U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on September 27, 2019 granted the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and issued an order blocking DHS from implementing the July 23, 2019, Federal Register notice that expanded expedited removal to many individuals who are in the interior of the United States or have been in the United…

The EB-5 Regional Center Program, which was due to sunset (expire) on September 30, 2019, has been extended through November 21, 2019. A Continuing Resolution was passed by Congress on September 28, 2019 and signed by the President extending the funding of the federal government to prevent a government shutdown. The resolution includes language to…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…