The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced on November 12, 2018 that the new ETA FORM 9035, Labor Condition Application (LCA) for Nonimmigrant Workers, will be fully implemented on November 19, 2018. Employers or their authorized representatives who are filing an LCA on or after November 19, 2018, must use the revised form. The existing LCA remains valid for use by the public only until November 19, 2018. Certified LCAs filed prior to November 19, 2018 will also remain valid and can be used by petitioners to support H-1B filings.
USCIS began requesting on November. 1, 2018, that domestic applicants filing FORM N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, visit an Application Support Center (ASC) appointment to submit biometric information (including photos, signature, and index fingerprint). Applicants will NOT have to pay a biometrics fee. USCIS will also ask applicants filing FORM N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, to begin submitting biometric information at ASCs early next year.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on November 8, 2018 the expansion of the implementation of the June 28, 2018, Policy Memorandum (PM), Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens. USCIS began implementing the PM for denied Forms I-485 and I-539 on Oct. 1, 2018. USCIS will continue to take an incremental approach to implement the memorandum. Starting Nov. 19, 2018, USCIS may issue NTAs as described below based on denials of: FORMs I-914/I-914A, Applications for T Nonimmigrant Status, FORMs I-918/I-918A, Petitions for U Nonimmigrant...
Trump announced in an interview on Tuesday, October 29, 2018, that he will sign an executive order intended to end the practice of birthright citizenship. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on the same day said that he will introduce legislation to end the “absurd policy of birthright citizenship”. The proposed legislation to amend the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which states that all persons "born or naturalized in the United States" are "citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside " will not only require over two-thirds majorities in Congress, but also be ratified by three-quarters of...
The U.S. Defense Department is sending 5,200 armed active duty troops to the southern border to provide "mission enhancing capabilities". A total of 800 soldiers are already en route on Monday (October 29, 2018) and the remainder of the troops would be at the southwest border by the end of the week. The deployed troops will join the more than 2,000 members of the National Guard already providing assistance at the border now.
Forms Direct Inc., an immigration forms supplier, agreed to pay the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) $2.2 million Monday October 15, 2018 to settle claims that the company falsely implied it was connected with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Applicants for the DV–2020 DV program must submit entries electronically at dvlottery.state.gov between noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT–4), Wednesday, October 3, 2018, and noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT–5), Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Only one entry per person will be allowed and no late entries or paper entries will be accepted during the registration period. Individuals with more than one entry will be disqualified. Incomplete entries will not be accepted. Applicants can submit the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E–DV Entry Form or DS– 5501), online at dvlottery.state.gov. There is no cost to register for the DV Program. After...
On his first day on the job on the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh took a position in favor of a 1996 immigration law that allows the government to indefinitely detain immigrants who committed minor crimes at any point in time, including years or decades later, without bail hearings. Neil Gorsuch, meanwhile, cautioned against government overreach. A decision in the case is expected next June.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the agency will celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, observed on Sept. 17, with over 260 naturalization ceremonies across the country. Approximately, 45,000 lawful permanent residents will become America’s newest citizens during the annual commemoration honoring the signing of the U.S. Constitution 231 years ago on Sept. 17, 1787. View the list of 2018 Constitution Week naturalization ceremonies. USCIS has experienced a sustained 25 percent increase in the number of naturalization applications over the last two fiscal years on average. In FY 2017 USCIS naturalized more than 716,000 individuals. USCIS is on pace...
On September 11, 2018, USCIS began applying a new policy to allow the USCIS adjudicators discretion to deny a request for an immigration benefit without first issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID). The new policy will allow for USCIS to deny an application or petition without giving the applicant or petitioner the opportunity to correct a simple filing error. USCIS will also deny a benefit if any of the required initial evidence is missing from the filing. Prior USCIS policy limited an adjudicator’s ability to deny a case without first giving the...
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