Posts From February, 2020

By Kristin Macleod-Ball, Staff Attorney at the American Immigration Council, ImmigrationImpact.com The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been targeting U.S. citizens’ foreign spouses when they apply for legal immigration status. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Maryland put a halt to this practice. For the past few years, couples attending interviews about […]

Attorneys for Cabrini Immigration Services reported a lot of confusion about the soon-to-be-enacted public charge rule. Many are unclear on who is affected by the rule, think it applies retroactively, and are also unsure what social services are trigger the rule. This confusion has led some immigrants and prospective immigrants to avoid public assistance or medical care. […]

Currently, student visas are valid for as long as it takes the student to finish their degree. The DHS wants to change policy to create start and end dates for student visas, and plans to have a proposed rule out this month. An association of university presidents said the system works currently, and this addition would “increase […]

Originally published by Raymond G. Lahoud on Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Attorneys at Law The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are visiting workplaces to check on the student employees who are in their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Optional Practical Training (OPT). Universities are cautioning their students of […]

By Leslie Dellon, originally published on Immigration Impact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently proposed changes to how the agency will review certain denials of immigration benefits. The changes will apply to its Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, and instructions. But USCIS’ proposed changes are more than procedural—they will substantially alter USCIS’ longstanding […]

By Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, published by Immigration Impact President Trump issued the fourth travel ban of his presidency on Friday. This ban comes almost three years to the day after the first one brought thousands of protesters to airports around the country. People from Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar, and Kyrgyzstan are now barred from immigrating to the United States. Those from […]

By Natalie Schwartz, originally published on Education Dive. Dive Brief:  A federal judge struck down a Trump administration policy Thursday that made it easier to impose three- and 10-year reentry bans on international students studying in the U.S.  U.S. District Court Judge Loretta Biggs ruled that the policy didn’t go through the requisite process to issue new […]

By Abigail Hauslohner and Nick Miroffm, originally published to The Washington Post U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Thursday that they are investigating a document that instructs federal border agents in Washington state to profile people of Iranian, Palestinian and Lebanese backgrounds. The Northern Light, a weekly community newspaper in Blaine, Wash., published the […]

On Monday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House will consider and vote on legislation to repeal the Trump administration’s travel ban. The controversial ban suspended immigration from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, but was later amended to instead cover Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea. The president has announced that […]