allowing people to appear by telephone. (They also offer video hearings. ) I have a few tips on how to prepare for your telephonic disability…

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Temporary Protected Status Announced for Ukrainians

Temporary Protected Status Announced for Ukrainians

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. A country may be designated for TPS when conditions in the country fall into one or more of the three statutory bases for designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. According to the DHS press…

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Legal resources for Ukrainians fleeing to Romania, Poland and the United States

Legal resources for Ukrainians fleeing to Romania, Poland and the United States

I have received many inquiries lately from people asking about legal help for their loved ones or friends who are fleeing Ukraine due to the war in Russia. (I do not think we can continue calling it an invasion. It seems like all out war to me.) I am going to place the resources I have been able to find in this blog post. POLAND My information about Poland comes from several attorneys who…

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Why doesn't the Social Security Administration answer the phone?

Why doesn’t the Social Security Administration answer the phone?

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and you have tried to call a Social Security field office, it is likely that you have encountered one of the following scenarios: Your were on hold for a very long time and then you were disconnected either before you had a chance to speak to a representative or while you were talking to a representative; ORYou were on hold for a long time, you were…

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If I apply for DACA, will USCIS share my information with immigration enforcement?

If I apply for DACA, will USCIS share my information with immigration enforcement?

It is often troublesome to apply for immigration benefits if you have had contact with any law enforcement agency. It is especially worrisome when applying or renewing DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) because up until the time of the application, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is perhaps unaware that the applicant is in the United States. So does USCIS turn over…

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The best evidence to submit in support of your Social Security Disability Claim

The best evidence to submit in support of your Social Security Disability Claim

The Social Security Administration does not tell you what the best evidence is that you can submit to support your case. If they tell you anything at all, they will tell you to submit medical records. In this video, I describe some of the more creative types of evidence that you can submit to help your case.

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Honduran Witness Protection and Its Shortcomings

Honduran Witness Protection and Its Shortcomings

I am proud to present an article by a guest blogger, Dr. Robert Kirkland. Dr. Robert Kirkland is a retired career army officer who is a security expert in the Americas. He provides expert witness testimony in cases where Mexican and Central American nationals in the United States facing deportation are requesting either asylum or withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture.  The…

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Andrea Miller to be speaking in Solano County via Zoom

Andrea Miller to be speaking in Solano County via Zoom

This post is not about Social Security Disability Law but I wanted to highlight an upcoming talk by a phenomenal leader. During this past few months I volunteered on a campaign called “Reclaim Our Vote” run by the non-partisan organization Center for Common Ground. (The Center for Common Ground is not affiliated with “Common Ground Solano/Napa/ an IAF organization.) The mission of the Center for…

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What is a "skill" for purposes of filling out Form I-944, "declaration of self sufficiency?"

What is a “skill” for purposes of filling out Form I-944, “declaration of self sufficiency?”

Photo by VisionPic .net on Pexels.com

There is a new form that is now required to be submitted with all adjustment of status applications filed in the United States. This form is known by Form I-944and the title of it is “Declaration of Self Sufficiency.” This form must be submitted with every application where public charge applies. The draconian form asks every single question possible and…

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"We Demand the Right to Vote" – 100 years since the 19th Amendment

“We Demand the Right to Vote” – 100 years since the 19th Amendment

The Benicia-Vallejo branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will host a free, public Zoom program “We Demand the Right to Vote” – 100 years since the 19th Amendment.

Participants may sign in starting at 1:30 pm; the program starts at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020.

Individuals may join the Zoom meeting by using this link. The Meeting ID is 875 9561 2490.

Cultivating a…

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Can I get both disability and retirement at the same time?

Can I get both disability and retirement at the same time?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

A common question I receive from my clients who are at retirement age is whether they may receive Social Security Disability Insurance and Social Security retirement at the same time. The answer is “no.”

You may only receive one or the other at any given time. If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits (SSDI), once you reach full…

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How to change your name in California, Part Two

How to change your name in California, Part Two

I previously wrote an overview about how to change your name in California. I am now going to give you the specifics of how to do it. Again, I am focusing on applying for a name change in Solaono County but the forms are the same throughout California.

What forms are required?

You will need a total of six forms to file your Petition for a Change of Name. You will find five of those…

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How to change your name in California, Part One

How to change your name in California, Part One

My immigration clients often end up with documents that have different names on them.  They will have a passport with one name and a driver’s license with another.  When it comes time to apply for a green card, they want to change their name to match the name on their driver’s license but USCIS will not let them and in fact, the USCIS officer will insist on using the name that is on the passport…

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Social Security field offices closed but you may still apply for disability I drove by the Vallejo field office the other day and saw this sign that the field office is closed.