IMMIGRATION UPDATE -July 19, 2019
HEADLINES: ICE Moving Forward With Arrests of Thousands of Immigrants and Family Members – ICE plans to move forward with operations to arrest and quickly deport thousands of immigrants and their family members who are in the United States without authorization. House Passes Bill to Eliminate Per-Country Cap on Employment-Based Immigrants – The U.S. House […]
Immigration Update – July 7, 2019
Headlines: Sen. Paul Blocks Bill to Eliminate Per-Country Cap on Employment-Based Green Cards – The “Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019” (S. 386), a bill that would eliminate the 7 percent per-country cap (numerical limitation) on employment-based immigrants, among other things, was blocked in the Senate by Rand Paul (R-Ky.). OMB Concludes Review of […]
Immigration Update – July 1, 2019
Headlines: USCIS Expands ‘FIRST’ Digital FOIA System – USCIS said FIRST is the only system in the U.S. government that allows users to submit and track FOIA requests and receive documents digitally. USCIS Extends Parole and Work Authorization for Certain CNMI Residents – USCIS will automatically extend parole, and employment authorization if applicable, for certain […]
Immigration Update – June 7, 2019
Headlines: State Dept. Notes Continued Heavy Demand, Retrogressions (Visa Unavailability) in Several Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Categories – The Visa Bulletin for June 2019 notes heavy demand in several employment-based visa categories for India and Vietnam. USCIS Requests Info on EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Experience – USCIS wants information from attorneys, accredited representatives, regional center owners, […]
Immigration Update – May 28, 2019
Headlines: Regulatory Agenda Includes Stripping Employment Eligibility From H-4 Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders, Other Actions – The agenda also includes a proposal to revise the definition of “specialty occupation” to “increase focus on obtaining the best and the brightest” foreign nationals via the H-1B program, revise the definition of “employment” and “employer-employee relationship” to […]
Immigration Update – May 20, 2019
Headlines: Trump Proposes Merit-Based Immigration Plan – President Donald Trump proposed an immigration plan on May 16, 2019, that shifts the emphasis to a merit-based system to admit highly educated, high-skilled immigrants. USCIS Completes Data Entry for FY 2020 H-1B Cap-Subject (Lottery) Petitions – USCIS announced that it has completed data entry for all FY […]
Immigration Update – May 12, 2019
Headlines: USCIS Clarifies Period of Authorized Stay for P-1S Essential Support Personnel of Individual Athletes – USCIS emphasizes that the periods of initial authorized stay are different for individual athletes (P-1A visa) and their essential support personnel (P-1S visa). DHS Increases H-2B Cap for FY 2019 by 30,000 Additional Visas – The purpose of the […]
Immigration Update – May 8, 2019
Headlines: SSA Resumes Issuing No-Match Letters – The Social Security Administration has resumed mailing notifications to employers identified as having at least one name and Social Security Number combination submitted on the wage and tax statement (Form W-2) that do not match SSA’s records. A no-match letter is not necessarily an indication that a person […]
Immigration Update – April 24, 2019
Headlines: Visa Bulletin Shows Slight Forward Progress in Some Backlogged Preference Categories – Regarding EB-1 for China and India, the bulletin notes a continued “extremely high rate of demand” that may require temporary retrogression until October. New USCIS Policy Guidance Clarifies Marijuana-Related Activities Bar on Naturalization – Certain marijuana-related activities generally bar naturalization even if […]
April 2019 Global Immigration Update
Feature Article DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICIES AND PRACTICES: AN OVERVIEW – This article provides an overview of document retention policies and practices in Canada and Italy. Country Updates COLOMBIA – This article summarizes several developments in Colombia: All visa procedures must now be completed online; the Migrant Mercosur visa for Chilean nationals has been suspended due […]
Mid-April 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: USCIS Reaches FY 2020 H-1B Regular Cap – USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap for fiscal year 2020. New Study Shows Companies Pay Billions in Job Training, Scholarships for U.S. Students Through H-1B Fees – The study by the National Foundation for American Policy […]
April 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: USCIS Announces FY 2020 H-1B Cap Season Start, Updates, and Changes – USCIS announced the start of the FY 2020 H-1B cap season, start dates for premium processing of cap-subject H-1B petitions, and the launch of its new H-1B data hub, while reminding petitioners of its new H-1B cap selection process. DOL Issues Bulletin […]
Mid-March 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: Trump Administration Plans to Close USCIS International Operations – USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna told senior staff that the agency’s International Operations Division, which operates in more than 20 countries, will be closed down. The duties of those offices will be transferred to U.S. embassies and consulates and to domestic U.S. offices. USCIS Resumes […]
March 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: Trump Administration Moves Ahead on Reversing H-4 EADs – On February 20, 2019, the Trump administration sent a proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review that would halt work authorization for H-4 spouses of H-1B visa holders in the United States. Premium Processing Resumes for H-1B Petitions Filed by […]
Mid-February 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: USCIS Clarifies Advance Parole Policy When Renewal Application Is Pending – The USCIS Ombudsman reported that the agency has resolved a discrepancy in the application of policy concerning persons with advance parole who recently filed renewal applications and then left the United States. USCIS To Issue New Version of Form I-539 and New I-539A, […]
February 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: DHS Prioritizes U.S. Advanced Degrees in H-1B Final Rule; Electronic Registration Requirement Postponed – DHS has published a final rule amending regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. The final rule reverses the order by which USCIS selects H-1B petitions under the H-1B regular cap […]
Mid-January 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: Begin Work on H-1B Petitions Now, the Firm’s Attorneys Urge; H-1B Tips for Employers – Employers should assess their need for H-1B employees and begin working on their H-1B petitions now. Filing season is expected to open April 1, 2019, for FY 2020 cap-subject H-1B visas. DOL’s iCERT System Crashed on January 1, Preventing […]
January 2019 Immigration Update
Headlines: January Visa Bulletin Shows Significant Progress in EB-1, EB-3, and Other Workers India – The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for January 2019 shows significant progress in the EB-1 category for all chargeability areas, as well as in the EB-3 and Other Workers India categories. Other priority dates remain Current or backlogged with little […]
Mid-December 2018 Immigration Update
Headlines: ICE Arrests 163 in Recent Enforcement Actions in New Jersey, New England – In several recent enforcement actions, ICE arrested 163 people in New Jersey and the New England region of the United States. Justice Dept. Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Mrs. Fields’ Cookies – Under the settlement, Mrs. Fields will pay $26,400 in […]
December 2018 Immigration Update
Headlines: DHS to Propose ‘Merit-Based’ Rule for H-1B Visa Program – The proposed rule, to be published on December 3, 2018, is intended to increase the number of beneficiaries with master’s or higher degrees from U.S. institutions of higher education to be selected for H-1B cap numbers and to introduce “a more meritorious selection of […]
