NWSLTTR
September 2020
2020 has been a difficult year for many. As we all head into month seven of quarantines and lockdowns, people across the country are feeling the toll that this separation from the world is taking. But there are always two sides to every coin, and while some may see this year as a step backward in how humanity is learning to come together, I see the other side of the coin. I see incredible things happening in the ways that people are finding unity. For me, this pandemic has shown how much people are now coming together to support one another. We’ve seen businesses (from major brands to small nonprofits) step up to the plate and work hard to deliver things like medication and groceries to those who are too weak or compromised to safely leave their homes. We’ve seen socially distanced drive-by celebrations for countless birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings so that people can still have their special days to celebrate achievements and milestones they’ve reached. We’ve seen medical workers put their own lives on the line to serve the sick and help people get back to living their lives to the fullest. There is so much good around us that we can’t possibly let the bad outshine it. When we choose to see unity instead of division, and when we embrace the unifying factors that we all share, it makes everything we do better, not just for ourselves but for everyone. The same is true for immigration too. There’s been a long-standing assumption that immigrants steal American jobs, but in my decades of doing the work that I do, I’ve never once met anyone who was able to support that assertion. That’s because without a doubt, immigration contributes to a stronger economy. The addition to our workforce makes it possible for our country to operate the way it does. Immigrants also help enrich our ideas and our thought processes. Different backgrounds diversify our analysis and logic when it comes to things like the economy, the government, and community values. This country was built upon that diversification, and at the end of the day, it We Can Still Stand Together UnityDoesn’tTakeaBack SeattoHardship
works because no matter what we contribute, every single one of us wants the same thing: a better country and future for those who will be here after us. We all want safety, security, better homes, opportunities, and futures for ourselves and our families. We want everyone, from our grandparents to our future children, to feel safe and secure when they walk down the street. We all want the comfort of knowing that we can live our best lives in this beautiful place. I feel a season of change coming. When hardship occurs, it can be a powerful force for rallying people together so that we learn to see the beauty in the good things we have. They’re all around us, and those good intentions, ideas, and actions aren’t going anywhere because they’re what unite all of us as brothers and sisters in this country. When we stop and think about the American dream and what it embodies and entails, we all have the same vision.
Because we know you value unity, your family, and being together in this amazing country, we want to help you live here to your fullest
and continue striving for all of those things. Call New Frontier today so we can help you, your friends, or your family get there by fixing their status.
–Hillary Walsh
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Gardening, Gold, and Photo Shoots 3 Fun Family Activities for Fall
Meet Elias His Hope Aligns With Yours
Elias Mtanous has worked in immigration law for 12 years, but he just joined the New Frontier team in February 2020 as our office manager. Elias helps us develop systems and establish processes for better workflow, which makes him an integral part of better serving our clients. But when it comes to immigration law, this field is about so much more than workflow for Elias.
It’s fall, which means social media will soon be saturated with pictures of your friends enjoying “classic” fall activities. Photos of leaf peeping, apple picking, and the occasional scarecrow run rampant. But rather than following the herd, you can make your family the trendsetter of unique fall activities! Here are a few outdoor endeavors your family will love. Get gardening. Fall is the time for harvest, but if you want to enjoy flowers in the spring, it’s also a time for planting. The cooler autumn air is easier on plants, but the soil is still warm enough for roots to grow before the ground freezes for winter. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are all spring bulbs that need to be planted in the fall. Do a little research with your family to determine the best time to start planting in your area. Pan for gold. Here’s one that’s really off the beaten path: Take your family on an adventure panning for gold! Start by planning a road trip out to an old ghost town. Many of them have great tourist attractions that include gold panning. You probably won’t get rich, but it will still be a fun story. If you’re not able to make the trip, you can always create a gold panning operation at home! Visit MessForLess.net/ panning-for-gold-activity for a great step-by-step guide on how to go panning for gold in your own backyard. Plan a fall photo shoot. It’s time to freshen up those family pictures hanging around the house. The changing leaves provide a beautiful background for any family portrait. Better yet, the cooler temperatures mean that an outdoor photo shoot won’t be nearly as uncomfortable as it would be in the summer. You can take your pictures by the trees in the front yard or make a daytrip of it. What about pictures at the corn maze or pumpkin patch? It’s never too soon to start planning this year’s holiday card. Spend this fall outdoors and create great new memories with your family! With our help, we’d love to help you visit your family abroad—and you can hand-deliver this beautiful photo to them! Call us today.
“I’m a first-generation U.S. citizen. Both my parents
are from Mexico, which meant that growing up, I witnessed firsthand just how difficult this journey can be,” Elias says. “Watching my mother and my father work so hard to finally gain citizenship is what made me want to work in immigration law. I made that decision when I was 10 years old and never looked back.” Growing up around many immigrants who were like his parents has left a lasting impact on the work Elias brings to New Frontier’s clients. But the impacts he felt from those around him who ultimately weren’t able to achieve citizenship have struck an even louder chord. “People make so many sacrifices to have a better life in this country. I may not have fully understood all the legalities of everything going on in my small border town in Texas when I was young, but both the bright hope and the crushing despair that sometimes follows it are things I recognized without any explanation,” he says. At just 7 years old, Elias was helping his parents read and interpret their legal documents, and by all working together, they achieved their ultimate goals. “I will never forget the look of pure joy on my father’s face when he got his naturalization certificate,” Elias says. “ That was the moment I realized what immigration attorneys do. And now it’s what I strive to do every day.” New Frontier’s staff has decades of combined experience, and we know how to keep up with immigration laws that change every day. If you want something in this process to stay the same, rest assured you’ll find continuity in our dedication to helping our clients. Contact us so Elias and other members of our team can help you.
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What Is Age but a Number? A Dutch Man’s Quest to Change His Legal Age
In an interview with Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, Ratelband said, “When I’m 69, I am limited. If I’m 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work. When I’m on Tinder and it says I’m 69, I don’t get an answer. When I’m 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position.” Interestingly enough, Ratelband’s request wasn’t dismissed outright by the court. The judge found merit in the argument and said that people desire to change things about themselves all the time, adding that maybe age was one of those things we should consider — “maybe” being the operative word. The court ultimately decided that “Ratelband is at liberty to feel 20 years younger than his real age and to act accordingly.” But the judge added that changing his legal documents would have “undesirable legal and societal implications.” The court added “[T]here are a variety of rights and duties related to age, such as the right to vote and the duty to attend school. If Mr. Ratelband’s request was allowed, those age requirements would become meaningless.” Today, Ratelband is 71 and continues his battle to change his age. While he may have lost in his initial quest to legally change his age, according to NPR, he intends to appeal the decision.
In 2018, Dutch native Emile Ratelband was 69 years old. The thing was that the motivational speaker and founder of the Ratelband Research Institute didn’t want to be 69. So, he went to a Dutch court and petitioned for the right to change his legal age. His intention was to change the year of birth on his birth certificate — bumping it up by 20 years. As a result, all records would show him as 49.
Why did Ratelband want to change his age?
He told the court he didn’t feel like a man who was going on 70. He said he felt good — he felt like a man 20 years younger. He even said his doctors agreed and that they’d told him he had the body of someone younger. But there was another major reason Ratelband wanted to change his age. He said doing so would increase his overall happiness and would be helpful on dating apps. He would no longer have to deal with the ageism that came with being 69. Ratelband even went as far as to say he would be willing to delay his pension benefits another 20 years if need be.
Ratelbands, we don’t give up on your quest to fix your status. Call us today to find out how we can get started right away.
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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
550 W. Portland St. Phoenix, AZ 85003 623-742-5400 NEWFRONTIER.US
INSIDE
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Our Diversities Are What Bring Us Together
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3 Fun Family Activities for Fall Spotlight on Elias Mtanous
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Should You Be Able to Change Your Legal Age?
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Client Success Story
Finding a Way We Helped This Couple and Can Help You Too
the country, just as he always had. But after all that time, he suddenly received notice that he was ineligible to adjust his status, and they were blaming it on his multiple entries and exits. For six months they worked on appealing the denial. For six months they tried everything they could to stay together in the U.S. And after six months, they once again denied his appeals. To make matters worse, the USCIS was now giving him just 30 days to make his last case. After that, they would begin deportation proceedings. They sought help from several attorneys but were turned away every time. Then, just two weeks before their deadline, they came to New Frontier. We took the challenge head-on, and in those two weeks, we were ultimately able to prove the hardships his wife would suffer if he were not in the country with her. He qualified for the waiver and received his green card just a few weeks later. When all seems lost, New Frontier finds a way. We help people fix their immigration status unlike any other law firm. If you’ve been told you have no options, call us. We found an option for this couple, and we can find one for you too.
We see it all too often: Immigrants are denied by other firms because deadlines seem impossible, leaving clients to navigate the process themselves and make inevitable mistakes. This was the case for one couple we recently helped.
Our clients were a husband and wife who have been together since 2015. She was a U.S. citizen and he was not, but he owned a passport that allowed him to legally enter and exit the U.S. When they married in 2017, his wife petitioned for him to obtain legal status and he applied for the adjustment. He was attending community college at
the time, with the dream of one day operating his own business. Their love and the marriage that resulted from it was just one more monumental step in making that dream a reality.
Instead, that’s when the trouble started.
His application was pending for almost an entire year, during which time there were no indicators of what the outcome would be. Throughout that year, he continued to exit and enter
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