With the Yom Tov travel season approaching and thousands of families preparing to fly, immigration askanim are issuing an urgent warning to the community to make sure their immigration status and documentation are fully in order before heading to the airport.

Askanim directly involved in assisting heimishe families with immigration matters tell YWN that they have dealt with more than 70 cases involving members of the community in just the past month, including individuals who were detained by immigration authorities.

Of particular concern, askanim say, are cases that surfaced when people arrived at airports to travel, including individuals taking domestic flights from one U.S. city to another.

Askanim are warning travelers not to assume that an immigration issue cannot surface simply because they are flying within the United States.

Anyone who has overstayed a visa or ESTA admission, has an extension or change-of-status application pending, has questions about their current immigration status, or has discrepancies in their immigration documents is being urged to have the matter reviewed by a qualified immigration attorney before traveling.

Askanim are also cautioning against the misconception that having a pending immigration application or USCIS receipt automatically means a person has lawful immigration status or is protected from enforcement. Every immigration case is different and depends on the individual circumstances.

Another issue that has surfaced in recent cases, according to askanim, involves non-U.S. citizens who mistakenly registered to vote or voted in a U.S. election.

Askanim familiar with the cases say immigration problems connected to voting have affected both green card holders and visa holders, including cases in which individuals were arrested at airports.

For noncitizens, voter registration or voting can carry serious immigration consequences. However, the legal impact can vary depending on exactly what occurred, including whether someone registered, actually voted, how the registration took place, and other circumstances.

Anyone who is not a U.S. citizen and believes they may have mistakenly registered to vote or cast a ballot is being urged to speak with a qualified immigration attorney before traveling.

The warning comes ahead of the Yomim Tovim, when many families will be flying to spend Yom Tov with relatives, attend simchos, or travel for other family needs.

Askanim stress that the purpose of the warning is not to create panic, but to prevent an immigration issue that may be manageable beforehand from turning into a far more serious problem at the airport.

Their message ahead of Yom Tov is simple: if there is anything unclear or unresolved regarding your immigration status or documents, have it properly reviewed before traveling.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)