posted on: October 23, 2020
USCIS mistakenly rejects immigration applications due to filing fees. As a result of the confusion regarding the USCIS filing fees increase, some residency applications filed recently were rejected by USCIS personnel, who mistakenly believed the new filing fees had gone into effect. USCIS was scheduled to substantially increase fees on October 2nd, but was prevented from doing […]
posted on: October 23, 2020
DOJ and DHS publish final rule to restrict certain criminal alien’s eligibility for asylum. Both agencies officially published the final rule that amends certain criminal aliens from obtaining asylum in the U.S. The Attorney General and DHS secretary exercised their regulatory authority to limit eligibility for asylum for aliens who have engaged in specified categories of criminal behavior.
posted on: October 13, 2020
On October 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to be published on October 8, 2020 and to take effect on December 7, 2020. The rule revises regulations regarding the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program. The rule’s changes to the H-1B program restrict eligibility for the program in […]
posted on: October 9, 2020
USCIS issues interim final rule revising definition of “Specialty Occupation.” On Thursday, DHS issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) regarding the H-1B visa program. The rule now restricts the program in several ways, including revising the definition of H-1B specialty occupation to include the requirement of a specific relationship between the required degree field and […]
posted on: October 9, 2020
For generations, international students pursuing their studies in the United States have been permitted to remain in the country for the duration of their studies. This helps to guarantee that they are able to complete their degrees before having to depart the country. But under a new proposal put forward on September 25 by the […]
posted on: October 7, 2020
The Trump administration is successfully using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to alter the U.S. system of legal immigration. New government data makes clear that these changes will significantly increase employment-based immigration at the expense of people in the family categories—and without any involvement by Congress. On March 20, the administration suspended routine visa […]
posted on: October 5, 2020
On October 1, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop enforcing parts of a presidential proclamation that banned many foreign workers from entering the United States. The court found that the president likely did not have the authority to issue the ban. Who does the ruling impact? The decision, in National Association of […]
posted on: October 1, 2020
A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday blocked an increase in immigration fees that was due to go into effect this week. The fees were set to go up Friday by an average of about 20% depending on the type of entry being sought. The halted hikes include a $50 fee for asylum applications, the first […]
posted on: September 23, 2020
The Trump administration on Tuesday, 9/22/20, said it is reimposing its “public charge” wealth test for green cards that had been blocked during the pandemic. The 2019 rule, which gives officials more power to deny permanent residency to applicants the government deems rely or could rely on public benefits like food stamps or housing vouchers, […]
posted on: September 23, 2020
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a temporary final rule to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) by using government-contracted telephonic interpreters for affirmative asylum interviews at no cost to the applicant. This temporary final rule changes for the next 180 days the requirement that asylum applicants who do not speak English […]
