Immigration

In summary, the plan: – Offers an eight-year path to citizenship for millions of people who were living in the United States unlawfully on Jan. 1, 2021. They would be eligible to apply for a green card after five years in a temporary status if they pass background checks and pay their taxes, and could […]

View Article Here Changes to the immigration laws announced by the Biden administration were included in an immigration bill it sent to Congress (but not yet publicly available), and include these proposals: End the practice of requiring separate immigrant visa numbers for the spouse and children of the principal applicant. Currently, for example, a “principal,” who is […]

All recent regulations, policies, and guidance that have limited legal immigration will go through a full review, including the USCIS fee hike, public charge rule, and health insurance proclamation. The executive order also reestablishes the Task Force on New Americans, which will focus on promoting immigrant integration and inclusion.  Read more here

Today the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is publishing a rule (https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-02665.pdf) that will delay implementation of the January 8, 2021 final rule that had been pushed through by the Trump administration which would have significantly changed the H1B registration system. Under the now-delayed rule, registrations would have been prioritized if they offered the highest […]

President Biden will implement a multi-pronged plan to ensure safe, lawful, and orderly migration to the United States. The administration will examine the root causes of migration to better understand what causes people to flee their homes. It will also collaborate with foreign governments, international organizations, and nonprofits to build other countries’ capacity to provide […]

Hundreds of children are still separated from their families in the aftermath of Trump’s zero tolerance policy. Government officials had no plan to keep track of families after the initial separations, making reunification efforts even more difficult. Biden’s executive order establishes the Family Reunification Task Force, which will work to reunite families after years of […]

On his first day in office, President Biden took significant steps towards undoing the harm of the Trump administration’s immigration policies—and reforming our punitive and inhumane enforcement system. In response to years of work by immigrants and advocates, Biden quickly signed a series of executive actions related to immigration. Here is a summary of eight […]

In early February, U.S. Embassy Kabul will begin a phased resumption of immigrant visa interviews.  The initial phase will involve rescheduling applicants who had their interviews canceled due to the U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section halting in-person appearances because of COVID.  Once this phase is complete, the U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section, in coordination with the National […]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new policy, effective January 26, 2021, which will require airlines to obtain negative pre-departure COVID-19 test results for all international airline passengers arriving in the United States. The test must be from within three days of the flight. In the alternative, the passenger […]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently issued a final rule changing the way U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) selects the registrations of U.S. employers that want to file H-1B petitions subject to the annual “cap.” The end result could dramatically reduce the number of recent foreign graduates who can work in the United States and […]