U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been flexible about how to complete Form I-9 employment verification due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing companies working remotely to inspect documents virtually (e.g.,...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may resume implementation of the new Public Charge Rule, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has ruled.
The factors that are considered under the new Public Charge...more
In April and June, numerous Presidential Proclamations suspended entry of thousands of legal immigrants and nonimmigrants least until December 31, 2020, using the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason. This is despite the fact that...more
9/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
H-2B ,
Immigration ,
J-1 Visas ,
L-1 Visas ,
Popular ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
ICE has announced it is extending the remote virtual verification option for completion of I-9 employment verification an additional 30 days, until September 19, 2020, due to continued precautions related to the COVID-19...more
Employers need to ready themselves for investigations from the Department of Labor (DOL) into the use of H-1B visas.
Without Congressional oversight or legislative changes, the Trump Administration has changed the policies...more
USCIS confirmed that its planned furlough of 70% of its workforce (13,400 employees) will be postponed at least until the end of August. The ostensible reason for the furlough was a budget shortfall, even though USCIS is a...more
In a surprise announcement, District Judge Allison D. Burroughs, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, announced a reversal of the government decision that was announced just last week regarding students in...more
Foreign nationals with approved permanent residence applications but no actual permanent resident card (known as Green Cards) are not the only ones dealing with the printing back-up at USCIS. After deciding to bring the...more
The Department of Homeland Security’s COVID-19 flexibility regarding the physical presence requirements for I-9 inspection ends on July 19, 2020, for companies that are still operating 100-percent remotely. Unless further...more
The day before his previous Proclamation on immigrant visa was to expire, President Donald Trump signed the “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus...more
6/24/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
H-2B ,
J-1 Visas ,
L-1 Visas ,
PERM ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas ,
Work Visas
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) once again is extending its flexibility regarding the physical presence requirements for I-9 inspection for another 30 days until July 19, 2020, due to the ongoing precautions related...more
To support the Trump Administration’s COVID-19 reopening policies, Chad F. Wolf, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, signed an order exempting some foreign professional athletes (and their staff and dependents) who...more
As businesses begin to reopen after shutdowns to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers should anticipate heightened scrutiny by USCIS, ICE, and the Departments of Labor and Justice regarding wage and hour...more
The persistent problem of undocumented workers presenting plausible (but ultimately fraudulent) employment verification documents to employers has taken a new twist in the COVID-19 pandemic: a rise in imposter claims for...more
A temporary suspension of entry by certain employment-based, family-based, and other immigrants has been enacted. President Donald Trump signed the “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S....more
On the same day that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recapitulated its usual policies and procedures for dealing with delays in processing extensions and changes of status due to COVID-19, 100 Democrats in the House...more
E-Verify has modified its policies temporarily due to COVID-19 as follows:
•Employers must still create cases in E-Verify within three business days from the date of hire.
•Employers should use the hire date from the...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that, because of the National Emergency due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, employers may temporarily inspect Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification,...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced flexibility regarding Employment Verification (Form I-9) regulations due to COVID-19.
Recognizing that companies and organizations are having to temporarily shift to a...more