Headlines:

1. ‘SKIL’ Bill Introduced in House; Would Benefit Employment-Based Immigration – The House of Representatives’ version of the ‘SKIL’ (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership) bill was introduced on June 29, 2006.

2. USCIS Announces Filing Location Change for Employment-Based Adjustments – USCIS announced changes to the filing location for employment-based applications for lawful permanent resident status.

3. DHS Issues Proposed Rule on SSN Matches, ‘Safe Harbor’ Verification Procedures – DHS has proposed to amend regulations on the legal obligations of an employer when the employer receives a no-match Social Security letter and on “safe-harbor” procedures an employer can follow.

4. ICE Issues Interim Rule on Retaining I-9s Electronically – ICE has issued an interim rule providing that employers may sign and retain I-9 verification forms electronically.

5. State Department Issues Notice on New Passport Requirements – The Dept. of State proposes to implement in phases the requirement that travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico, and Canada will need a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the U.S.

6. No Action Yet in Congress on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bills, But States Aren’t Waiting; Hearings Planned – The Senate and House have been unable to resolve their differences on comprehensive immigration reform legislation but members of Congress are calling for more hearings both in Washington, D.C., and around the country.

7. Senate Holds Hearing on Work Authorization Verification Enforcement – The Senate’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship held a hearing on immigration enforcement at the workplace.

8. USCIS Releases Guidance on Permanent Offers of Employment for Outstanding Professors and Researchers – USCIS has released guidance on applying the definition of “permanent employment” when adjudicating EB-1 petitions filed on behalf of outstanding professors and researchers.

9. USCIS Releases New Guidance on H-1B Cap Exemptions – USCIS has released new guidance for adjudicators on how determinations should be made with respect to the exemption from the H-1B cap for those who have earned a master’s or higher degree from a U.S. institution, and on eligibility for exemptions based on the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act.

10. State Dept. Instructs on How Consular Officers Determine Whether a Student Visa Applicant is Qualified – At the onset of the busy student visa season, the Department of State released information on how its consular officers will be making decisions about whether student visa applicants are qualified.

11. TPS Extended for Salvadorans – The 60-day re-registration period begins on July 3, 2006, and will remain in effect until September 1, 2006.

12. GAO Finds Labor Dept’s Oversight of H-1B Program Lacking; House Holds Hearing – The GAO has found that the Department of Labor’s review of H-1B applications is timely but lacks quality assurance controls and may overlook some inaccuracies.

13. State Dept. Reports on Visa Number Usage, Availability – A Dept. of State representative recently commented on China employment-based numbers and general availability for the remainder of the fiscal year.

14. State Dept. Issues Final Rule on Review of Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances, Refusals – The final rule focuses on an increase in reviews of visa issuances to enhance border security.

15. USCIS Ombudsman Lists ‘Pervasive and Serious Problems’ – The ombudsman’s annual report to Congress lists “pervasive and serious problems,” including, among others, backlogs and prolonged processing times

16. Sign-On Letter Supports Immigration – Over 500 economists have signed on to the Open Institute’s “Open Letter on Immigration,” which notes the benefits to the U.S. of immigration.

17. Google Launches New Government Information Search – Google U.S. Government Search provides a single location for searching across U.S. government information and keeping updated on government news.

18. Recent News from ABIL Members – Recent News from ABIL Members

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Details:

1. ‘SKIL’ Bill Introduced in House; Would Benefit Employment-Based Immigration

The House of Representatives’ version of the ‘SKIL’ (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership) bill was introduced by Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) on June 29, 2006. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) introduced the SKIL bill (S. 2691) in the Senate in early May. Among other things, the SKIL bill would increase the annual H-1B cap from 65,000 to 115,000, and exempt certain professionals from the H-1B and immigrant visa caps. The bill also would raise the latter cap from 140,000 to 290,000. A pre-certification program would be created for employers filing multiple applications with no history of abuse. Pre-certification would allow such employers to file their applications on a separate, more streamlined, track. The bill also would increase the time period allowed for foreign students’ post-curricular optional practical training from 12 months to 24 months.
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2. USCIS Announces Filing Location Change for Employment-Based Adjustments

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on June 30, 2006, changes to the filing location for employment-based applications for lawful permanent resident status. Starting on July 24, 2006, all applicants filing an Application to Adjust Status or Register Permanent Residence (Form I-485) based on a pending or approved Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I-140), also referred to as a “standalone filing,” should mail that form directly to the Nebraska Service Center. Applicants should send accompanying forms (e.g., the Application for Travel Document (Form I-131) and/or the Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765)) to the same location.

USCIS said the change marks the second phase of “Bi-Specialization,” a USCIS initiative to implement centralized filing and bi-specialized adjudications. USCIS is aligning similar workloads between two “sister” service centers. Starting on July 24, the Nebraska Service Center/Texas Service Center pairing will process all employment-based adjustment of status applications (and related applications). Although the Nebraska Service Center will serve as the centralized filing location, some petitioners and applicants will receive a filing receipt from the Texas Service Center, if the case is handled by that center. The center that generates the I-485 receipt notice will be the center that actually adjudicates the case, USCIS noted.

USCIS said it will not reject any standalone I-485s sent to an incorrect service center upon implementation of the amended filing instructions that go into effect on July 24. Instead, USCIS will accept the filing, direct it to the correct location, and honor the initial receipt date. The July 24 change establishing the new filing location does not affect other aspects of the form instructions; USCIS will continue honoring earlier versions of the I-485.

The USCIS news release announcing the change is at: http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/newsrels/BiSpec_063006PR.pdf.

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3. DHS Issues Proposed Rule on SSN Matches, ‘Safe Harbor’ Verification Procedures

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), proposed on June 14, 2006, to amend regulations relating to the unlawful hiring or continued employment of unauthorized aliens. The amended regulation describes the legal obligations of an employer when the employer receives a no-match letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It also describes “safe-harbor” procedures that the employer can follow in response to such a letter and thereby “be certain that DHS will not find that the employer had constructive knowledge that the employee referred to in the letter was an alien not authorized to work in the United States.”

The proposed rule adds to the current regulation’s definition of “knowing” two more examples of situations that may lead to a finding that an employer had such constructive knowledge. These additional examples involve an employer’s failure to take reasonable steps in response to either of two events: (1) The employer receives written notice from the SSA that the combination of name and social security account number submitted to the SSA for an employee does not match agency records; or (2) the employer receives written notice from the DHS that the immigration status documentation or employment authorization documentation presented or referenced by the employee in completing the I-9 form was not assigned to the employee according to DHS records.

The proposed rule also states that whether the DHS will actually find that an employer had constructive knowledge that an employee was an “unauthorized alien” in a situation described in any of the regulation’s examples “will depend on the totality of relevant circumstances.” The “safe-harbor” procedures include attempting to resolve the no-match and, if it cannot be resolved within a certain period of time, verifying again the employee’s identity and employment authorization through a specified process.

The regulation would not preclude the DHS from finding that an employer had actual knowledge that an employee was unauthorized. An employer with actual knowledge that one of its employees is unauthorized could not avoid liability by following the procedures described in the proposed regulation. The burden of proving actual knowledge, however, would be on the government, the proposed rule notes. Also, the resolution of discrepancies in a no-match letter, or other information that an employee’s Social Security number presented to an employer matches the records for the employee held by the SSA, “does not, in and of itself, demonstrate that the employee is authorized to work in the United States.”

Written comments may be submitted in accordance with the procedures outlined in the proposed rule’s summary by August 14, 2006. ICE is particularly interested in comments on the time limits described in the proposed rule, which is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-9303.pdf.

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4. ICE Issues Interim Rule on Retaining I-9s Electronically

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued an interim rule on June 15, 2006, that provides that employers and recruiters or referrers for a fee who are required to complete and retain an I-9 form (Employment Eligibility Verification) for each employee may sign and retain these forms electronically.

The interim rule implements statutory changes to the I-9 retention requirements by establishing standards for electronic signatures and the electronic scanning and retention of the I-9. The interim rule’s supplementary information notes that these standards closely follow widely accepted electronic storage standards and requirements previously published in Internal Revenue Service regulations. ICE said that reducing any potential burden on the business community by the adoption of existing standards already in wide use was a critical consideration.

There are still many open issues about the best practices for electronic signature and storage of I-9s. Employers are encouraged to comment on the interim rule after consulting with their IT departments and immigration counsel.

Written comments may be submitted by August 14, 2006, via the procedures outlined in the interim rule’s summary. The full text of the interim rule is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-9283.pdf.

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5. State Department Issues Notice on New Passport Requirements

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico, and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. The Department of State is proposing to implement the requirement in phases following a proposed timeline.

In the proposed implementation plan, which will be subject to a period of public comment, the requirement will be applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda on December 31, 2006. The requirement will be extended to all land border crossings on December 31, 2007.

The Department noted that this is a change from previous travel requirements and will affect all U.S. citizens entering the U.S. from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the U.S. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda and, to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by this requirement.

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6. No Action Yet in Congress on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bills, But States Aren’t Waiting; Hearings Planned

Although the Senate and House of Representatives have been unable to resolve their differences on comprehensive immigration reform legislation so far this session, various members of Congress and others are calling for more hearings on immigration issues, many focusing on enforcement, to be held this summer both in Washington, D.C., and around the country.

The House Education and Workforce Committee, for example, plans a “field” hearing some time in mid-July (the date and location have not yet been decided) focusing on English as the official language of the U.S. and on the effect of enforcement of immigration laws on U.S. workers. On the Senate side, Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) plans a hearing in Pennsylvania on July 5 on the topic of foreign guestworkers.

Meanwhile, several states have jumped into the fray. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 30 states this year have considered over 75 bills targeting employers of unauthorized foreign workers. Among others, Colorado has directed its own Department of Labor and Employment to investigate contractors performing work for the Colorado state government that violate federal laws against hiring unauthorized workers. Pennsylvania state lawmakers are considering legislation to toughen penalties for employers statewide that hire unauthorized workers, and already have increased penalties for such employers who receive government grants or loans. Georgia and Massachusetts have begun requiring public employers to verify that no unauthorized workers have been hired. Many such efforts are largely symbolic, however, because of federal laws and penalties already on the books against hiring unauthorized workers.

Regardless of what happens this summer around the country, prospects for passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in Congress appear increasingly dim, although the Bush administration and others are still pushing for one. House Speaker Dennis Hastert said, “We want to make sure the Congress gets this done the right way and not be rushed just because it’s an election year.” Stay tuned.

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7. Senate Holds Hearing on Work Authorization Verification Enforcement

The Senate’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship held a hearing on June 19, 2006, on “Immigration Enforcement at the Workplace: Learning from the Mistakes of 1986.”

Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), noted in his testimony that the Bush administration is proposing a comprehensive overhaul of the employment authorization verification and employer sanctions programs as part of immigration reform. “We are proposing this now, because it is clear that the system set up in the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) didn’t work,” Mr. Baker said. IRCA “created a brisk trade in fake IDs,” Mr. Baker said, and employers had no way to verify documentation. The Basic Pilot work authorization verification program has been limited and voluntary thus far, and penalties for violations are low, he noted. Other obstacles, Mr. Baker said, include a lack of effective information-sharing and a failure to “follow the fraud” when new schemes evolve.

Mr. Baker said the administration is proposing: (1) a mandatory electronic employment verification system (EEVS) for employers that will ensure that businesses have a “clear and reliable” way to check work documents, including social security numbers, (2) allowing the Social Security Administration to share no-match data with the DHS to permit the latter to better focus enforcement efforts, (3) ensuring that all legal foreign workers have a secure employment authorization card that will reduce the ability of such workers to engage in document fraud, and (4) stiffening the penalties for employers who violate these laws.

The U.S. needs the ability “to set clear, reasonable standards of good conduct for employers,” Mr. Baker said, to include asking them to review employee documents using the electronic verification system and retain all documents relevant to their employees’ eligibility to work. Employers who are shown to have hired a significant number of unlawful workers in a year “should face a presumption that they have knowingly hired these individuals,” Mr. Baker said. “We also need to tighten the rules to ensure that employers cannot use contract arrangements to ‘wall themselves off’ from complicity in the illegal hiring of their contractors.”

While acknowledging that most of the administration’s proposals involve improvements to the existing employment verification and sanctions system, Mr. Baker said the President has proposed two major new improvements: the mandatory electronic verification system and sharing of no-match Social Security data with the DHS. “Sufficient access to no-match data would provide important direction to [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] investigators to target their enforcement actions toward those employers who have a disproportionate number of these no-matches, who have reported earnings for multiple employees on the same number and who are therefore more likely to be engaging in unlawful behavior,” he said.

Cecilia Munoz, Vice President for Research, Advocacy, and Legislation at the National Council of La Raza, expressed concerns that advancing an employer verification system could “jeopardize a substantial portion of the U.S. workforce” because data inaccuracies will cast doubt on some workers’ ability to do their jobs lawfully, “while others will likely be the victims of ‘defensive hiring,’ that is, employment practices [that] weed out people perceived as immigrants, or whose ethnicity suggests that they might be in the category of workers for whom verification is time-consuming and costly because the databases are fraught with errors.” She said La Raza supports devising a system that can allow employers to verify workers’ authorization swiftly while protecting them against dismissal or discrimination because of bias, ignorance, or faulty data. “The creation of [an electronic verification] system without addressing the fundamental flaws in the current program is unadvisable and will result in severe negative consequences for immigrant and U.S. workers on a much larger scale than they currently experience,” Ms. Munoz warned.

C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., an Adjunct Fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and formerly the DHS’s Assistant Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Policy and Planning, recommended: (1) phasing in any electronic verification system, starting with occupations most crucial to national security; (2) ensuring employee rights before termination; (3) developing biometric identification and, in the interim, implementing the REAL ID program; (4) involving the private sector in proposing and implementing innovative solutions; and (5) imposing fees to help pay the cost.

The hearing testimony is available at: http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=1949. The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s testimony, Immigration Enforcement: Weaknesses Hinder Employment Verification and Worksite Enforcement Efforts, is available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06895t.pdf.

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8. USCIS Releases Guidance on Permanent Offers of Employment for Outstanding Professors and Researchers

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently released guidance on applying the definition of “permanent employment” when adjudicating first preference (EB-1) petitions filed on behalf of outstanding professors and researchers.

The guidance notes that a recent review of modern business practices reveals that most employment agreements, when entered into between the employer and potential employee, provide that a tenure-track teaching position or comparable research position is terminable “at will,” even though both the employer and employee normally expect the employment to continue for an indefinite or unlimited duration. In determining whether a petitioning employer has established that a research position is permanent, the guidance notes, some adjudicators have focused solely on whether the language of an actual employment contract, if submitted, or the offer of employment contains a “good cause for termination” provision. Evidence of such a provision is not mandated under the regulations and is not the only way by which a petitioning employer may demonstrate that an employee in a research position has “an expectation of continued employment,” the guidance notes. Some adjudicators also inadvertently have applied the definition of “permanent,” which only affects research positions, to the assessment of whether a non-research position is tenured or tenure-track.

The guidance clarifies that adjudicators should not deny a petition for a permanent research position where the employer is seeking an outstanding researcher solely because the actual employment contract or offer of employment does not contain a “good cause for termination” clause. The petitioning employer still must establish that the offer is intended to be of an indefinite or unlimited duration and that the nature of the position is such that the employee ordinarily will have an expectation of continued employment.

Many research positions are funded by grant money received on a yearly basis. Researchers, therefore, are employed pursuant to contracts that are valid in one-year increments. If the petitioning employer demonstrates the intent to continue to seek funding and a reasonable expectation that funding will continue, such as demonstrated previous renewals for extended long-term research projects, such employment can be considered “permanent” within the meaning of the regulations, the guidance states. Adjudicators also should consider the circumstances and benefits surrounding the job offer.

Determinations of whether a position qualifies as a tenured or tenure-track position are not linked to the regulatory requirement that the position be “permanent,” which applies only to research positions, the guidance notes. As such, adjudicators do not need to evaluate whether the employment contract for a tenured or tenure-track position has a “good cause for termination” clause “and should not deny a petition seeking an outstanding professor for [such a] position on that basis alone.” Adjudicators, however, should continue to evaluate whether the overall nature of the position is tenured or tenure-track.

The full text of the guidance is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/handbook/EB1Visa060606.pdf.

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9. USCIS Releases New Guidance on H-1B Cap Exemptions

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released new guidance for adjudicators on: (1) how determinations should be made with respect to the exemption from the H-1B cap for those who have earned a master’s or higher degree from a U.S. institution, and (2) eligibility for exemptions based on the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (AC21).

The guidance on master’s or higher degrees states that, when reviewing a petition involving a potential cap case, adjudicators should first determine if there is another basis to exempt the beneficiary from the H-1B cap. Then, in determining whether a U.S.-issued degree is a master’s degree, adjudicators “should consider more than the simple nomenclature of a degree.” To qualify as a master’s degree for purposes of meeting the cap exemption requirement, the guidance states, the degree must be one for which a bachelor’s degree in any field is required as a prerequisite. This ensures that the master’s degree is at least one level higher than a bachelor’s degree, the essential component of the “master’s or higher” degree requirement.

USCIS provided several examples of why degrees should not be adjudicated at face value. In the chiropractic field, the guidance notes, the entry-level degree is “Doctor of Chiropractic,” and a bachelor’s degree in any field is not a prerequisite. On the other hand, attorneys typically hold a “juris doctor” degree and medical doctors hold a “doctor of medicine degree.” Although neither degree is equivalent to a Ph.D., “a J.D. or M.D. would be considered to be equivalent to, if not higher than, a master’s degree,” the notice states.

To obtain the H-1B cap exemption for a U.S. master’s degree or higher, the guidance notes, the requirements of both a qualifying master’s or higher degree, and issuance of the degree from a U.S. institution of higher education, must be met. The guidance also outlines what the term “institution of higher education” means for purposes of the H-1B cap exemption.

The guidance on master’s or higher degrees, sent to the field on May 2, 2006, is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/handbook/AC21_050206.pdf.

USCIS also released guidance regarding eligibility under AC21 for an H-1B cap exemption based on employment or an offer of employment at an institution of higher education, a related or affiliated nonprofit entity, a nonprofit research organization, or a governmental research organization. The lengthy guidance notes that a number of questions have been raised and clarifies how USCIS will interpret these terms, including for third-party petitioners, when adjudicating H-1B petitions requesting exemptions to the cap.

Noting that the exemption allowed for those who are employed “at” a qualifying institution is a broader category than would be the case for those employed “by” a qualifying institution, USCIS states that it will allow third-party petitioners to claim exemption if the beneficiary will perform job duties “that directly and predominately further the normal, primary, or essential purpose, mission, objectives or function of the qualifying institution, namely, higher education or nonprofit or governmental research.” The guidance notes that if a petitioner is not itself a qualifying institution, the petitioner bears the burden of establishing that there is a logical nexus between the two. In many instances, the guidance notes, third-party petitioners seeking exemptions are companies that have contracts with qualifying federal agencies or other institutions that require the placement of professionals on-site at the agency. The H-1B employees generally perform work directly related to the purposes of the qualifying federal agency or entity and thus may qualify for an exemption to the H-1B cap. Qualifying third-party employment can occur in a variety of other ways; the guidance provides a non-exhaustive list of examples.

The AC21 guidance, sent to the field on June 6, 2006, is available at http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/handbook/AC21C060606.pdf.

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10. State Dept. Instructs on How Consular Officers Determine Whether a Student Visa Applicant is Qualified

At the onset of the busy student visa season, the Department of State has released information on how its consular officers will be making decisions about whether student visa applicants are qualified. A cable sent to the field on May 31, 2006, notes that consular officers should focus on several areas:

(1) Student visa applicants must demonstrate that they are academically qualified to pursue their intended course of study and are financially able to cover its costs. Consular officers are instructed to “focus on the applicant’s immediate and near-term intent, remembering that by nature foreign students stay in the United States for extended periods of time.”

(2) Additionally, the cable notes, consular officers should “remember to focus on the student and not the institution during adjudication.” Student visa applicants should be afforded the opportunity to demonstrate why their choice of institution is right for them and that they will be able to maintain status as a student at that school. “Consular officers should not second-guess an individual’s choice of school, or deny a visa based solely on the student’s choice of a particular academic institution.” Posts should, however, bring to the Department’s attention institutions they believe are improperly issuing I-20s.

(3) Recent guidance extended the period during which student visas may be issued to 120 days before the program start date. In instances where students can anticipate delays in issuance, including delays resulting from security advisory opinion (SAO) requirements, posts may accept applications for adjudication and processing even before this 120-day period, the cable states, but may not issue the actual visa until 120 days before the start of studies. Although SAO delays for students have declined significantly over the last two years, a small number of cases continue to face extended review, the cable notes.

(4) The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs supports the efforts of posts to make visa interviews available to students on a priority basis and posts should continue, as necessary, to expedite student and exchange visitor visa applications. “Efficient processing of visas for students and exchange visitors is a high priority for the Department: every student should have the chance to make the initial start date of his/her academic or exchange program whenever possible,” the cable notes.

The full text of the cable is available at http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_2926.html.

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11. TPS Extended for Salvadorans

The designation for El Salvador of temporary protected status (TPS) was set to expire on September 9, 2006. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on June 15, 2006, that TPS for El Salvador has been extended for 12 months, until September 9, 2007. The notice provides details on re-registration procedures and information on late initial registration. Given the large number of Salvadorans affected by the extension, USCIS said it recognizes that many re-registrants may not receive an extension sticker or new employment authorization document (EAD) until after their current EADs expire on September 9, 2006. Accordingly, the notice automatically extends the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of El Salvador for 6 months until March 9, 2007, and explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are extended automatically.

The 60-day re-registration period begins on July 3, 2006, and will remain in effect until September 1, 2006. Applicants are strongly encouraged to file as soon as possible after the start of the re-registration period. The full text of the notice is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-5443.pdf.

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12. GAO Finds Labor Dept’s Oversight of H-1B Program Lacking; House Holds Hearing

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that reviews by the Department of Labor (DOL) of H-1B applications are timely but lack quality assurance controls and may overlook some inaccuracies.

The report notes that from January 2002 through September 2005, the DOL electronically reviewed more than 960,000 such applications and certified almost all of them. About one-third of the applications were for computer systems analysis workers and programming occupations. The GAO’s analysis of the DOL’s data found certified applications with inaccurate information that could have been identified by more stringent checks.

The GAO found 3,229 applications that were certified even though the wage rate on the application was lower than the prevailing wage for that occupation. Additionally, approximately 1,000 certified applications contained erroneous employer identification numbers, which the GAO said raised questions about the validity of the applications.

From fiscal year 2000 through FY 2005, the GAO noted, the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) reported an increase in the number of H-1B complaints and violations, and a corresponding increase in the number of employer penalties. In FY 2000, the DOL required employers to pay back wages totaling $1.2 million to 226 H-1B workers; by FY 2005, back wage penalties had increased to $5.2 million for 604 workers. “Program changes, such as a higher visa cap in some years, could have been a contributing factor,” the GAO said.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reviews the DOL’s certified applications but cannot easily verify whether employers submitted petitions from more workers than originally requested because U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s database cannot easily match each petition to the DOL’s application case number, the GAO noted. Also, while reviewing petitions, DHS staff may find evidence that employers are not meeting their H-1B obligations and may deny a petition if an employer is unable to explain a discrepancy, but the agency does not have a formal process for reporting such discrepancies to the DOL. Also, current law precludes the WHD from using this information to initiate an investigation of the employer, and the GAO found other information-sharing difficulties.

The GAO recommends that Congress consider eliminating the restriction on the DOL that prevents it from using information from the DHS to initiate an investigation, and directing the DHS and DOL to share information on employers that may not be fulfilling program requirements. The GAO also recommends that the DOL improve its checks of employers’ applications and that USCIS include the DOL’s application case number in its new information technology system.

The GAO noted that the DHS agreed with its recommendations, but the DOL questioned whether more stringent checks were needed and believes Congress intentionally limited the DOL’s role and placed program integrity with USCIS. “We believe there are cost-effective methods that Labor could use to check the applications more stringently that would enhance the integrity of the H-1B process,” the GAO concluded.

The House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims held a hearing on this topic on June 22, 2006. Committee chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.’s news advisory is available at http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/h1blabor62106.pdf. Testimony is posted at http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=247. There is a video link to the full hearing on the same Web page.

The full text of the GAO’s report, H-1B Visa Program: Labor Could Improve Its Oversight and Increase Information Sharing with Homeland Security, is available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06720.pdf.

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13. State Dept. Reports on Visa Number Usage, Availability

A Department of State representative has reported that China’s EB-1 category became current in July because demand was less than projected. 1,700 Chinese EB-1 numbers have been used; 2,800 are available for the fiscal year. Overall, China has used 5,600 employment-based numbers with 9,800 available for the year. It is likely that China will not hit the limit overall. Previously U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was clearing out its backlog of employment-based immigrant visa petitions, causing delays. Demand is now lower because approvals seem to have stabilized, the representative noted. EB-1 China numbers should continue to be available, although there is no guarantee, because the backlogs encountered recently resulted from an apparent surge in processing by USCIS.

Further, the representative noted, 37,000 of the 50,000 Schedule A numbers have been allocated. Current usage is 2,700 to 2,800 per month, so a supply should remain available through October or November of 2006. The Department will not allocate a case to Schedule A if an EB-2 or EB-3 number is available for the individual based on the petition.

Meanwhile, the representative noted, recent pessimistic comments about future availability of visa numbers were directed at family-based, not employment-based, numbers. Readers should not assume visa availability, however, until the cut-off dates are announced. Current visa number availability information is at http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_2943.html.

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14. State Dept. Issues Final Rule on Review of Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances, Refusals

The Department of State issued a final rule, effective June 30, 2006, expanding guidance on its review of nonimmigrant visa issuances and refusals to specify who should conduct the reviews, the types of cases to be reviewed, and the goals of the reviews. The final rule focuses on an increase in reviews of visa issuances to enhance border security. The Department said the purpose of the revision is to expand the scope of reviews to ensure that supervisors are reviewing both issuances and refusals to the greatest extent practicable, while balancing workload considerations at consular posts.

The Department noted that the Foreign Affairs Manual calls for a spot-check of nonimmigrant visa issuances. The rule revision provides a regulatory framework for a “regular and targeted” review of issuances and refusals. Because of the need to formalize the reviews of visa issuances beyond spot-checks, the Department said it will no longer be possible to review all visa refusals. Department regulations specify that a refusal must be reviewed without delay; that is, on the day of the refusal or as soon as is administratively possible. The final rule specifies that this will also apply to reviews of issuances.

The full text of the final rule is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-10270.pdf.

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15. USCIS Ombudsman Lists ‘Pervasive and Serious Problems’

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ombudsman, Prakash Khatri, issued an annual report to the Senate and House of Representatives Judiciary Committees on June 29, 2006. The report lists “pervasive and serious problems” at USCIS, including, among others, backlogs and prolonged processing times, untimely processing and systemic problems with employment-based “green card” applications, limited availability of case status information, misdirected or unrecorded green cards, and delays caused by name checks and other security checks. The report includes 13 recommendations to the USCIS director.

The full text of the report is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/CISOmbudsman_AnnualReport_2006.pdf.

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16. Sign-On Letter Supports Immigration

Over 500 economists have signed on to the Open Institute’s June 19, 2006, “Open Letter on Immigration,” which notes the economic benefits to the U.S. of immigration. The letter, including the extensive list of signers, is at: http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1727.
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17. Google Launches New Government Information Search

Google U.S. Government Search provides a single location for searching across U.S. government information and keeping updated on government news. Users can choose to search for content located on either U.S. federal, state, and local government Web sites or the entire Web, from the same search box. Below the search box, the home page includes government-specific news content from both government agencies and press outlets. The page can be personalized by adding content feeds on government or other topics of interest.

The new Google government search is available at: http://www.google.com/help/about_usgovernmentsearch.html. At the bottom of the page, click on “About Google U.S. Government Search” for frequently asked questions about how to use the search.

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18. Recent News from ABIL Members

ABIL members spoke and served on several panels at the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s annual conference, held this year in San Antonio, Texas, on June 21-24, 2006. Approximately 3,000 people attended the conference. ABIL members and topics they discussed included:

Edward R. Litwin: “Labor Certification-Based Immigration: Pre-Filing.”

Bernard P. Wolfsdorf: “Consular Processing — Part of the Admission Equation.”

Laura J. Danielson, Cyrus D. Mehta, Angelo A. Paparelli, and Stephen Yale-Loehr: “An Embarrassment of Riches: Immigration Lawyering in a 21^st Century ‘Flat’ World.”

Cyrus D. Mehta: “Adjustment of Status vs. Consular Processing: Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

Charles H. Kuck: “Litigation for Business Immigration Lawyers” and “Expansion of Expedited Removal: Implementing USCIRF’s Recommendations.”

H. Ronald Klasko and Steven A. Clark: “PERM Workshop.”

Tapes of the conference presentations are available for purchase at: https://www.csctapes.com/tapes/aila2006.htm.

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Headlines:

1. Immigration Reform Action Stalls in Congress; ‘SKIL’ Bill Introduced – The Senate has failed to pass any immigration reform proposals, including legislation to establish a guestworker program. Sen. John Cornyn, however, has just introduced the “SKIL” (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership) bill.

2. ICE Steps Up Enforcement, Arresting Managers and Over a Thousand Employees of Pallet Company – ICE agents arrested several managers of IFCO Systems North America, Inc. (IFCO), the largest pallet services company in the United States, and many unauthorized workers.

3. State Dept. Proposes to Eliminate Specialty Occupation Distinction for J Trainees – The State Dept. has issued a proposed rule to revise its training program regulations under the Exchange Visitor Program to eliminate the distinction between “non-specialty occupations” and “specialty occupations.”

4. DHS Wants to Mine SSA Data – In an effort to identify undocumented workers and their employers, the DHS is seeking authority from Congress to mine Social Security Administration databases for information.

5. German Emergency/Temporary Passports No Longer Valid for Travel to U.S. Under VWP – As of May 1, 2006, German emergency and temporary passports will no longer be valid for travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program.

6. Temporary Protected Status Extended for Honduras, Nicaragua – The TPS designation for Honduras and Nicaragua has been extended until July 5, 2007.

7. State Dept. Reports on China, India Visa Availability, “Other Worker” Category Retrogression for May – The State Department has retrogressed the employment third preference “Other Worker” cut-off date.

8. USCIS Establishes Records Verification Directorate – USCIS has established a new National Security and Records Verification Directorate.

9. GAO Recommends Measures to Reduce Visa Wait Times at Consular Posts – The GAO is calling for a comprehensive assessment of staffing requirements for visa operations worldwide.

10. Fewer H-1B Numbers Used Than Expected for FY 2007 So Far – H-1B numbers are being used up more slowly so far than many expected for FY 2007, although early filing is still recommended.

11. Recent Articles & News from ABIL Members – Recent Articles & News from ABIL Members

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Details:

1. Immigration Reform Action Stalls in Congress; ‘SKIL’ Bill Introduced

As of press time, the Senate failed to pass any of the sweeping immigration reform proposals we reported on last month, including legislation to establish a guestworker program, although action remains possible this session. Any legalization program that is enacted will put demands on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, generating backlogs. If such a provision becomes law, it will be important to file for permanent residence before such backlogs develop.

It is unclear whether further progress will be possible this session on comprehensive immigration reform, although Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he wants the Senate to pass such legislation by Memorial Day. Such legislation then would have to be reconciled with the House of Representatives version in conference committee, and passed by both houses. “It would be a tough conference, candidly, with the House, but we were able to work through the Patriot Act although there were big disagreements,” Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reportedly said on CNN’s “Late Edition.”

On April 24, President George W. Bush gave a speech in California on immigration reform. Once again, he supported a guestworker program, among other measures. Voice of America quoted President Bush as noting that: “[i]t is really hard to enforce the border with people sneaking across to take jobs. Doesn’t it make sense to have a rational temporary worker plan that says you don’t need to sneak across the border?” He said in his radio address on April 22 that “[i]n the coming weeks, I’ll press Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that secures our border, enforces our laws, meets the needs of our economy, and upholds our highest ideals.” The Associated Pressreported on April 26 that at a recent White House meeting convened to help push immigration reform action in Congress, President Bush said he believes undocumented workers should have a chance to obtain legal status without leaving the country but does not endorse such a measure publicly because of opposition from House Republicans. “I understand that he wants to maintain latitude as he heads into negotiations with the House,” said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who supports that proposal.

Meanwhile, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) has just introduced the “SKIL” (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership) bill shortly. Among other things, the SKIL bill would increase the annual H-1B cap from 65,000 to 115,000, and exempt certain professionals from the H-1B and immigrant visa caps. The bill also would raise the latter cap from 140,000 to 290,000. A pre-certification program would be created for employers filing multiple applications with no history of abuse. Pre-certification would allow such employers to file their applications on a separate, more streamlined, track.

The Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers signed a letter supporting the SKIL bill that is being circulated by the Compete America Coalition. “Being able to recruit and retain foreign-born talent — including those who are educated in U.S. universities — is critical to our nation’s ability to remain competitive, and we encourage you to support this legislation and enact reforms this year,” the letter says. For more information, or to add your organization’s name to the letter, e-mail sboyd@nam.org (Sandra Boyd, Vice President, Human Resources Policy, National Association of Manufacturers), and include information on how the organization should be listed and clear permission to add it to the letter. For more information, see http://www.competeamerica.org/.

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2. ICE Steps Up Enforcement, Arresting Managers and Over a Thousand Employees of Pallet Company

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested seven current and former managers of IFCO Systems North America, Inc. (IFCO), the largest pallet services company in the United States headquartered in Houston, Texas, pursuant to criminal complaints issued on April 19, 2006. The managers were charged with conspiring to transport, harbor, and encourage and induce unauthorized workers to reside in the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each worker with respect to whom the violation takes place, ICE explained. Two other IFCO employees were arrested on criminal charges relating to fraudulent documents.

In addition to the criminal arrests, ICE agents conducted “consent” searches or executed criminal search warrants at more than 40 IFCO plants and related locations in 26 states that resulted in the apprehension of approximately 1,187 undocumented IFCO employees.

According to a government affidavit filed in the Northern District of New York, the investigation began in February 2005 when ICE agents received information that IFCO workers in Guilderland, New York, were witnessed ripping up their W-2 tax forms and that an IFCO assistant general manager had explained that these workers were undocumented, had fake Social Security cards and did not intend to file tax returns.

Subsequent investigation revealed that IFCO officials transported undocumented employees to and from work, paid rent for their housing, and deducted money from their monthly paychecks to cover these expenses. Former IFCO employees also said it was common practice for IFCO to hire workers who lacked Social Security cards or produced bogus identification cards.

The affidavit also alleges that IFCO officials knowingly hired an undocumented worker who was an informant for ICE. In numerous recorded conversations, IFCO officials reimbursed this person for obtaining fraudulent identity documents for other undocumented employees, used the person to recruit other unauthorized workers, and advised the person and other undocumented employees on how to avoid law enforcement detection, the affidavit alleges.

Meanwhile, DHS Assistant Secretary Julie Myers’ op-ed, “Expect More Arrests,” was published in USA Today on April 26, 2006. Ms. Myers said DHS is bolstering its criminal investigations against employers who hire unauthorized workers. For many employers, she said fines had become just another cost of doing business. “More robust criminal cases against unprincipled employers are a much more effective deterrent than fines. The prospect of 10 years in federal prison or a federal forfeiture carries much sharper teeth. We believe this is the future of worksite enforcement,” Ms. Myers said.

Additional information on the case is available at http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5547.

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3. State Dept. Proposes to Eliminate Specialty Occupation Distinction for J Trainees

The Department of State is proposing to revise its training program regulations under the J nonimmigrant exchange visitor program to eliminate the distinction between “non-specialty occupations” and “specialty occupations.” Also, a new 12-month “intern” program is proposed to permit recent foreign graduates of degree-granting post-secondary accredited educational institutions to come to the United States to pursue work-based learning experiences in the fields in which they received their degrees.

A requirement that sponsors complete an individualized Form DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan for each trainee and intern prior to issuing a Form DS-2019 to the trainee or intern is also proposed. The Department plans to publish a notice regarding the design of the proposed Form DS-7002, soliciting public comment regarding all recordkeeping, reporting, and data collection units.

The proposed regulation would require that trainees have at least three years of previous related work experience in their occupational fields before being eligible to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program. The regulation also would require that trainees have a minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 or its equivalent.

The Department will accept comments on the proposed regulation from the public until June 6, 2006. Comments should be sent to the office designated in the supplementary information to the proposed rule, which is available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-4946.pdf.

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4. DHS Wants to Mine SSA Data

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in an effort to identify undocumented workers and their employers, is seeking authority from Congress to mine Social Security Administration databases for information on Social Security numbers that do not match names, GovExec.com reported on April 20, 2006. “One of the key challenges that supports illegal migration is abuse of our Social Security system and the Social Security document,” DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said at a news conference. “We’ve been urging Congress to pass legislation, now before the Senate, that would grant the Department of Homeland Security some carefully crafted access to Social Security no-match data so we can detect those employers who are systematically employing workers, despite the fact that there’s an obvious mismatch between the names and the Social Security numbers in question.”
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5. German Emergency/Temporary Passports No Longer Valid for Travel to U.S. Under VWP

As of May 1, 2006, German emergency and temporary passports are no longer valid for travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, the U.S. Embassy in Germany reported. Holders of these passports who intend to travel to or through the United States must either obtain a regular German passport for Visa Waiver Program travel, or obtain a visa.

Additional information is available at http://www.usembassy.de/germany/visa/vwp_faqs.html and http://germany.usembassy.gov/germany/temporary_passports.html.

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6. Temporary Protected Status Extended for Honduras, Nicaragua

The temporary protected status (TPS) designation for Honduras and Nicaragua has been extended until July 5, 2007. Given the large numbers affected, many re-registrants may not receive an extension sticker or new employment authorization document (EAD) until after their current EADs expire on July 5, 2006. Accordingly, the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designations has been extended automatically until January 5, 2007. The notices explain how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended. The 60-day re-registration period began on April 1, 2006, and will remain in effect until June 1, 2006. To facilitate processing, applicants are strongly encouraged to file as soon as possible.

The notices are available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-4685.pdf (Honduras) and http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-4686.pdf (Nicaragua).

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7. State Dept. Reports on China, India Visa Availability, “Other Worker” Category Retrogression for May

The Department of State noted in its Visa Bulletin for May 2006 that continued heavy demand for visa numbers (particularly for adjustment of status cases at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices) has brought allocations close to the 5,000 annual numerical limit for “other worker” green cards in the employment-based third preference category. The Department said it has been necessary as a result to retrogress the employment third preference “Other Worker” cut-off date in an effort to limit future demand. If the annual limit is reached, it will become necessary to make the category unavailable for the remaining months of the fiscal year, the Department said.

The Department also noted that there has been a significant amount of forward movement in the China-mainland born and India employment first and second preference cut-off dates during recent months. This was done in an effort to generate demand for numbers. It cannot be assumed, the Department warned, that these cut-off dates will continue to advance at this pace during the remainder of the fiscal year. “It remains to be seen how heavy the demand for visa numbers by applicants from those areas will be in the coming months,” the Department said.

The latest Visa Bulletin is available at http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_2868.html.

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8. USCIS Establishes Records Verification Directorate

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on April 10, 2006, that it has established a new National Security and Records Verification Directorate. This new Directorate is made up of two divisions formerly embedded within the Domestic Operations Directorate, the Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) Division and the Records Division, along with a new Verifications Division.

FDNS functions as USCIS’s law enforcement liaison and handles the agency’s intelligence work, fraud detection and, as part of the new Directorate, the national security cases previously handled in Domestic Operations. The Records Division handles the storage and retrieval of close to 100 million immigration records, virtually all paper-based. The new Verification Division now encompasses the Basic Pilot and SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) volunteer employment and status verification programs, which allows participating employers to confirm the employment eligibility of newly hired employees.

The National Security and Records Verification Directorate will be led by Acting Associate Director Janis Sposato, a 31-year veteran of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, and the former Deputy Associate Director of the Domestic Operations Directorate.

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9. GAO Recommends Measures to Reduce Visa Wait Times at Consular Posts

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s new report, Border Security: Reassessment of Consular Resource Requirements Could Help Address Visa Delays, notes that applicants have faced extensive wait times at some consular posts. New post-9/11 security requirements have increased delays. Additional factors, the GAO said, may include a resurgence in visa demands and facility limitations at some posts, as well as a lack of needed personnel. Although the Department of State has increased hiring of consular officers, the GAO called for a comprehensive assessment of staffing requirements for visa operations worldwide. The report includes statistics on maximum wait times for temporary business and tourism visa interview appointments; the longest is at the post in Chennai, India, with a maximum wait time of 168 days. The full text of the report is available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06542t.pdf.
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10. Fewer H-1B Numbers Used Than Expected for FY 2007 So Far

As noted in last month’s issue, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting H-1B filings under the fiscal year 2007 cap beginning on April 1, 2006. H-1B numbers are being used up more slowly so far than many expected, although filing as early as possible is still recommended. As of April 24, 2006, USCIS reported that only 12,713 standard H-1B numbers and only 2,358 advanced degree H-1Bs have been allocated.

For more on proposed H-1B legislation, see the first article in this issue.

To monitor the count, see http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/tempbenefits/cap.htm.

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11. Recent Articles & News from ABIL Members

ABIL co-sponsors seminar on labor certification. The Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers will co-sponsor a seminar with the Association of the Bar of the City of New York on “Labor Certification Fundamentals and Best Practice Under the New PERM System to Benefit Your Client and Your Immigration Practice,” on Wednesday and Thursday, May 10-11, 2006, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the New York City Bar, 42 West 44^th Street. The program chair is Cyrus D. Mehta; moderators include H. Ronald Klasko and Stephen Yale-Loehr. Among the faculty are ABIL members Charles H. Kuck, Edward R. Litwin, and Angelo A. Paparelli. For more information or to register, call (212) 382-6663 or see https://www.nycbar.org/CLE/show_course.php?cnameid=1213.
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