The White House announced Thursday , September 26, 2019, that it drastically lowered the refugee cap to 18,000 for the upcoming fiscal year. The 18,000 figure is the lowest levels since the start of the refugee program, and already down from 30,000 last year. The State Department announced the cut was based on the “current burdens” on the immigration system, and that the cap will not be raised until those burdens are “alleviated.” The State Department estimated that it will receive 368,000 refugee and asylum claims in FY 2020, but will only admit a maximum of 18,000 refugees.
On September 17, 2019, a class action lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of New York on behalf of thousands of U-visa petitioners whose requests for work permits known as Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) have never been adjudicated, and who have been forced to wait unreasonable periods of time for the benefits Congress provided in the U-visa program. The class includes anyone who (1) submitted a U-visa petition on or before March 17, 2019; (2) requested employment authorization in connection with the U-visa petition; and (3) has not received a waiting-list determination or an EAD from USCIS. If the...
Being aware of these seven common blunders when choosing an immigration attorney can help you find peace of mind, and avoid years of stress. 1. Hiring an Immigration Attorney Who Is Not Board Certified A wrong or misinformed legal strategy can have permanent consequences on your life. Attorneys with demonstrated expertise and knowledge within a specific area of law can be awarded a Certificate of Special Competence by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) board certification program which serves the public interest and advances quality standards within the legal profession. The TBLS board certifies immigration lawyers that have substantial,...
The “port immigration courts” built by federal contractors in two massive tents near Brownsville and Laredo this summer at a cost of $25 million will be closed to legal observers, the press and the public according to a Trump administration announcement this week. The Department of Homeland Security indicated in a statement that immigration judges in San Antonio will remotely hear those cases over a video link. Judges from other Texas cities such as Harlingen and Port Isabel would also be hearing the cases of more than 42,000 asylum seekers who were returned to Mexico in accordance with the Trump...
Today, September 4th 2019, DHS published a proposed rule that will require a $10 fee for each registration submitted to register for the H–1B cap selection process. Petitioners seeking to file H–1B petitions will need to first electronically register with USCIS during a designated registration period for the petition to be considered properly filed. The H–1B registration system will not be a totally separate system and will be established within a platform that supports other USCIS functions. The registration program will require USCIS to incur certain costs and burdens for iterative development, correcting problems, handling help desk calls, and adding...
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 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...
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....
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.
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