February 2014 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. USCIS Expands Site Visits To Review of L-1 Petitions – The agency is reviewing extensions of L-1 petitions and L-1 job duties and salaries to determine whether they are consistent with the L-1’s classification. 2. H-1B Alert: Filing Starts April 1 for Next Fiscal Year – This past fiscal year, H-1B numbers were exhausted within […]
January 2014 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. DHS OIG Report on EB-5 Regional Center Program Stirs Controversy – The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General has released a controversial new report on the EB-5 regional center program that includes four recommendations. 2. OSC Reiterates That Employers May Not Institute a Hiring Preference for U.S. Citizens Unless Required To […]
December 2013 Immigration Update
1. USCIS Announces E-Verify Anti-SSN Fraud Effort РUSCIS has announced an E-Verify effort to combat identity fraud by identifying and deterring fraudulent use of Social Security Numbers for employment eligibility verification. 2. Temporary Accommodation for Form I-129 H-2A Petitions Has Expired – The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has stopped sending Adobe PDF copies of approved […]
November 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. Federal Government Reopens; OFLC, USCIS Announce Temporary Accommodation for I-129 H-2A Petitions – The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification and USCIS announced temporary accommodation for I-129 H-2A petitions. 2. EOIR Updates Guidance on Immigration Court Filings After Government Shutdown, Changes Zip Code – EOIR issued details about immigration court filings in […]
October 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. Effects of Government Shutdown on Immigration Services Summarized – E-Verify is unavailable, among other effects of the federal government shutdown. 2. Diversity Visa Registration for 2015 Program Begins; Nigeria No Longer Eligible – Online registration for the DV-2015 Program began on Tuesday, October 1, 2013, at 12 noon EDT (GMT-4), and will conclude […]
September 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. DHS Inspector General Releases Report on Implementation of L-1 Visa Regulations – Among other things, the report says that more communication between the Departments of Homeland Security and State would improve the processing of blanket L-1 petitions. 2. Special Immigrant Visa Program for Iraqis Set To Expire – Individuals applying under this program, including family […]
August 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: DHS Issues FAQ on Supreme Court’s DOMA Ruling – Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said she has “directed [USCIS] to review immigration visa petitions filed on behalf of a same-sex spouse in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse.” DOL Labor Certification Registry Goes Live – The registry […]
July 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. Senate Passes Comprehensive Immigration Reform; House Passage Uncertain – On June 27, 2013, the full Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform legislation, 68-32. 2. Supreme Court’s DOMA Ruling Opens Door to Immigration Benefits for Same-Sex Spouses – About 30,000 same-sex binational couples may now be eligible for immigration benefits, thanks to the Supreme Court’s striking down the […]
June 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. Senate Committee Approves Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill – On May 21, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an amended S. 744, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013,” by a bipartisan vote of 13-5. The bill now goes to the Senate floor. 2. Signaling Flexibility Within Limits, USCIS Releases […]
SENATE COMMITTEE BEGINS MARKUP OF COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL
On May 9 and 14, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Committee began marking up S. 744, the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013," which is comprehensive immigration reform legislation developed by the "Gang of Eight" bipartisan group of senators and introduced on April 17. The Gang of Eight includes Sens. Marco Rubio […]
May 2013 Immigration Update
HEADLINES 1. DOL, DHS Publish Interim Final Rule on H-2B Prevailing Wage Methodology; DOL, USCIS Resume Processing – The rule revises the prevailing wage methodology used by the DOL to calculate certain prevailing wages paid to H-2B workers and U.S. workers recruited in connection with an H-2B Application for Temporary Employment Certification. 2. CBP Rolling Out […]
April 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines 1. H-1B Filing for FY 2014 Starts April 1; USCIS Will Begin Premium Processing for H-1B Cap Cases on April 15 – Companies should file H-1B petitions now, and evaluate their anticipated hiring needs for H-1B professionals for the 12-month period beginning on October 1, 2013. USCIS will begin premium processing for H-1B cap […]
March 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. USCIS Posts EB-5 Memorandum for Public Comment – USCIS posted an updated memorandum on the EB-5 program, and is soliciting public comment. 2. H-1B Filing Starts April 1 – Companies should prepare to file H-1B petitions, and evaluate their anticipated hiring needs for H-1B professionals for the 12-month period beginning on October 1, 2013. 3. […]
February 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1.President Obama Speaks on Immigration Reform, Senators Announce Bipartisan Agreement – President Obama spoke on his immigration reform proposal one day after a bipartisan group of senators also proposed principles for comprehensive immigration reform. 2.USCIS Updates FAQ on DACA, Releases Latest Statistics – USCIS has posted new information on the definition of DACA, accrual of […]
January 2013 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. USCIS To Implement New Immigrant Visa Fee February 1 – USCIS will begin collecting a new fee of $165 from foreign nationals seeking permanent residence in the United States. 2. USCIS Launches New E-Verify Employers Search Tool – The new online tool allows the user to find employers and federal contractors currently enrolled in E-Verify. […]
December 2012 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. House Passes STEM Bill; ‘Achieve Act’ Introduced in Senate, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Reacts; Obama, Dems Advocate Comprehensive Immigration Reform – The STEM bill would allocate visas to STEM graduates without increasing overall immigration, by eliminating the diversity visa program. Neither the STEM bill nor the Achieve Act are likely to survive in the […]
November 2012 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. E-Verify Mandated in Four States in 2013 – Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee have all passed mandatory work authorization verification laws, the final provisions of which take effect in 2013. 2. EB-2 Priority Dates Become ‘Current’ in November, Except for China and India – For China in November, the EB-2 priority date cut-off […]
CYRUS D. MEHTA NAMED BEST LAWYERS 2013 NEW YORK CITY IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR
Best Lawyers, one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession, has designated Cyrus D. Mehta as the Best LawyersХ 2013 New York City Immigration Lawyer ТLawyer of the Year.У Best Lawyers began designating ТLawyers of the YearУ in the US in high profile practice areas since 2009. Only a single lawyer in […]
October 2012 Immigration Update
HEADLINES: 1. Details Released on DV-2014 Lottery Program; DV-2013 Entrants Should Keep Confirmation Numbers – Online registration for the DV-2014 Program begins on October 2, 2012, at noon EDT, and concludes on November 3, 2012, at noon EDT. The Department of State also said it may select more DV-2013 entries on October 1, 2012, so DV-2013 […]
September 2012 Immigration Update
Headlines: 1. USCIS Submits Emergency Requests to OMB for Deferred Action-Related Forms; ICE Agents File Lawsuit – USCIS has submitted information collection requests to the OMB for “emergency” consideration related to the new deferred action program. 2. USCIS Allows 30 Additional Days for Public Comment on Revised I-9 – USCIS received over 6,200 comments in response […]
