Headlines: 1. Former DHS Secretaries Urge Congress To Act on DACA Now; Administration Begins Accepting DACA Renewal Applications -Former DHS Secretaries Michael Chertoff, Jeh Johnson, and Janet Napolitano sent a letter to Republican and Democratic congressional leaders urging swift passage of legislation to allow the 690,000 “Dreamers” under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program […]
Headlines: 1. ABIL Commentary: Threats, Opportunities for Employers in 2018 -After a tumultuous, difficult year in 2017 with respect to immigration and border issues, attorneys from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (ABIL) shared their thoughts on what employers can expect in 2018. 2. REAL ID Act: New Security Measures Start January 22 -Starting January […]
Headlines: 1. Federal Court Vacates Delay of International Entrepreneur Rule -On December 1, 2017, a federal court vacated the Trump administration’s delay of an Obama-era rule that would have allowed certain foreign entrepreneurs to obtain immigration parole. 2. USCIS Designates Adopted Decisions Defining Affected Parties, Function Managers -USCIS has designated two Administrative Appeals Office decisions […]
Headlines: 1. Ban on Refugees Expires; Trump Administration Calls for Additional Vetting for 11 Nationalities During 90-Day Review Period -The Trump administration’s 120-day ban on refugee admissions expired on October 24, 2017. On the same day, the Department of State announced that additional in-depth review is needed for refugees of 11 nationalities identified as potentially […]
Headlines: 1. Kirstjen Nielsen Nominated as Secretary of Homeland Security -On October 12, 2017, President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen for the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. 2. Lee Cissna Confirmed as Director of USCIS -The U.S. Senate confirmed Lee Francis Cissna as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on […]
Headlines: 1. Trump Administration Implements New Travel Restrictions -The Trump administration has announced travel and visa restrictions with respect to the countries of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, subject to “categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers.” 2. Following Mysterious Attacks, United States Suspends Visas for Cubans, Withdraws Most Staff From Havana […]
Headlines: 1. President Orders End of DACA in Six Months, With Mixed Signals About Future for ‘Dreamers’; Two Lawsuits Challenge Program’s Termination -President Trump has ordered the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama administration program that allowed certain people who came to the United States as children to continue to live, go […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Denies Pending Advance Parole Applications for H-1B, L Applicants Traveling Outside the United States -Immigration lawyers are advising their H-1B and L clients to avoid traveling internationally while their advance parole applications are pending. 2. U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Operations Suspended/Reduced in Russia -The U.S. embassy in Russia has announced that all nonimmigrant […]
Headlines: 1. Labor Dept. Announces Revisions to H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 Forms, Comment Period -Pursuant to a June news release calling for proposed form changes “to better protect American workers, confront fraud, and increase transparency,” the Department of Labor published a notice announcing its intent to revise its information collection for the H-1B, H-1B1 and […]
Headlines: 1. Sens. Graham, Durbin Introduce Bipartisan ‘Dream Act’ -On July 20, 2017, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the “Dream Act,” a bipartisan legislative effort that would allow immigrant students who grew up in the United States to earn lawful permanent residence. 2. DHS Increases FY 2017 Limit on H-2B Temporary […]