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As several cities are allowing businesses to resume their operations to pre-pandemic levels, many employees are being called back to on-site work. Thankfully, schools have been welcoming children for in-person learning for several months now, and parents are hoping to send them to summer camps. Approximately 26 million American children attend summer camps in a…

After a three-year investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), two hand-carved lintels from ancient temples in Thailand were returned to the Thai government during a joyous ceremony including dancers and prayers at the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. With a workforce of…

By tweet, the Department of Homeland Security announced an extension of the travel restrictions at the Northern and Southern land and sea borders until June 21, 2021.  These borders have been closed to “non-essential” travel since March 2020 due to COVID-19.  According to the restrictions:

  • Individuals are not admitted for tourism, sightseeing, recreation, gambling, attending

…

Customs and Border Protection has announced that travel restrictions on the Northern and Southern borders will be extended until May 21, 2021.

For close to 400 days, admission at the land ports of entry has been limited to “essential” travel. Essential travel generally includes individuals entering for work, but it does not include any sort…

One of industries perhaps hardest hit by the coronavirus, the travel industry, received welcomed news late last week in the form of CDC guidance stating that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can resume domestic travel and do not need to get tested for COVID-19 before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel. Our full publication…

The restrictions on the issuance of H-1B, L-1, and J-1 nonimmigrant “guest-worker” visas, which have been in place since June 24, 2020, expired without fanfare on March 31, 2021. As a result, U.S. consulates around the world will resume issuing H-1B, L-1, and J-1 visas without the need for an additional national interest exception…

When President Joe Biden revoked the immigrant visa ban, but not the nonimmigrant visa ban or 14-day travel restrictions, it seemed there might be problems ahead. New restrictions on National Interest Exceptions (NIEs) to the 14-day travel restrictions for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Schengen Area have been issued, and many individuals currently in…

President Joe Biden has revoked the immigrant visa ban because he believes it did not advance the interests of the United States, but instead harmed United States industries, families, and diversity immigrant visa lottery winners.

The ban was put in place by former President Donald Trump in April 2020 on the stated ground that…

In a surprising and welcome development to U.S. employers, USCIS today announced that employers filing E-3 visa petitions on behalf of Australian nationals will have the option of requesting premium processing when requesting a change or extension of status to E-3.

The E-3 visa for Australian professionals became law in 2005. Currently a maximum…

The United States-Canada border is not only the world’s longest international border, but it includes some of the busiest commercial crossings in North America. New travel restrictions have been implemented as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Non-Essential Travel Ban

The land border has been closed to “non-essential” travel since March 2020 due to COVID-19. Restrictions include:…