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 […]

Headlines 1.         Supreme Court Strikes Down Most Provisions of Arizona’s Immigration Enforcement Law – The Supreme Court struck down most provisions of Arizona’s 2010 immigration-related law, allowing to stand one provision requiring police to verify immigration status in certain circumstances. 2.         Continued Heavy Demand in Employment Second Preference Category Leads to Worldwide Cut-Off Date for July – […]

Headlines: 1.         USCIS Launches Online Immigration System – Individuals can establish a USCIS ELIS account and apply online to extend or change their nonimmigrant status for certain visa types. 2.         USCIS EB-5 Stakeholders Meeting Provides Little New Information – USCIS did not answer stakeholder questions that had been submitted before the meeting. 3.         Senators Urge Mayorkas […]

Headlines 1.         FY 2013 H-1B Petitions Coming In Fast – Over 25,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions have been filed as of April 20, 2012. 2.         India, China EB-2 Category Retrogresses Dramatically – As predicted for May, the India and China EB-2 priority dates have retrogressed dramatically, from May 1, 2010, to August 15, 2007. 3.         DOL Changes Effective […]

Headlines: 1. FY 2013 H-1B Filing Season Rapidly Approaches – Beginning on April 2, 2012 (because April 1 is a Sunday), employers may file cap-subject H-1B petitions for fiscal year (FY) 2013, for employment starting on October 1, 2012, or later. 2. Witnesses Discuss Controversial DHS OIG Report at House Hearing -The report, which indicates that […]

Headlines: 1. DOJ’s Office of Special Counsel Lists Employer Best Practices During Worksite Enforcement Audits – The Department of Justice’s Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices released do’s and don’ts for employers facing ICE audits. 2. USCIS Announces Several Thousand EB-5 Green Cards Issued So Far in First Quarter of FY 2012, Releases […]

Headlines: 1.         H-1B Cap Reached for FY 2012 – Petitions for new employment of an H-1B will not be accepted again until April 1, 2012. 2.         House Votes To End Per-Country Limits on Employment-Based Immigration Visas – The measure could benefit skilled Indian and Chinese workers and high-tech companies in the United States. 3.         Labor Dept. Current […]

Headlines: 1.         H-1B Numbers Dwindling for FY 2012, File Now! – Once the numbers under the cap are gone, the next opportunity to file will be April 1, 2012, for work to begin in FY 2013. 2.         EB-2 India, China EB-2 Visa Numbers Jump; Other Visa News – The November employment-based second preference cut-off date for applicants […]

Headlines 1. DOL Suspends Prevailing Wage Determinations – Processing of prevailing wage determinations (PWDs), redeterminations, and Center Director Reviews have been suspended temporarily; prevailing wage requests filed since early June 2011 are still pending. 2. DHS Publishes Regulation To Facilitate Electronic Filing – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published the first in a series […]

Headlines: ICE To Audit 1,000 Employers Nationwide for I-9 Violations – The new actions bring the FY 2011 I-9 audit total to 2,338, surpassing the FY 2010 record. USCIS Summarizes Stakeholder Engagement on L-1B Interpretation of ‘Specialized Knowledge’ – USCIS released an executive summary on the L-1B nonimmigrant classification with respect to interpretation of the term “specialized […]