DHS Establishes Interim Relief for Widows of U.S. Citizens

The “widow penalty” has resulted in much litigation.  DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano today granted deferred action for two years to widows and widowers of U.S. citizens—as well as their unmarried children under 18 years old—who reside in the United States and who were married for less than two years prior to their spouse’s death.

UPDATE:  On June 14, 60 Minutes is running a story on the “Widow Penalty.”  Here is the summary of the story:  “`FOR BETTER OR WORSE’ – Foreigners who marry Americans are entitled to become permanent residents of the U.S., but in a stricter post-9/11 world, hundreds of widows are being asked to leave the country because their husbands died – even some whose children were born in the U.S. Bob Simon reports. Robert Anderson is the producer.”

KJ