Tag: border crossing

Hundreds of thousands of travelers, citizens and foreign nationals alike cross the U.S. border every day. Many may be surprised to learn that border patrol agents do not need a warrant, any suspicion of wrongdoing or even consent to search a vehicle and all passenger belongings, including electronic devices. With the exception of foreign and […]

Berardi Immigration Law has had a busy first quarter at the U.S.-Canadian border. Since early January, we have appeared on behalf of at least 40 clients on 18 separate days at the Peace Bridge. Some of these appearances were entered on behalf of other attorneys, but most represent clients whose cases our office fully drafted […]

Dear Berardi Immigration Law: Five years ago I exercised poor judgment and was an accomplice to an act of arson. I was assigned a few months of probation but never any jail time. This is the only crime I have ever committed. I would now like to enter the U.S. to visit some friends but […]

Dear Berardi Immigration Law: Over 25 years ago, when I was only 16 years old, I made a stupid decision and stole some items from a local department store. I was convicted as a minor for the offense of Theft Under $200. I have not committed any crimes since. I would now like to enter […]

Last week, Berardi Immigration Law accompanied seven clients to the border to present their cases before Customs & Border Protection (CBP) at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, N.Y. Once again, we were successful in having all of our clients’ petitions approved. Renewal of L-1A (1) and L-1B Status (2) Among our many cases, we assisted […]

An adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, commonly referred to as an ACD, is a sentence typically offered to a defendant when the crime charged is a misdemeanor and the defendant has no prior record. In sum, the case is put on hold for a specified amount of time (generally six months) and if the defendant […]

A construction proposal that would dramatically reshape the Peace Bridge was approved by the federal government this past week. The project’s main focus will be to improve the way vehicles get on and off the Peace Bridge. The project will cost an estimated $35 million with the creation of new entrance and exit ramps, and […]

Attorneys from Berardi Immigration Law have been very busy at the Peace Bridge these last few weeks, handling a wide variety of border-crossing activities. Here’s an update on a handful of successfully completed cases. Last week, Jennifer Behm, our associate attorney, met with three clients to present their NAFTA applications. • TN for a Computer Systems […]

As reported last month, the Supreme Court has struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA is no longer an impediment in recognizing same-sex couples under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), so long as the marriage is valid under the laws of the state where it was celebrated.  While other immigration agencies, like […]

Niagara Region’s Mid-Year NEXUS Traffic Report According to mid-year border traffic data compiled between January and June 2013, overall NEXUS trips in the Niagara region have risen by 11% from last year’s first-half mark of 675,000 to 750,000 total crossings. NEXUS usage at the Peace Bridge between Buffalo and Ft. Erie grew to over 360,000 […]