Up until this month, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) program known as “medical deferred action” allowed immigrant families to remain in the United States for two-year periods if they can prove that a family member needs life-saving treatment for “serious medical conditions.”

Most of the families participating in the medical deferred action program entered the United States through a visa or another legal channel and the program enabled them to stay so the family member could receive medical treatment. Some suffer from epilepsy, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, cancer, cystic fibrosis, and HIV, among other illnesses.

Without formal notice, the Trump administration on August 7, 2019 sent letters to families of sick children containing a dire warning: leave the country in 33 days or face deportation and a years-long ban on returning. The letters simply state that “when you submitted your request [for deferred action] you were present in the United States contrary to law” and have 33 days to leave, or else the federal government will begin removal proceedings. USCIS says “medical deferred action” has been revised and is now limited to the foreign-born relatives of U.S. military service members.

Children who are now receiving medical treatment will be forced to return to countries where the medical treatment they need to survive may not exist.

This abrupt change in policy is a de facto death sentence for those who cannot obtain the same medical treatment in their home country.

Not surprisingly, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts is exploring possible legal action against the federal government over this new policy.

The FORM I-9 that all employers must complete for all newly-hired employees to verify their identity and authorization to work in the United States will expire on August 31, 2019.

Until further notice from DHS/USCIS, employers should continue using the Form I-9 currently available on I-9 Central, even after the expiration date of August 31, 2019 has passed.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today ( August 15, 2019) dismissed a federal government appeal and ruled that detained migrant children must have access to soap and toothpaste, and cannot be deprived of sleep.

A Justice Department lawyer earlier this year argued before a panel of federal judges that the requirement that children be afforded “safe and sanitary” conditions did not necessarily mean they needed to be given basic hygiene products. The government attorney claimed that the nationwide standard for the treatment of migrant children in custody — was vague and therefore, “it was left to the agencies to determine” what sanitation protocols to follow. The federal judges did not agree with the position of the Justice Department.

The Internal Revenue Service urged taxpayers to resolve their significant tax debts to avoid putting their passports in jeopardy. They should contact the IRS immediately to avoid delays in their travel plans later.

Under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the IRS notifies the State Department (State) of taxpayers certified as owing a seriously delinquent tax debt, which is currently $52,000 or more. The law then requires State to deny their passport application or renewal. If a taxpayer currently has a valid passport, State may revoke the passport or limit a taxpayer’s ability to travel outside the United States.

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El Servicio de Impuestos Internos insta a los contribuyentes a resolver sus deudas tributarias significativas para evitar poner sus pasaportes en peligro. Deben comunicarse con el IRS ahora para evitar retrasos en sus planes de viaje más tarde.

Bajo la Ley de Arreglo de Transportación de Superficie de América (FAST, por sus siglas en ingles), el IRS notifica al Departamento de Estado de los contribuyentes certificados como que deben una deuda tributaria severamente atrasada, que actualmente es de $52,000 o más. La ley requiere que el Departamento de Estado niegue su solicitud o renovación de pasaporte. Si un contribuyente tiene actualmente un pasaporte válido, el Departamento Estado puede revocar el pasaporte o limitar la capacidad de un contribuyente para viajar fuera de los Estados Unidos.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today, August 9, 2019, plans to maintain operations at its international field offices in Beijing and Guangzhou, China; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi, India; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Mexico City, Mexico; and San Salvador, El Salvador.

While retaining these seven international offices, USCIS plans to close the remaining thirteen international field offices and three district offices between now and August 2020 on a staggered schedule.