Gridley, California-based natural food company Mary’s Gone Crackers Inc. agreed and consented to payment of $1.5 million and establishment of a corporate compliance program under a non-prosecution agreement reached with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California on July 19, 2016. The agreement requires the company to establish a corporate compliance program
US Immigration
DOL Judge Says Flagging Economy Insufficient Basis to Relieve H-1B Employers of Wage Obligations
Employers employing foreign nationals in H-1B nonimmigrant visa status must pay their H-1B employees the wage specified on the Labor Condition Application (LCA) certified by DOL, regardless of whether the H-1B employer is enduring difficult economic or financial periods due to struggling national economy, an Administrative Law Judge for the Department of Labor has ruled…
State Department May Revoke Visa for DUI Arrest without Determination of Guilt
Individuals who hold nonimmigrant visas in the U.S. are likely to face severe consequences if arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or a related offense, based on the recently released guidance from the U.S. Department of State (DOS).
Earlier this year, DOS made public all unclassified content in Volume 9 of its Foreign Affairs…
Key Updates Provided by Government Agencies at National Law Conference
In late June, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) held its annual immigration law conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference featured a series of open forums where representatives from a number of government agencies met with immigration attorneys to discuss key updates and address specific questions about immigration adjudications, trends and policy.
Below is…
Employers Risk Higher Penalties for Hiring Unauthorized Workers
The U.S. Department of Justice is increasing civil monetary penalties substantially for employers who knowingly employ an unauthorized worker and for certain other immigration-related violations, according to an interim final rule the Department has published. The rule will take effect on August 1, 2016, and will apply to violations occurring after November 2, 2016. The…
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Birthright Citizenship Case
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…
Supreme Court Tie Blocks Expansion of DACA and Creation of DAPA
Disappointing many, the U.S. Supreme Court has tied 4-4 in a case appealing a nationwide injunction on the Obama Administration’s executive action expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and creating the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) programs. United States v. Texas, No. 15-674 (June 23, 2016). …
Beware of Limits on Workers in U.S. on Tourist Visa
Noting media reports that up to 200 foreign workers hired by a Tesla contractor were able to come to the United States in tourist visa status to perform work at a construction project at a Tesla Motors Inc. paint facility in the United States, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter, dated June 7, 2016,…
Colorado Repeals State Employment Verification Requirement
Since January 1, 2007, Colorado employers have been required to verify the work authorization of all newly hired employees – in essence, comply with federal I-9 requirements. However, Colorado added requirements on top of the Form I-9: the completion and retention of a written or electronic version of an entirely separate affirmation form, and retention…
FY 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Cases Updates
For the fourth year in a row, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reached the statutory cap for H-1B cap-subject petitions within the first five business days of April.
For fiscal year (FY) 2017, the cap was reached on April 7, 2016 as USCIS received over 236,000 petitions, setting an all-time record. USCIS completed…