Insight, News, and Strategy on Immigration Matters Around the World
USCIS has announced the temporary suspension of the Premium Processing service for all H-1B cases filed on or after April 3, 2017. This suspension applies to all H-1B cases filed – including those filed under the FY2018 regular H-1B cap, Master’s cap exemption, H-1B transfer cases, H-1B extensions, and cap-exempt H-1B filings.
The government, not…
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a man born outside the U.S., out of wedlock, to a U.S. citizen father and a noncitizen mother could benefit from birthright citizenship. A decision in this case can mean protection from deportation for many. Lynch v. Morales-Santana, 804 F.3d 520 (2d Cir. 2015), cert. granted…
Employers can request that USCIS predetermine that they meet the requirements for certain nonimmigrant and immigrant employment-based visa categories under a new pilot program announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 3, 2016.
The agency’s stated purpose of this program is to streamline the visa process by reducing costs, paperwork, and delays…
The H-1B visa category is the most popular nonimmigrant work visa category in the U.S. under which employers sponsor skilled, professional workers for employment. This is largely because it allows foreign graduates in the U.S. for university undergraduate and graduate education to work in the U.S. after graduation. H-1B regulations stipulate that to qualify for…
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, will hear arguments on July 10 as to whether a preliminary injunction on the implementation of President Barack Obama’s Executive Action policies affecting certain foreign nationals should be overturned.
“Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents…
On May 4, 2015, USCIS announced that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2016 H-1B cap-subject petitions. USCIS had previously announced on April 13, 2015 that it had received 233,000 petitions submitted by petitioners seeking H-1B employment status for employees to commence employment on October 1, 2015. That number represented an increase…
Texas Governor Rick Perry started December by issuing an Executive Order requiring E-Verify participation by all Texas state agencies and for all businesses contracting with the State of Texas: http://governor.state.tx.us/files/press-office/EO-RP-80_E-Verify_IMAGE_12-03-14.pdf
Citing with approval advancements made with the E-Verify system and Texas and other states’ successes with the federal database, the Order requires all state agencies…
Given the employer’s status as a “Second Offender,” the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) ordered that a penalty of $329,895, assessed by ICE agents involved in investigating the company’s I-9 practices, be upheld. In USA v. Durable, Inc., presiding Judge Helen K. Thomas recognized that the employer had incurred 300 I-9…
“If House Republicans are really concerned about me taking too many executive actions, the best solution to that is passing bills,” said President Barack Obama on June 30, 2014. “Pass a bill. Solve a problem. Don’t just say no on something that everybody agrees needs to be done.”
These statements come a week after House…
As furloughed workers returned to their government posts on October 17, following the end of the government shutdown, access to the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify database also resumed. Although users were reporting slower-than-usual performance, all features and services are operational and available to registered users. The E-Verify home page offers guidance for working through…
