New Travel Precautions, OPT, and Immigration Court Fee Payments

For students, the Form I-20 remains a very important document. DHS explains that Form I-20 is the “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” and students need it for important parts of the student process, including entry, status-related benefits, and maintaining their F-1 or M-1 records. DHS also explains that, to maintain status, students generally must remain enrolled in a full course of study at the SEVP-certified school that issued the Form I-20, unless a proper exception applies.

That is why, during the interview, I stressed the importance of keeping immigration documents organized and current. For students in particular, it is not enough to assume that one document tells the whole story. A person should understand what documents reflect the underlying status and whether the person continues to meet the requirements of that status. That is not fear. That is caution.

I also discussed Optional Practical Training, known as OPT. USCIS currently explains that OPT is temporary employment directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. USCIS says eligible students may apply for up to 12 months of OPT, and certain students with qualifying STEM degrees may apply for a 24-month STEM extension. USCIS also explains that a designated school official must recommend the OPT on the Form I-20 before the student properly files Form I-765 with USCIS.

This point matters because OPT has been an important bridge for many international students who complete their studies and want to gain practical experience in the United States. In public conversations, people often speak loosely about this benefit, but the official rules matter. The accurate framework, as USCIS currently describes it, is up to 12 months of OPT, with a possible 24-month STEM extension for eligible students, not an additional 36 months beyond the initial OPT period.

Another issue I addressed in the interview was confusion about payments in immigration court. EOIR currently states that, as of February 23, 2026, it no longer accepts checks or money orders for immigration fees paid to EOIR. EOIR also states that immigration fees paid to EOIR must be submitted electronically through the EOIR Payment Portal. The EOIR Payment Portal FAQ further explains that the portal allows parties to electronically pay certain Immigration Court and Board of Immigration Appeals filing fees and obtain a receipt showing proof of payment.

This is an important distinction because not every immigration payment goes to the same agency. Some matters involve USCIS. Some involve EOIR. Some involve the Department of State. The correct agency and the correct payment process depend on the type of filing and where the case is pending. For that reason, people should confirm exactly which agency is handling their matter before making a payment or submitting anything.

I also want to be careful here about broader claims. There is a great deal of discussion, confusion, and concern in the community about paused cases, slowed cases, and delays. But not every public statement about a “pause” is broad enough to support a general conclusion for all case types. For publication, I believe it is better to stay disciplined and accurate: people should review the exact category of their case, verify which agency is handling it, and get legal guidance specific to their situation.

One official development that is current and publicly posted by the Department of State is this: the Department states that, effective January 21, 2026, it paused immigrant visa issuances for nationals of listed countries under that Department announcement, while still indicating that affected immigrant visa applicants may continue to submit applications and attend interviews in certain circumstances. That is one example of why people should not assume that a scheduled appointment or a pending process will unfold exactly as expected without first checking the current rules.

My advice remains straightforward. Keep your records organized. Understand which agency is handling your case. Do not rely on rumors. And if you are thinking about travel, filing, or making a payment while your matter is still unresolved, take the time to understand the legal and practical consequences before you move forward.

If you would like to learn more about your immigration options or need guidance about your case, you may contact my office at 305-671-0018

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is Form I-20?
Form I-20 is the “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.” DHS explains that it is issued by a designated school official at an SEVP-certified school and is used for student visa processing, entry, and certain benefits tied to student status.

2) Does Form I-20 alone prove that a student is fully maintaining status?
Not necessarily by itself in every real-world situation. DHS explains that students generally must maintain a full course of study and continue complying with the rules of their student status. The Form I-20 is important, but continued status also depends on continued compliance with the underlying requirements.

3) What is OPT?
USCIS defines OPT as temporary employment directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students may apply for OPT before or after completing their studies, depending on the category.

4) How long can OPT last?
USCIS says eligible students may receive up to 12 months of OPT. Students with qualifying STEM degrees may apply for a 24-month STEM extension.

5) Does a student need school involvement before applying for OPT?
Yes. USCIS explains that the student must first obtain a recommendation from the designated school official, and that recommendation must be reflected on the Form I-20 before the student properly files Form I-765 with USCIS.

6) Can immigration court fees still be paid by check or money order?
Not for immigration fees paid to EOIR. EOIR states that, as of February 23, 2026, it no longer accepts checks or money orders for immigration fees paid to EOIR.

7) How are EOIR filing fees paid now?
EOIR states that covered immigration fees must be paid electronically through the EOIR Payment Portal. EOIR also explains that the portal allows users to pay certain filing fees electronically and obtain a receipt.

8) Is every immigration payment made to USCIS?
No. Different immigration matters can involve different agencies, including USCIS, EOIR, and the Department of State. The correct agency depends on the type of filing or proceeding. EOIR’s official pages make clear that certain court-related fees are paid through EOIR, while other immigration processes are handled elsewhere.

9) Should someone with a pending immigration matter travel without first reviewing the case?
That depends on the person’s exact situation. The safest general advice is not to assume. The legal risks can depend on the type of case, the person’s current status, and the agency involved. Because those facts vary, the prudent step is to review the case carefully before traveling.

10) Why is it important to confirm which agency is handling a case?
Because the rules, forms, payment methods, and procedures are not identical across agencies. USCIS, EOIR, DHS student systems, and the Department of State each operate under their own processes. Using the wrong form, the wrong portal, or the wrong assumption can create avoidable problems.

SPANISH TRANSCRIPT

ORIÁN:
Amigos, feliz inicio de semana. Gusto saludarles. Los invito a que presten mucha atención porque hay información importante para muchas personas, especialmente para todos aquellos que tienen un estatus pendiente aquí en Estados Unidos. Y es que la presencia de agentes de ICE en al menos 13 aeropuertos del país ha encendido las alarmas entre miles de migrantes que hoy se preguntan si viajar dentro de Estados Unidos podría convertirse en un riesgo. Aunque las autoridades aseguran que estos agentes no estarán en los controles de seguridad y harían funciones propias del TSA, recordemos que hay un cierre parcial del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional que afecta al TSA. Su despliegue ya genera temor, confusión y muchas dudas legales.

¿Puede un inmigrante ser detenido en un aeropuerto? ¿Qué pasa con quienes no tienen un estatus cierto? Hoy se lo preguntamos a la abogada de inmigración, Martha Arias. Los invito a que se conecten y a que nos acompañen en esta conversación que va a ser instructiva para todos ustedes. Abogada, ¿cómo está?

MARTHA:
Muy bien, muy bien, Orián. Gracias por invitarme a su canal y con mucho gusto para poder contestar sus preguntas y las que tenga su audiencia.

ORIÁN:
Claro. Yo quiero comenzar porque, bueno, ya hay imágenes que comienzan a salir en redes sociales, incluso una que se ha hecho viral esta tarde, y es una supuesta detención que había en un aeropuerto en San Francisco. Esto, repito, no ha sido confirmado. Es información extraoficial, porque me gusta cuando las autoridades nos dan cuenta, a pesar de la opacidad con la que se manejan algunos temas, y nos dicen: “Mira, esto es lo que está pasando”. Lo cierto es que hay mucha incertidumbre por la presencia de funcionarios de ICE en algunos aeropuertos del país. ¿Qué se le puede decir hoy al migrante que no tiene un estatus definido, incluso al que pueda tenerlo?

MARTHA:
A ver, lo primero que yo le diría es que no entre en pánico. Si la persona tiene, por ejemplo, un estatus legal vigente, como por ejemplo si es residente de los Estados Unidos y tiene su residencia, o una persona tiene una visa de estudiante, una visa de inversionista o cualquier otra visa que esté legal, que esté activa, corriente, esa persona no debería tener ningún problema. Sí es aconsejable viajar con su pasaporte, si la visa está sellada en el pasaporte, y con cualquier otro documento de inmigración que demuestre ese estatus migratorio.

Parece que, por ejemplo, los estudiantes, si tienen un permiso de trabajo, obviamente tienen permiso de trabajo, pero lo que muestra el estatus de ellos realmente es la I-20, que es la carta de la universidad que les dice que están admitidos para este período lectivo. Pero la carta en sí sola no debería ser suficiente prueba de estatus porque, si la persona está registrada pero no va al colegio hace una semana o dos semanas, pues técnicamente esa persona se puede considerar que está violando su estatus.

Entonces yo mostraría la prueba de la I-20, descargaría además las clases en las que estoy registrado ese semestre y la prueba de que todavía estoy estudiando. Eso probaría el estatus legal de la persona en los Estados Unidos. Y así, todos aquellos que tengan estatus, tratar de tener ese documento que lo pruebe.

Ahora, hay personas que no tienen un estatus definido porque están pendientes de un asilo, por ejemplo, o están pendientes de un caso de corte. Entonces esas personas también deberían tener la prueba de eso. Si tiene un caso de asilo pendiente en la corte, la prueba de su próxima cita, la prueba de su permiso de trabajo.

Ahora, yo sé que esto es peligroso hoy en día también. Muchas personas tienen un asilo pendiente y han sido detenidas por ICE y puestas en un proceso expedito, rápido, de deportación. Entonces, para esas personas, yo lo que les diría es: si su viaje no es una emergencia, mejor que no viajen. Si su viaje no es una emergencia, es mejor que no se arriesguen porque no sabemos realmente cuál es la intención o el alcance del gobierno con esta acción de enviar oficiales de ICE a los aeropuertos.

ORIÁN:
Sí, incluso voy a poner la imagen, que es la que se ha hecho viral el día de hoy. Este es el arresto de una mujer en el aeropuerto de San Francisco, en presencia, según dicen, de su hija de 10 años que estaba allí, y es un video que se ha hecho viral hoy. No han especificado por qué ella fue detenida.

La cadena NBC hizo una investigación sobre qué están haciendo los funcionarios de ICE, y la información que han dado dice que son al menos 50 miembros del personal de ICE por turno en cada aeropuerto. Otro funcionario de ICE vinculado al área de capacitación de la agencia declaró a NBC News que los oficiales y agentes de ICE no estaban capacitados para el uso de magnetómetros o máquinas de rayos X, y que entre las cosas que harían era supervisar el Real ID, esa estrellita de la licencia.

Los aeropuertos, quiero decir, cuáles son los que están en este momento con oficiales de ICE: el de Chicago, el de Cleveland, el de Atlanta, el de Houston, el John F. Kennedy de Nueva York, LaGuardia de Nueva York, el aeropuerto de Newark, el de Nueva Orleans, el de San Juan de Puerto Rico, el de Filadelfia, el de Pittsburgh, ya dije, el de Philadelphia, el de Phoenix y el de Fort Myers aquí en Florida. Yo conversé hace minutos con una portavoz del aeropuerto de Miami, quien me informó que en el caso de Miami no está previsto, y debo decirlo así, no está previsto, la presencia de funcionarios de ICE por el momento.

MARTHA:
Ah, qué bien. Esa información me parece excelente, Orián, para los que estén escuchando esta entrevista, este documento, porque me parece que es muy informativo, sobre todo esto que usted habla de los aeropuertos. Son bastantes realmente; según la lista que usted menciona, son bastantes. Pero también es un alivio saber que Miami no lo sea. No sé hasta cuándo, porque todos sabemos que Miami es un puerto de entrada muy grande para los inmigrantes, pero bueno. Interesante saber también, por ejemplo, que Fort Myers es un aeropuerto donde vienen muchos, muchos inmigrantes, sobre todo hispanos que viven en esa área del oeste de la Florida.

ORIÁN:
O sea, importante recapitular: si usted no tiene necesidad y tiene un estatus pendiente y puede evitar el viaje, mejor lo hace. Si tiene que hacerlo, los documentos que prueben el trámite que usted está haciendo son como una forma de protección, entre comillas.

MARTHA:
Correcto.

ORIÁN:
Ok. Importante esta recomendación que hace la abogada de inmigración Martha Arias, y ojalá la situación en los aeropuertos cambie, porque hay un cierre parcial del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional y las largas filas en varios aeropuertos este fin de semana. Eso fue tendencia.

Increíblemente hablamos de documentos que pueda tener un migrante, estatus pendientes. Muchos siguen paralizados. Es increíble, ¿no?, cómo esta situación los mantiene a muchos de ellos en un limbo.

MARTHA:
Efectivamente. Pues no solamente son los venezolanos y cubanos que tienen sus casos con USCIS, con Citizenship and Immigration Services, paralizados de acuerdo a esa pausa que ordenó el gobierno o la administración. Es importante resaltar que esa pausa es solamente para los casos que están pendientes con USCIS, no para los casos que están pendientes con la corte. Entonces, los cubanos y los venezolanos que tengan algún caso de corte, una petición de residencia o algo, esos casos en la corte no están paralizados, pero con USCIS sí.

Entonces esa es una cosa que las personas tienen que tener en cuenta. Obviamente incluso peticiones de ciudadanía están paralizadas para cubanos y venezolanos. Ahora, a nivel de los consulados, usted también escuchó que hay una pausa para la emisión de visas de inmigrantes o residencias también para 72 países. Esto fue demandado. Hay una demanda que se presentó en New York, en una corte federal, en contra de esta pausa de las visas de inmigrantes. Eso también debemos estar escuchándolo porque es también muy injusto, sobre todo para las personas que salieron de los Estados Unidos y no habían ido a la cita, o fueron, pero no les habían emitido su residencia y fueron encontrados con esta sorpresa de que no puede ser emitida la residencia por esta pausa.

También para las personas que han hecho perdones, el perdón 601-A, que es el perdón de la presencia ilegal, que llevan tres o cuatro años esperando el perdón, invirtiendo mucho dinero en ese perdón, y fueron a las citas y se encontraron ahora entonces con esta pausa. ¿Qué está pasando con estas personas? O con los que tengan en los próximos meses citas en los consulados. Imagínense ustedes, esas personas lo van a pensar dos veces. ¿Qué va a pasar con sus casos si no van a la cita después de invertir tanto dinero? Pero, pues, es un caos.

Bueno, vamos a ver qué va a pasar con la demanda que se presentó en contra del gobierno por esta pausa. Así que sí, Orián, mucha pausa para estas peticiones, pero sí también tratando el gobierno de agilizar mucho los procesos de deportación. Ya usted escuchó que se nombraron 42 jueces la semana pasada o la semana anterior, y van a seguir nombrando jueces porque, acuérdese, hay ya mucho dinero para financiar estas agencias de ICE, USCIS, CBP, entonces muchos jueces nuevos, muchos nuevos, y los abogados que defienden al gobierno. Y pues vamos a ver una maquinaria mucho más rápida de deportación.

ORIÁN:
Que no pierda tiempo y asesórese correctamente con un abogado porque en este momento es fundamental, aprovechando la pausa que hay, definir en qué situación está usted y evitar un riesgo frente a lo que se está moviendo jurídicamente.

MARTHA:
Exacto. Mucho cuidado.

ORIÁN:
La abogada Martha Arias, cuando definíamos el temario que íbamos a manejar durante nuestra conversación, me decía: “Mira, una noticia importante de la que me gustaría hablar”, y me decía, y tenía especificación en lo que tiene que ver con los OPT, o entrenamiento práctico para estudiantes extranjeros, que la administración estaría buscando eliminar este beneficio, y ya se había presentado un proyecto de ley en el Congreso para codificarlo. ¿Me puede ampliar cuál es la estrategia del gobierno y cómo impactaría este programa en nuestra comunidad?

MARTHA:
Sí, bueno, a ver. El OPT, como usted bien lo dice, es un programa que le permite un entrenamiento práctico opcional a aquellos estudiantes internacionales que vienen aquí a los Estados Unidos. El programa siempre ha existido. Les dan un entrenamiento, un OPT, por 12 meses después de la graduación, o pueden elegir, vamos a decir, seis meses antes de la graduación; entonces usarían los otros seis meses después de la graduación.

Para las carreras que estén en la categoría de STEM, que es tecnología, ingeniería, ciencias y matemáticas, jóvenes o estudiantes tienen 36 meses más. Lo que pasa es que este OPT o este programa es regulatorio, pero no está codificado, no está en el Estatuto de Inmigración.

Entonces, un proyecto bipartita fue presentado en el Congreso de Estados Unidos para codificar este derecho al OPT. Esto es importante porque si llegara a pasar, quiere decir que ese programa de OPT podría continuar.

¿Por qué digo esto? Porque el gobierno actual ha expresado intención de modificar la regulación del OPT, hacerlo, vamos a decir, más difícil, casi imposible para que una persona lo tenga. Entonces el proyecto de ley realmente le beneficiaría a estos estudiantes para poder continuar con este programa que ha sido por muchos, muchos años un programa aquí en los Estados Unidos. Vamos a hacerle seguimiento a ese proyecto de ley. Ya se presentó en la Cámara de Representantes, en proceso de espera. Obviamente empieza todo el proyecto, los debates, y que Dios quiera que podamos lograr este beneficio.

ORIÁN:
Oja, me parece una contradicción porque una de las promesas que hacía el presidente durante su campaña era que a todos esos estudiantes que han invertido tiempo, dinero, creyendo en la educación de este país, ofrecía esa posibilidad de regularizarlo, no de complicar su obtención de esta, por ejemplo, de esta herramienta que existe.

MARTHA:
Exacto. O sea, unas personas que han invertido aquí en los Estados Unidos y que el gobierno ha capacitado, y que muchos de ellos son personas que van a beneficiar enormemente a los Estados Unidos. Yo el otro día estaba, en un fin de semana, revisando unos reportes de los grandes inventores de este país, y la mayoría, Orián, han sido inmigrantes. Solo para mencionar algunos, está Albert Einstein. Está Tesla. El Tesla, Tesla, el señor… Elon Musk. Bueno, son cantidades de personas que podemos mencionar que son talentos que vienen a los Estados Unidos para continuar ese talento que tengan, continuarlo aquí y darle un beneficio al país.

Entonces no sé por qué no se ve esta posibilidad si quiere cerrar la puerta. También tenemos que ser conscientes, y lo han visto, lo han mostrado las estadísticas, que hay mucho joven nacido en los Estados Unidos, ciudadano americano, que en vez de estar aprovechando los beneficios educativos del país, no están estudiando, no están haciendo sus carreras universitarias. Entonces este talento que viene no debería ser despreciado. Pero bueno, vamos a ver.

ORIÁN:
Qué va a pasar con este proyecto de ley. Conversamos con la abogada de inmigración Martha Arias. Ya para concluir, abogada, y le agradezco el contacto, hay muchas dudas que tienen los solicitantes de asilo con el pago de los fees, ¿no? Hay gente que dice: “Bueno, ¿dónde lo pago?, ¿lo tengo que pagar?, ¿cómo se paga?”, etcétera. Quisiera saber si este tipo de casos se están manejando en su oficina y qué recomendación se le está dando a las personas que tienen un asilo pendiente.

MARTHA:
Ok, sí, mira, hubo un poquito de confusión porque sí, el gobierno eliminó el pago de ciertos fees, sobre todo con USCIS, pero los fees de la corte los están obligando a pagar. Entonces, si una persona tiene un caso en la corte de inmigración, un caso de asilo, debe ir a la página de la agencia de inmigración que es de la corte, que es EOIR.

O sea, EOIR, como EOIR, como de escuchar, EOIR. Y hay una parte que se llama E-Pay, o sea, Electronic Payment. Entonces, si quiere el link es E-Pay, o sea: epay.eoir.justice.gov.

ORIÁN:
Justo yo lo voy a pegar en la descripción.

MARTHA:
Exacto. Entonces, epay.eoir.justice.gov, y ahí está el portal de la agencia, de EOIR, donde está el ePay y el portal para donde pueden hacer el pago. Ahí electrónicamente se hace para los que están en la corte. Así que eso sí se los están exigiendo, el pago.

ORIÁN:
Perfecto. Voy a dejar el link en la página por si es su caso, si tiene esto pendiente de la corte, pueda realizar el pago sin problema. Abogada, me gustaría que, aprovechando este momento y medio de tanta incertidumbre, pues comparta con la audiencia su contacto para cualquiera que tenga dudas sobre sus casos en estos momentos.

MARTHA:
Efectivamente, a nosotros nos pueden contactar en mi página web. Es la forma más fácil de ir, y allí están los datos de la oficina, la dirección, los teléfonos, el email y todas las redes sociales.

La página es AriasVilla.com. Arias, mi apellido; Villa, con v pequeña, v-i-l-l-a, ariasvilla.com. Hay una página que realmente no es la página oficial de la oficina, es una página que está en desarrollo, que es marthaarias.com, pero lo puede redirigir a ariasvilla.com si no se acuerdan de Arias Villa, y más fácil se graba en el nombre Martha Arias.

En el teléfono nos pueden llamar al 305-671-0018, 305-671-0018. Ese es el teléfono de nuestra oficina. Ya les dije, en la página web y en Instagram estamos como @Martha_Arias98.

ORIÁN:
Y Martha con H. Con H, correcto. Muchísimas gracias a la abogada de inmigración Martha Arias. Amigos, ante la duda, la información clara es precisa. No caigan en el pánico. Importante informarse, tener los documentos consigo y, por supuesto, tener una excelente asesoría que nos evite cualquier contratiempo en la situación que estamos viviendo.

Les agradezco a ustedes su rato, que se conecten con nosotros, que compartan esta información, que dejen sus preguntas y comentarios, que nos definen la agenda para los próximos días. Y un gusto a la abogada Martha Arias, porque hoy logró conectarse con nosotros. Tenía días tratando de que esta conexión se diera y hoy logramos hacerla realidad. En la descripción ya tengo el enlace que ella me lo acaba de hacer llegar. Usted lo va a encontrar para los pagos de los fees de la corte en caso de que usted tenga un asilo pendiente allí. Muchísimas gracias, abogada, y a todos.

MARTHA:
Gracias, Orián, y a toda su audiencia, todos sus seguidores. Muchísimas gracias por la invitación y sí, disculpe que la semana pasada habíamos quedado de vernos, pero se presentó un percance y bueno, aquí estamos.

ORIÁN:
Aquí estamos, eso es lo importante. El tiempo de Dios es perfecto y aquí nos encontramos. Le agradezco a usted y a todos sus colegas que brindan la interpretación de la ley en medio de tantos cambios que se están dando en materia migratoria aquí en el país. Un gran abrazo.

MARTHA:
Gracias a ustedes. Feliz día. Ciao.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

ORIAN:
Friends, happy start of the week. It is a pleasure to greet you. I invite you to pay very close attention because there is important information for many people, especially for all those who have a pending status here in the United States. And it is that the presence of ICE agents in at least 13 airports in the country has set off alarms among thousands of migrants who today are asking themselves whether traveling within the United States could become a risk. Although the authorities assure that these agents will not be at the security checkpoints and would carry out functions belonging to TSA, let us remember that there is a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that affects TSA. Their deployment is already generating fear, confusion, and many legal doubts.

Can an immigrant be detained at an airport? What happens with those who do not have a certain status? Today we ask immigration attorney Martha Arias. I invite you to connect and to join us in this conversation that is going to be instructive for all of you. Attorney, how are you?

MARTHA:
Very well, very well, Orián. Thank you for inviting me to your channel, and with great pleasure to be able to answer your questions and those that your audience may have.

ORIAN:
Of course. I want to begin because, well, images are already starting to appear on social media, including one that has gone viral this afternoon, and it is an alleged detention that took place at an airport in San Francisco. This, I repeat, has not been confirmed. It is unofficial information, because I like it when the authorities inform us, despite the lack of transparency with which some topics are handled, and they tell us, “Look, this is what is happening.” The truth is that there is a lot of uncertainty due to the presence of ICE officers in some of the country’s airports. What can be said today to the migrant who does not have a defined status, even the one who may have one?

MARTHA:
Let’s see, the first thing I would say is do not panic. If the person has, for example, valid legal status, such as being a resident of the United States and having a green card, or a person has a student visa, an investor visa, or any other visa that is legal, active, current, that person should not have any problem. It is advisable to travel with the passport, if the visa is stamped in the passport, and with any other immigration document that shows that immigration status.

It seems that, for example, students, if they have a work permit, obviously they have a work permit, but what really shows their status is the I-20, which is the university letter that says they are admitted for this academic term. But the letter by itself should not be sufficient proof of status because, if the person is registered but has not gone to school for a week or two, then technically that person can be considered to be violating status.

So I would show proof of the I-20, I would also download the classes in which I am registered that semester, and proof that I am still studying. That would prove the person’s legal status in the United States. And so, all those who have status should try to have the document that proves it.

Now, there are people who do not have a defined status because they have a pending asylum case, for example, or they have a pending court case. So those people should also have proof of that. If you have a pending asylum case in court, proof of your next hearing, proof of your work permit.

Now, I know that this is dangerous nowadays as well. Many people have a pending asylum case and have been detained by ICE and placed into an expedited, fast deportation process. So, for those people, what I would say is: if your trip is not an emergency, it is better not to travel. If your trip is not an emergency, it is better not to take the risk because we really do not know what the government’s intention or scope is with this action of sending ICE officers to airports.

ORIAN:
Yes, I am even going to put up the image, which is the one that has gone viral today. This is the arrest of a woman at the San Francisco airport, in the presence, they say, of her 10-year-old daughter who was there, and it is a video that has gone viral today. They have not specified why she was detained.

NBC did an investigation into what ICE officers are doing, and the information they gave says there are at least 50 ICE staff members per shift at each airport. Another ICE official linked to the agency’s training area told NBC News that ICE officers and agents were not trained in the use of magnetometers or X-ray machines, and that among the things they would do would be to supervise Real ID, that little star on the license.

The airports, I mean, which ones are currently with ICE officers: Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Houston, John F. Kennedy in New York, LaGuardia in New York, Newark airport, New Orleans, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, I already said Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Fort Myers here in Florida. A few minutes ago I spoke with a spokesperson for Miami airport, who informed me that in Miami’s case it is not expected, and I must say it that way, it is not expected, for ICE officers to be present for the moment.

MARTHA:
Ah, how good. That information seems excellent to me, Orián, for those who are listening to this interview, this document, because it seems very informative to me, especially all of this that you are saying about the airports. There are really quite a few; according to the list you mention, there are quite a few. But it is also a relief to know that Miami is not one of them. I do not know until when, because we all know that Miami is a very large port of entry for immigrants, but well. It is also interesting to know, for example, that Fort Myers is an airport where many, many immigrants come, especially Hispanics who live in that area of western Florida.

ORIAN:
So, important to recap: if you do not need to and you have a pending status and you can avoid the trip, it is better that you do so. If you have to do it, the documents that prove the process you are carrying out are like a form of protection, in quotation marks.

MARTHA:
Correct.

ORIAN:
Ok. Important recommendation that immigration attorney Martha Arias is making, and hopefully the situation at the airports changes, because there is a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and the long lines at several airports this weekend. That was trending.

Incredibly, we are talking about documents that a migrant may have, pending statuses. Many remain paralyzed. It is incredible, right, how this situation keeps many of them in limbo.

MARTHA:
Indeed. It is not only Venezuelans and Cubans who have their cases with USCIS, with Citizenship and Immigration Services, paralyzed according to that pause ordered by the government or the administration. It is important to emphasize that this pause is only for the cases that are pending with USCIS, not for the cases that are pending with the court. So Cubans and Venezuelans who have some court case, a residency petition or something, those cases in court are not paralyzed, but with USCIS they are.

So that is one thing people have to keep in mind. Obviously even citizenship petitions are paralyzed for Cubans and Venezuelans. Now, at the consular level, you also heard that there is a pause for the issuance of immigrant visas or residencies also for 72 countries. This was challenged. A lawsuit was filed in New York, in a federal court, against this pause of immigrant visas. We must also be following that because it is also very unfair, especially for people who left the United States and had not yet gone to the appointment, or they went but their residency had not yet been issued, and they were met with this surprise that the residency cannot be issued because of this pause.

Also for people who have done waivers, the 601-A waiver, which is the unlawful presence waiver, who have spent three or four years waiting for the waiver, investing a lot of money in that waiver, and they went to the appointments and then found themselves now with this pause. What is happening with these people? Or with those who will have consular appointments in the coming months. Just imagine, those people are going to think twice. What is going to happen with their cases if they do not go to the appointment after investing so much money? But, well, it is chaos.

Well, let us see what is going to happen with the lawsuit that was filed against the government over this pause. So yes, Orián, a lot of pause for these petitions, but also the government trying to speed up deportation processes a great deal. You already heard that 42 judges were appointed last week or the week before, and they are going to continue appointing judges because, remember, there is already a lot of money to fund these agencies, ICE, USCIS, CBP, so many new judges, many new ones, and the attorneys who defend the government. And so we are going to see a much faster deportation machine.

ORIAN:
Do not waste time and get properly advised by an attorney because at this moment it is essential, taking advantage of the pause that exists, to define what situation you are in and avoid a risk in light of what is moving legally.

MARTHA:
Exactly. Be very careful.

ORIAN:
Attorney Martha Arias, when we were defining the topics we were going to cover during our conversation, was telling me, “Look, important news that I would like to discuss,” and she was referring specifically to OPTs, or practical training for foreign students, that the administration would be seeking to eliminate this benefit, and a bill had already been introduced in Congress to codify it. Can you expand for me on what the government’s strategy is and how this program would impact our community?

MARTHA:
Yes, well, let’s see. OPT, as you rightly say, is a program that allows optional practical training for those international students who come here to the United States. The program has always existed. They are given practical training, an OPT, for 12 months after graduation, or they can choose, let us say, six months before graduation; then they would use the other six months after graduation.

For careers that are in the STEM category, which is technology, engineering, science, and mathematics, young people or students have 36 more months. What happens is that this OPT or this program is regulatory, but it is not codified, it is not in the Immigration Statute.

So, a bipartisan bill was presented in the United States Congress to codify this right to OPT. This is important because if it were to happen, it means that this OPT program could continue.

Why do I say this? Because the current government has expressed an intention to modify the OPT regulation, to make it, let us say, more difficult, almost impossible for a person to have it. So the bill would really benefit these students so they can continue with this program that has been, for many, many years, a program here in the United States. We are going to follow that bill. It has already been introduced in the House of Representatives, in the process of waiting. Obviously the whole process begins, the debates, and God willing, we will be able to achieve this benefit.

ORIAN:
Wow, it seems like a contradiction to me because one of the promises the president made during his campaign was that all those students who have invested time and money, believing in this country’s education, were offered that possibility of regularizing it, not of making it more difficult for them to obtain, for example, this tool that exists.

MARTHA:
Exactly. In other words, these are people who have invested here in the United States and whom the government has trained, and many of them are people who are going to benefit the United States enormously. The other day, over a weekend, I was reviewing some reports about the great inventors of this country, and the majority, Orián, have been immigrants. Just to mention a few, there is Albert Einstein. There is Tesla. Tesla, Tesla, the gentleman… Elon Musk. Well, there are so many people we can mention who are talents that come to the United States to continue that talent they have, continue it here, and give a benefit to the country.

So I do not know why this possibility is not seen if the intention is to close the door. We also have to be aware, and statistics have shown it, that there are many young people born in the United States, American citizens, who instead of taking advantage of the country’s educational benefits, are not studying, are not pursuing their university degrees. So this talent that comes should not be disregarded. But well, we will see.

ORIAN:
What is going to happen with this bill. We are speaking with immigration attorney Martha Arias. To conclude, attorney, and I thank you for the contact, there are many doubts that asylum applicants have about paying the fees, right? There are people who say, “Well, where do I pay it? Do I have to pay it? How is it paid?” and so on. I would like to know whether these kinds of cases are being handled in your office and what recommendation is being given to people who have a pending asylum case.

MARTHA:
Ok, yes, look, there was a little bit of confusion because yes, the government eliminated the payment of certain fees, especially with USCIS, but court fees are being required. So, if a person has a case in immigration court, an asylum case, they must go to the immigration agency’s page that is for the court, which is EOIR.

That is, EOIR, like EOIR, like hearing it, EOIR. And there is a section called E-Pay, that is, Electronic Payment. So, if you want the link, it is E-Pay, that is: epay.eoir.justice.gov.

ORIAN:
I am just going to paste it in the description.

MARTHA:
Exactly. So, epay.eoir.justice.gov, and there is the agency’s portal, EOIR, where the ePay and the portal are, where they can make the payment. It is done there electronically for those who are in court. So yes, they are requiring that payment.

ORIAN:
Perfect. I am going to leave the link on the page in case that is your situation, if you have this pending in court, so you can make the payment without problem. Attorney, I would like you, taking advantage of this moment and the uncertainty, to share your contact information with the audience for anyone who has doubts about their cases at this time.

MARTHA:
Indeed, people can contact us on my website. It is the easiest way to go, and there are the office details, the address, the phone numbers, the email, and all the social media.

The page is AriasVilla.com. Arias, my last name; Villa, with a small v, v-i-l-l-a, ariasvilla.com. There is a page that really is not the office’s official page, it is a page that is under development, which is marthaarias.com, but it can redirect you to ariasvilla.com if you do not remember Arias Villa, and the name Martha Arias is easier to remember.

By phone, you can call us at 305-671-0018, 305-671-0018. That is our office phone number. As I already told you, on the website and on Instagram we are @Martha_Arias98.

ORIAN:
And Martha with an H. With an H, correct. Thank you very much to immigration attorney Martha Arias. Friends, when in doubt, clear information is precise. Do not fall into panic. It is important to get informed, to keep your documents with you, and of course to have excellent legal guidance that avoids any setback in the situation we are living through.

I thank you for your time, for connecting with us, for sharing this information, for leaving your questions and comments, which define our agenda for the coming days. And it is a pleasure to have attorney Martha Arias because today she managed to connect with us. I had been trying for days for this connection to happen and today we made it a reality. In the description I already have the link that she just sent me. You will find it for the payment of court fees in case you have a pending asylum case there. Thank you very much, attorney, and to everyone.

MARTHA:
Thank you, Orián, and to all your audience, all your followers. Thank you very much for the invitation, and yes, sorry that last week we had planned to see each other, but something came up, and well, here we are.

ORIAN:
Here we are, that is what matters. God’s timing is perfect and here we meet. I thank you and all your colleagues who provide interpretation of the law in the middle of so many changes that are taking place in immigration matters here in the country. A big hug.

MARTHA:
Thank you all. Have a happy day. Bye.