A group of U.S. colleges and universities, including The New School in New York City and Haverford College in Pennsylvania, have sued the Trump administration this week regarding the issuance of a new regulation affecting the...more
On October 10, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register suggesting changes to the "public charge" rules and how these rules would affect nonimmigrants and immigrants...more
The United States, Mexico and Canada recently reached a trilateral agreement on September 30, 2018 as part of the renegotiation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Known going forward as the United...more
This year's Diversity Lottery Registration Program (DV lottery) becomes available to applicants from eligible countries on October 3, 2018. Entries can only be submitted electronically. ...more
The International Entrepreneur Rule (IE Final Rule) was created to allow international entrepreneurs to temporarily stay in the United States for up to 30 months (potentially renewable for another 30 months) to enable them to...more
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that effective October 1, it will increase the premium processing fee charge for I-129 nonimmigrant worker petitions and I-140 immigrant petitions. Premium...more
On August 28, USCIS announced the temporary suspension of premium processing (expedited processing) for H-1B cap petitions.
This process has permitted a U.S. petitioner to secure fast track processing of H-1B filings for a...more
On Friday, August 3, U.S. District Court Judge John Bates upheld his prior order to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), delivering another blow to Trump administration efforts to end...more
While the Trump administration continually vocalizes its intolerance of illegal immigration, it has been quietly and effectively working to build an "invisible wall" to block legal immigration. One major avenue of legal...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently issued a new policy memorandum, dated June 28, 2018, in which it updated its guidelines for issuing Notices to Appear (NTAs). Due to concerns of the economic impact...more
Clients often ask what specific documents they should carry with them while they are in the United States, whether they find themselves in their hometown or have need for domestic U.S. travel. In addition, highways and roads...more
On July 13, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new guidance memo for its adjudicators indicating that commencing on September 11, 2018, adjudicators may deny any and all applications or petitions...more
Just over a year ago, President Trump signed his "Buy American, Hire American" executive order which has since reshaped American immigration law. As part of this directive, the Department of Justice (DOJ) began an aggressive...more
Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion of Trump v. Hawaii, the case on the third iteration of President Trump’s travel entry ban. This version of the ban was issued as a presidential proclamation in...more
6/29/2018
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Trump v Hawaii
On June 11, 2018, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions overturned an immigration appeals court decision granting asylum to a Salvadoran woman, Ms. A.B., fleeing domestic abuse. This decision rejects nearly two decades of...more
On May 11, 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announcing an increase in their collaboration to "better detect and...more
In December 2017, the White House released a new National Security Strategy aimed at reducing "economic theft by non-traditional intelligence collectors” and protecting American intellectual property by tightening visa...more
A new policy memo governing accrual of unlawful status is poised to impact students staying in the United States with significant immigration consequences if they fail to comply with new, punitive rules.
On May 10, 2018,...more
On May 4, 2018, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it will terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from Honduras. The effective date will be January 20, 2020....more
The H-1B visa category has been modified many times over the past 65 years. H-1B visas facilitate the entry of foreign national professionals, while also providing safeguards that maintain the integrity of the U.S. labor...more
5/14/2018
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Visas
In September 2018, the Canadian government is slated to pass the Cannabis Act which will amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that is currently in effect in Canada. The Act will legalize the possession of cannabis in...more
A Federal District Court Judge recently ordered that DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program protections must stay in place and that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which administers the program,...more
On March 30, 2018, the U.S. Department of State issued a notice of request for public comment in the Federal Register regarding a new rule it intends to apply to all visa applications by foreign nationals for visitor visas,...more
On April 12, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had completed the H-1B cap lottery selection process.
Of significance to note: USCIS received 190,098 petitions this year, which is...more
The frenzy of H-1B preparation and filing has finally ended. H-1B petitions will be reviewed by officers at one of the two United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Centers accepting petitions. USCIS...more