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.

Highlights Include: I-129F Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) increases from $340 to $535 I-130 Petition for Alien Relative increases from $420 to $535 N-400 Application for Naturalization increases to $640 I-601A Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver increases to $630 For a complete list of new fees click here.

A Venezuelan woman who was charged with engaging in a $1.5 million immigration conspiracy and was arrested after unsuccessfully attempting to flee the U.S. for Caracas has been sentenced by a Florida federal judge to two and a half years of prison.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released FY2016 data showing border apprehensions are at 40-year lows. Far fewer individuals are trying to cross our borders than at any time since the 1970s. In October 2016, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson announced that apprehensions at the Southwest Border in FY2016 were 408,870 – roughly one-third of what they were 15 years ago. In the early 2000s, apprehension figures were regularly well over a million annually. From 2004 to 2013, Border Patrol apprehensions of individuals from non-Mexican countries averaged just 89,600 annually. By contrast, in 2014, that number jumped to more than 257,000,...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today the launch of the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) website for early enrollments. Nationals of the People’s Republic of China with a 10-year visa will update their information every two years using EVUS. EVUS is the online system used by nationals of the People’s Republic of China holding a 10-year B1/B2, B1 or B2 (visitor) visa to update basic biographic information to facilitate their travel to the United States. Beginning November 29, 2016 nationals of the People’s Republic of China holding 10-year B1/B2, B1 or B2 (visitor) visas will not be able...