Starting April 3, 2017, USCIS will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions. This suspension may last up to 6 months. While H-1B premium processing is suspended, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker which requests the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-will-temporarily-suspend-premium-processing-all-h-1b-petitions

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Friday that it is going to suspend expedited processing for all H-1B visas for up to six months beginning in early April, saying the move will allow it to process long-pending petitions and prioritize H-1B extension of status cases.

The White House has issued a new (and improved in that it is more detailed than the first one) Executive Order banning entry from six (6) Muslim majority countries listed in the prior ban except for Iraq which has been removed from the list. The Executive Order also halts refugee admissions for 120 days. The new Executive Order becomes effective on March 16, 2017 and rescinds the prior executive order of January 2017. The bottom line is that America’s door is closed to refugees and to many Muslims.

Release Date: February 4, 2017 For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-282-8010 WASHINGTON – In accordance with the judge’s ruling, DHS has suspended any and all actions implementing the affected section of the Executive Order entitled, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” This includes actions to suspend passenger system rules that flag travelers for operational action subject to the Executive Order. DHS personnel will resume inspection of travelers in accordance with standard policy and procedure.

On Friday, January 27, 2017, an Executive Order was issued by the White House suspending entry into the United States of foreign nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. After the implementation of the Executive Order, a number of federal court orders were issued based on lawsuits filed in the wake of the order. Upon issuance of the court orders, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) instructed the international airlines to prevent travelers who would not be granted entry under the Executive Orders from boarding international flights to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security has...

The “Declaration for Interpreted USCIS Interview” (Form G-1256) informs the interviewee about the importance of using a competent interpreter. The Form G-1256 must be signed by both the interviewee and the interpreter at the beginning of the interview. In addition, the interviewing officer must place both the interpreter and the interviewee under oath before the interview begins. The form includes an attestation that all parties understand the guidelines that apply to interpretation, including that the interpreter must accurately, literally, and fully interpret for both the interviewee and the interviewer/officer. This Policy Change is effective immediately. January 17, 2017.

The United States of America and the Republic of Cuba have agreed on January 12, 2017 to modify and end the special parole policy for Cuban nationals who reach the territory of the United States (commonly referred to as the wet foot-dry foot policy), as well as the parole program for Cuban health care professionals in third countries. The United States, consistent with its laws and international norms, will now apply to all Cuban nationals the same migration procedures and standards that are applicable to nationals of other countries.

The U.S. Department of Defense released on Dec. 2, 2016 an update on the status of Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) for fiscal year 2017 (FY 2017), from Oct.1, 2016 to Sep. 30, 2017. The notice indicates that the U.S. Army will not accept MAVNI applications for FY 2017 until they complete the revisions of the implementation plan for FY 2017. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has implemented additional and retroactive security protocols that all MAVNI applicants must satisfactorily complete. The Army is in the process of drafting a plan to implement OSD’s increased security protocols. Once...

USCIS Operations is assuring USCIS customers that current immigration programs and possible future immigration policies will continue to be implemented. USCIS will process all applications, petitions, and requests consistent with current statutory laws, regulations, and policies. USCIS cannot comment on what sort of policies the incoming Administration may choose to prioritize or pursue.

A former officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who had the authority to approve applications for citizenship, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison Friday for taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. Daniel Espejo Amos, 68, of Lakewood, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald in Los Angeles. The charges against Amos stemmed from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI. Amos pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy and one count of accepting cash bribes. When he pleaded guilty, Amos admitted he accepted more than $53,000 in bribes from immigration consultants on behalf of foreign nationals who were not eligible to become United States citizens. “This defendant violated his oath to the United States by accepting more than $53,000 in cash bribes in exchange for helping at least 60 aliens to obtain U.S. citizenship – even though he knew the immigrants did not qualify for this benefit,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Fernandez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.