Headlines: USCIS Issues Proposed Rule to Raise Fees and Fund Asylum Program With New $600 Employer Petition Fee – The Department of Homeland Security also proposes to fund the asylum program with a controversial new Asylum Program Fee of $600 to be paid by employers. DHS Implements New Processes for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans and […]

  Headlines: Chief Justice Roberts Issues Temporary Stay of ‘Title 42’; Thousands Wait in Mexico – Chief Justice Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a temporary stay of Title 42 to allow the Supreme Court time to consider the issue. DHS Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility Final Rule Effective December 23 – For public […]

Headlines: USCIS Announces ‘Important’ H-2B Supplemental Cap Petition Filing Updates Before Publication of Temporary Final Rule – In response to a federal court order, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Foreign Labor Certification plans to rescind H-2B registration requirements and propose conforming edits throughout its H-2B regulations. In the interim, DOL said it will […]

Headlines: USCIS Says Certain Afghan and Ukrainian Parolees Are Immediately Work Authorized – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is providing employment authorization incident to status normally accorded to refugees and a no-fee initial (and replacement of an initial) employment authorization document to Afghan and Ukrainian parolees, based on recently passed laws. USCIS Announces Expedited Work […]

  Headlines: DHS Releases List of Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Programs, Adds Eswatini – Each country’s designation is valid until November 9, 2023. DHS Continues TPS and Related Documentation for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal – To ensure its continued compliance with several court orders, the Department of Homeland Security […]

  Headlines: Worldwide Visa Operations Recovering Faster Than Expected, State Dept. Announces – The agency expects to reach pre-pandemic processing levels this year. USCIS Extends Certain COVID-19-Related Flexibilities Through January 23, 2023 – Under the flexibilities, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services considers a response received within 60 calendar days after the due date set forth […]

Headlines: Employers Should Continue to Use Current I-9 Form Even After Oct. 31 Expiration, DHS Says; ICE Announces I-9 Flexibility Extension – The Department of Homeland Security will publish a Federal Register notice to announce the new I-9 form when it becomes available. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced an extension until July 31, 2023, […]

Headlines: Fifth Circuit Rules DACA is Illegal, But Remands to Lower Court to Consider Final Rule – The current 594,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients can maintain status while the lower court considers the effect of a DACA final rule issued by the Biden administration. New applications continue to be blocked. Optional Practical […]

Headlines: COVID-Related Restrictions Expected to Ease at Canadian Border – According to unofficial reports, by the end of September, Canada may drop its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for travelers entering Canada from the United States via the Detroit-Windsor border. Canada may also end COVID-19 for airport arrivals and no longer require filling out the ArriveCan app. […]

Headlines: USCIS Announces Push to Use as Many Employment-Based Green Cards as Possible by September 30 – The overall employment-based annual limit for immigrant visas in FY 2022 is approximately twice as high as usual, primarily due to consular closures abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it is “dedicated to […]