Border Tent Courts

DHS has erected tent structures in Laredo and Brownsville, Texas, where individuals subjected to the Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the Remain in Mexico Program, will have their cases heard via video teleconference by an immigration… Read More
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It’s Not Just Your Case – USCIS Has Increased Bureaucracy for U.S. Companies Petitioning for Needed Foreign Personnel

Not only has USCIS increased the red tape and bureaucracy for U.S. companies sponsoring foreign workers, but USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli boasts about it! It’s the latest example of administration officials lauding efforts to make it more d… Read More
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USCIS Changes “Foreign National” to “Alien” in Policy Manual

The INA (Immigration and Nationality Act) which was signed into law in 1952, defines “any person not a citizen or national of the United States” as an “alien.” That term, however, is widely viewed as offensive and over the course of the last… Read More
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On-Site Inspections for F-1 STEM OPT Employment

There have been recent reports that ICE has started to conduct on-site inspections for STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment. According to DHS’s Study in the States website, an on-site visit will address how the salary of STEM OPT emplo… Read More
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Visa Bulletin: EB-1 Preference Categories Still Backlogged; DOS Provides Explanation and Projections

Those foreign nationals who have approved employment-based first preference (EB-1) petitions are wondering, why is the category still backlogged when historically the category “re-sets” and becomes current on October 1 with the start of the new U… Read More
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DOS's Interim Final Rule on Public Charge Inadmissibility

On October 11, 2019, DOS issued an interim final rule amending DOS regulations regarding how consular officers will determine whether a nonresident is ineligible for a visa because he or she is likely to become a public charge. Although the DHS final… Read More
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Courts Enjoin DHS Public Charge Rule

The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York enjoined and restrained DHS and USCIS from “enforcing, applying, or treating as effective” the DHS Public Charge Final Rule. The rule was slated to go into effect on October 15, 2019. I… Read More
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Venezuelan Passports Automatically Extended for Five Years Beyond Expiration Date

On June 7, 2019, the National Assembly of Venezuela published a decree automatically extending the validity of Venezuelan passports for an additional five years from their printed date of expiration. While DOS has recognized this extension of passpor… Read More
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Proclamation Requiring Mandatory Insurance for Entering Immigrants

On October 4, 2019, President Trump issued a Proclamation suspending the entry of immigrants who do not have approved health coverage or the ability to pay for foreseeable medical issues within 30 days of entering the United States. This means that o… Read More
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USCIS Formally Proposes H-1B Registration Process

USCIS published a proposed rule that would require petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions to pay a $10 fee for each electronic registration they submit to USCIS for the H-1B cap selection process. Comments were due October 4, 2019. US… Read More
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