Residency

Former U.S. Immigration Lawyer Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for Exploiting Vulnerable Clients in Fraudulent Residency Scheme

by

New York — A former U.S. immigration lawyer, Kofi Amankwaa, has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison after admitting to defrauding numerous clients through a deceptive scheme that exploited U.S. immigration law, federal authorities said. Amankwaa, 70, who is of Ghanaian descent, was sentenced on Feb. 26, 2025, to 70 months in federal custody for orchestrating a scheme that involved filing bogus claims under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). These forms falsely accused family members of abuse to help clients improperly seek permanent residency status in the United States. U.S. District Judge … Read more

Free Speech Controversy Erupts as Town of Vail Cancels Artist Residency Over Gaza-Themed Artwork

by

Vail, Colorado – The small mountain town of Vail is at the center of a legal battle involving free speech rights after its decision to cancel an artist residency program last summer. The cancellation came after objections to a social media post by Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta artist and muralist Danielle SeeWalker, who was slated to become the town’s 2024 artist in residence. SeeWalker, represented by the ACLU, initiated a lawsuit against the town in October. The lawsuit claims that Vail’s decision to withdraw her residency following her Instagram post, which expressed solidarity with Gaza, infringes on … Read more

Residency Dispute Sparks Legal Battle Over MN House Seat: Elect Faces Allegations of Not Living in District

by

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — A legal dispute has emerged surrounding the residency of a newly elected Minnesota legislator, potentially impacting the power balance in the state House of Representatives. The controversy centers on DFL Rep.-Elect Curtis Johnson of District 40B, who is accused by his Republican competitor of not residing within the district he represents, as mandated by Minnesota law. Paul Wikstrom, his Republican opponent in the recent elections where Johnson secured his seat by a significant margin, has initiated a lawsuit over this issue. At the heart of the dispute is Johnson’s living situation. He … Read more

Revisiting Kamala Harris’s Approach to Sex Offender Residency Laws Amid Misleading Claims in Super PAC Ad

by

In a striking example of political advertising’s power to mislead, a recent TV ad by a pro-Donald Trump super PAC portrays former California Attorney General Kamala Harris as lax in enforcing laws to keep sex offenders away from schools and parks. This ad, part of a $19 million campaign broadcast thousands of times across at least five swing states, distorts Harris’s actual record on the enforcement of California’s stringent sex offender residency law. The ad stems from complex legal and constitutional challenges to the California law known as Jessica’s Law. Approved by roughly 70% of … Read more