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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is experiencing delays in issuing receipt notices for some applications and petitions filed at USCIS lockboxes that are located in Chicago, Illinois, Phoenix, Arizona, and Lewisville, Texas. This announcement does not come as a surprise to most filers, since delays have been experienced for some time…

USCIS has released its final rule on the modification of the H-1B cap selection process (“Modification Rule”) to prioritize petitions with the highest wage levels in the Federal Register.

Unless the Biden administration decides to delay or freeze the new rule, the rule will become effective on March 9, 2021 (60 days from publication),…

The USCIS filing fee increases that were proposed last summer will not be implemented.

In August 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a new filing fee rule in the Federal Register that raised USCIS filing fees by a weighted average of 20%. Some popular business-related petitions were slated for larger increases, from…

On January 4, 2021, DHS announced that for I-9 purposes, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients may present an unexpired Employment Authorization Document (EAD) with Code C33 issued on or after July 28, 2020, along with an I-797 Extension Notice that shows an additional one-year extension. This new procedure is in response to…

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued an alert on delays in processing receipt notices due to the surges in petition filings at lockbox facilities because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the agency’s “flexibility” in response.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many foreign nationals continue to be stuck and unable to leave the United…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have allowed some flexibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some of the changes in effect:

  • Virtual Inspection

Since March 2020, employers may inspect Section 2 documents virtually, e.g., over video link, by fax, or by email. This policy applies only…

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudan has been extended again until May 2, 2022. The instructions for beneficiaries have been published in the Federal Register. Through January 4, 2021, TPS beneficiaries who have not already done so should re-register and apply to renew their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). Those with EADs that expired…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a further extension of status and work authorization until October 4, 2021, for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan on December 9, 2020.

TPS allows individuals to remain in the U.S. because of disease, natural disaster, or conflict in…

On December 2, 2020, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld preliminary injunctions blocking USCIS from enforcing the “new” Public Charge Rule in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

The Court found the rule was inconsistent with any reasonable interpretation of the statute which requires long-term dependence on government support, not temporary resort to…

Along with extending its flexibility in allowing virtual Form I-9 employment verification until December 31, 2020, USCIS is also continuing its flexibility with regard to long-pending Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications. USCIS expected that this interim solution would only be necessary through December 1, 2020, but the delays in producing EAD cards have continued.

As…