Do pleas for mercy help your immigration case? There is no room for discretion, mercy or compassion. Although some immigration benefits allow USCIS officers to exercise discretion, most immigration benefits require strict compliance with statutory requirements. If the petition or application is denied, USCIS is not only denying the case, but also putting the person in deportation/removal proceedings. A case could be denied because of inadvertently failing to include a document, such as a birth certificate or tax return.

Source: Philippine Star March 07, 2026 16:45 UTC