The U.S. Embassy in Havana has expanded visa services to include some temporary non-immigrant visas. Cuban nationals with the following approved petitions will be able to schedule visa interviews at the Embassy:
US Immigration
DOL: Indefinite Delay in FLAG System Update for New H-2A Farmworker Visa Rule
The Department of Labor (DOL) has decided to delay updating its Foreign Labor Application Gateway, or FLAG, case processing system to implement revised H-2A job order and application forms for the new 2024 Farmworkers Protection Final Rule until further notice. For now, H-2A job orders and applications will continue to be received and processed under…
Upcoming E-Verify Account Login Changes
By Amy L. Peck & Michael Bergman on
E-Verify will enhance security for account logins later this year. The system will require multi-factor (or two-step) authentication, meaning that, in addition to a password, users may need to enter a code sent to their email or phone. This can help prevent unauthorized account access in case of a compromised password – particularly due to…
Biden Administration Grants 18-Month Removal Relief for Certain Lebanese
President Joe Biden on July 26, 2024, granted Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for certain Lebanese nationals for 18 months due to the humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon created by the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. To be eligible, the Lebanese national must have been in the United States as of July 26, 2024, and…
Bringing Dogs Into the U.S.? New Regulations Effective Aug. 1
Starting on Aug. 1, 2024, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is simplifying its regulations regarding the entry of dogs into the United States.
CBP still wants to be sure that rabies does not “enter” the United States because the entrance of just one dog with the disease can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for…
H-1B Update: USCIS to Hold Second Round of Selections for FY 2025 H-1B Cap
By Amy L. Peck on
Just as people were starting to lose hope, USCIS announced that it will soon hold a second round of selections for the FY 2025 H-1B cap. USCIS will randomly select additional registrations for unique beneficiaries from the previously submitted registrations.
There will not be a separate selection process for the master’s cap because a sufficient…
DHS Announces Temporary Protected Status Extension, Redesignation of Somalia for 18 Months
The Department of Homeland Security announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia will be extended and redesignated for 18 months from Sept. 18, 2024, to March 17, 2026.
The extension and redesignation respond in part to the continuing armed conflict that exposes those in Somalia to abuse, displacement, food insecurity, and disease. People in Somalia…
Data-Based Research Shows Immigration Benefits to Country
As immigration advocates make the case for more immigration to the United States, they tend to focus on the ways immigrants participate in our consumer economy. When highly skilled immigrants come to the United States on employment-based work visas, they contribute to the economy by buying goods, taking out mortgages, and paying taxes. They also…
DHS Extends Temporary Protected Status for Yemen to Mar. 3, 2026
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen has been extended and redesignated for 18 months from Sept. 4, 2024 until Mar. 3, 2026. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that the extension and re-designation have been granted due to the continuing conflict in Yemen. Yemen is now in the tenth year of…
White House Extends Eligibility for Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians
By Forrest G. Read IV on
Posted in Biden Administration, Congress, DED, EADs, Green Cards, Humanitarian Programs, Permanent Residence, TPS, US Immigration, USCIS
President Joe Biden issued a Memorandum on Extending Eligibility for Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians that defers from June 30, 2024, through June 30, 2026, the removal of any eligible Liberian national who is present in the United States and who has already been entitled to Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and has continuously resided…