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I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

300 points proberts | 5 comments | 14 Mar 25 14:39 UTC | HN request time: 0.688s | source

I'll be here for the next 6 hours. As usual, there are countless possible topics and I'll be guided by whatever you're concerned with but as much as possible I'd like to focus on the recent changes and potential changes in U.S. immigration law, policy, and practice. Please remember that I am limited in providing legal advice on specific cases for obvious liability reasons because I won't have access to all the facts. Please stick to a factual discussion in your questions and comments and I'll try to do the same in my responses. Thank you!
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fuzztail ◴[14 Mar 25 14:56 UTC] No.43363226[source]▶
I've seen recent examples of the government targeting green card holders for their speech. As a naturalized citizen who wants to exercise my free speech rights, how concerned should I be about potentially having my citizenship challenged on technical grounds? Are there realistic scenarios where this could happen despite First Amendment protections?
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mc32[dead post] ◴[14 Mar 25 15:06 UTC] No.43363333[source]▶
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darksaints ◴[14 Mar 25 15:11 UTC] No.43363411[source]▶
Green card holders have a right to free speech.
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sigzero ◴[14 Mar 25 18:05 UTC] No.43365360[source]▶
Green cards come with rules to keep. If you break those rules you can and probably will lose your green card and be deported.
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hn_throwaway_99 ◴[14 Mar 25 19:03 UTC] No.43366040[source]▶
"Green cards come with rules to keep."

The whole issue is that the current administration has determined that they are the sole arbiter of those "rules", and they can detain and attempt to deport green card holders without any due process.

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kevin_thibedeau ◴[14 Mar 25 19:13 UTC] No.43366141[source]▶
Promoting a declared terrorist organization isn't a gray area. Nor is abusing schedule 1 drugs but the felon seems to want his African buddy to slide on that one.
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darksaints ◴[14 Mar 25 19:27 UTC] No.43366279[source]▶
Promoting a terrorist organization is legal and well within the boundaries of free speech. It's just not cool, not a good look, and should be shamed into submission.

Providing material support to a terrorist organization is where it crosses into criminal territory.

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blindriver ◴[15 Mar 25 00:36 UTC] No.43368825[source]▶
You need to educate yourself. This is 100% incorrect. It might be legal for a citizen but not a permanent resident. Endorsing terrorism is a question asked on every Green Card and naturalization application, and will get your deported. Until you are a citizen you will lose your green card for endorsing terrorism.
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1. aprilthird2021 ◴[15 Mar 25 05:37 UTC] No.43370258[source]▶
So if a green card holder said "I can see why people support Hamas" should he be expelled? When does just talking about a situation turn into "endorsement" or "support"?
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2. trollbridge ◴[15 Mar 25 13:46 UTC] No.43372499[source]▶
That’s part of the problem here. The federal government can decide by fiat that you did a bad thing before you applied for a green card and then deport you based on that.

They can also say you did a bad thing after and revoke your green card, although it’s a bit more paperwork to do so and requires a higher up to sign off on it (in this recent case, the Secretary of State himself).

I’m not aware of any country that provides blanket free speech for noncitizens.

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3. blindriver ◴[15 Mar 25 17:06 UTC] No.43373775[source]▶
Yes, it's enough to get lawyers involved if you're stupid enough to get caught for talking about terrorism like that when you're on your green card.
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4. aprilthird2021 ◴[15 Mar 25 22:56 UTC] No.43375697[source]▶
That's ridiculous, imo. If we don't understand geopolitics and can't talk about it, what hope do we have of being good at it?
5. aprilthird2021 ◴[15 Mar 25 23:50 UTC] No.43375967[source]▶
We used to be a unique country when it came to free speech. No reason why it shouldn't be provided to noncitizens too, imo. We let our enemies pump news and media into our country because we believe the people actually run the country.