Mid-December 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines: USCIS Is Accepting Applications Under International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) But Plans Proposed Rule to Eliminate IER – USCIS is taking steps to implement the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) in accordance with a recent court decision. USCIS noted that while the agency implements the IER, DHS will also “proceed with issuing a notice of proposed […]

December 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines: Federal Court Vacates Delay of International Entrepreneur Rule – On December 1, 2017, a federal court vacated the Trump administration’s delay of an Obama-era rule that would have allowed certain foreign entrepreneurs to obtain immigration parole. USCIS Designates Adopted Decisions Defining Affected Parties, Function Managers –USCIS has designated two Administrative Appeals Office decisions as […]

Mid-November 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines: DHS Announces Delayed Termination of TPS for Nicaragua, Six-Month Extension for Honduras – Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke is terminating TPS for Nicaragua with a delayed effective date of 12 months, to January 5, 2019. She also determined that additional information is necessary regarding the TPS designation for Honduras before a determination […]

November 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines: Ban on Refugees Expires; Trump Administration Calls for Additional Vetting for 11 Nationalities During 90-Day Review Period – The Trump administration’s 120-day ban on refugee admissions expired on October 24, 2017. On the same day, the Department of State announced that additional in-depth review is needed for refugees of 11 nationalities identified as potentially […]

October 2017 Global Immigration Update

Feature Article VISA OPTIONS FOR INVESTORS: AN OVERVIEW – This article provides an overview of recent developments in several countries with respect to visa options for investors. Country Updates BELGIUM – A new Act implements a European Union directive regarding new rules on assignment. CANADA – The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) […]

Mid-October 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines: Kirstjen Nielsen Nominated as Secretary of Homeland Security – On October 12, 2017, President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen for the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. Lee Cissna Confirmed as Director of USCIS – The U.S. Senate confirmed Lee Francis Cissna as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on […]

October 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines Trump Administration Implements New Travel Restrictions – The Trump administration has announced travel and visa restrictions with respect to the countries of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, subject to “categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers.” Following Mysterious Attacks, United States Suspends Visas for Cubans, Withdraws Most Staff From Havana Embassy, […]

Mid-September 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines: President Orders End of DACA in Six Months, With Mixed Signals About Future for ‘Dreamers’; Two Lawsuits Challenge Program’s Termination –President Trump has ordered the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama administration program that allowed certain people who came to the United States as children to continue to live, go to […]

September 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines DHS Cancelled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) – Trump has rescinded DACA and issued a winding down process. USCIS Denies Pending Advance Parole Applications for H-1B, L Applicants Traveling Outside the United States – Immigration lawyers are advising their H-1B and L clients to avoid traveling internationally while their advance parole applications are […]

Mid-August 2017 Immigration Update

Headlines Labor Dept. Announces Revisions to H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 Forms, Comment Period – Pursuant to a June news release calling for proposed form changes “to better protect American workers, confront fraud, and increase transparency,” the Department of Labor published a notice announcing its intent to revise its information collection for the H-1B, H-1B1 and […]