Ahead of Canada’s new law legalizing restricted recreational use of cannabis (marijuana), U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Stephanie Malin stated: Although medical and recreational marijuana may be legal in some U.S. states and Canada, the sale, possession, production and distribution of marijuana or the facilitation of the aforementioned remain illegal under U.S. federal law. … Continue Reading
The DHS is getting closer to changing and hardening the standard for determining who is or might become a “public charge” for immigration purposes. The agency “pre-released” a new rule, “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds,” that it plans to officially publish in the Federal Register soon in order to start the 60-day Notice and Comment … Continue Reading
USCIS has announced that the 2020 Diversity Lottery will open for registration at noon EST on October 3, 2018 and run until noon EST on November 6, 2018. Fifty thousand green cards will be available. Eligibility requirements are set out in the Federal Register. This year, individuals from the following countries are not eligible: Bangladesh, … Continue Reading
There is currently a debate in Canada regarding the pros and cons of the bilateral Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA). When the number of individuals leaving the U.S. to seek asylum in Canada increased in September 2017, questions about the agreement’s sustainability arose. STCA was established in 2004 between the U.S. and Canada proving that … Continue Reading
The Trump Administration reportedly is considering a new rule that would make it easier for the government to deny visas to individuals on “public charge” grounds. This has drawn the criticism of many New York legislators. The Administration may have been contemplating the move for a while. In January 2017, when the first travel ban … Continue Reading
While the Administration and Congress work to reconcile the needs of DACA recipients with concerns over border security and illegal immigration, Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) have introduced a bill to reform immigration programs for high-skilled workers. If the bill passes, it would go a long way to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in … Continue Reading
The Trump Administration has released a new framework containing components of proposed immigration reform. Not surprisingly, border security is at the top of the list and includes the following components: New $25 billion trust fund for the (southern) border wall system Funds for hiring more enforcement personnel Immigration court reforms Ending the “catch-and-release” policy and establishing an … Continue Reading
Congress reached agreement and voted to end the government shutdown at least until February 8, 2018. In case another impasse occurs, this is how a federal government shutdown would affect immigration. Department of Labor (DOL) The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) will stop processing all applications, and its personnel will not be available to … Continue Reading
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has announced new security measures applicable to all countries in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The VWP allows citizens or nationals of 38 participating countries to enter the U.S. for business visits or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without obtaining a visa stamp in their … Continue Reading
Extreme vetting, strict scrutiny, travel warnings, and the latest travel ban have made travel abroad more worrisome than ever this holiday season. Reminders for individuals who will have to apply for new U.S. visas while abroad in order to return to the United States: Consulates are dealing with new guidance and procedures. This means that … Continue Reading
The latest version of the Trump Administration’s travel ban may take effect pending decisions expected shortly from the Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled. The third iteration of the travel ban (Travel Ban 3.0), implemented in late-September, restricts travel to the U.S. for individuals from Chad, … Continue Reading
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled to allow President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban proclamation to go into effect – at least in part. Ruling on the injunction issued by the District Court in Hawaii that temporarily blocked the enforcement of the new ban, the Ninth Circuit determined that the travel ban could … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation that imposes new travel restrictions on eight countries, “Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry in to the United States by Terrorist or Other Public-Safety Threats.” Five of the eight countries were included in the previous travel ban. The new restrictions were issued on September 24, … Continue Reading
The Trump Administration reportedly may replace the current travel ban with a country-specific set of restrictions. In June, the Supreme Court allowed the government to begin enforcing the 90-day travel ban against individuals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen who had no bona fide relationship to the United States. The 90-day ban will … Continue Reading
The Department of State has quietly revised guidance to Consular Officers on the “30/60 Day Rule” regarding adjustment of status applications. The Rule sets standards for determining whether an alien would be inadmissible for inconsistent conduct. It provides: If an alien engaged in inconsistent conduct within 30 days of an entry, a willful misrepresentation could … Continue Reading
During the chaos that followed the issuance of the travel ban in January and before it was blocked by a court, at least 140 individuals from the seven named countries were denied admission to the U.S. with then-valid visas. In Darweesh v. Trump, No. 17-CV-480 (CBA), Iraqi nationals challenged the first iteration of President Donald … Continue Reading
In a ruling that may help to diminish the fears of some undocumented individuals seeking aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, U.S. District Court Judge Orlando Garcia enjoined some key provisions of Texas’ anti-sanctuary law, S.B. 4. City of El Cenizo v. Texas and Texas v. Travis County, Civil No. SA-17-CV-404-OLG. The law was … Continue Reading
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Russia announced that “[a]s a result of the Russian government’s personnel cap imposed on the U.S. Mission, all nonimmigrant visa (NIV) operations across Russia will be suspended beginning August 23, 2017.” This is the most recent volley in the diplomatic back-and-forth that started with the reports of possible Russian … Continue Reading
Chicago, a sanctuary city, is challenging the Trump Administration’s ability to deny it needed law enforcement funds. The battle between the Administration and sanctuary localities began in April, when a federal judge blocked a part of President Donald Trump’s Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States Executive Order that directed government agencies … Continue Reading
Following the “Buy American, Hire American” Executive Order, issued in April, the Attorney General and the Secretaries of State, Labor, and Homeland Security have made operational changes that emphasize targeted investigations and individual official’s judgment in carrying out the purposes of the E.O. The E.O. directs the agencies to “propose new rules and issue new … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump has announced his support for a reduction in legal immigration to the United States, backing a modified version of the bill first introduced in April by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA). Trump on August 2 said he embraced a new “merit-based” immigration system, which he contends will benefit American … Continue Reading
Could barring evidence in court of undocumented workers’ immigration status actually prevent employers from hiring illegal immigrants? It could, according to one Illinois district court judge. Please read the full post by our colleagues Ellison F. McCoy and O. John Norris, III here.… Continue Reading
In a one-paragraph ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court, disagreeing with the Administration, allowed the District Court’s injunction to stand with regard to relatives. Individuals from the six designated countries with grandparents and other close relatives in the United States will not be subject to the travel ban – for now. The Court, however, put the … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump’s March 6th revised Executive Order directs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence to review information sharing and develop uniform screening and vetting standards and procedures for visas and other immigration benefits. In June, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held this review could … Continue Reading
