May 26, 2020|Contributed by: Shana D. Velez
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), the agency that processes applications for legal permanent residence (green cards), citizenship, and many other applications for immigration benefits says that without a $1.2 billion bailout from Congress, the agency will cease operations this summer. This is not yet another economic consequence of COVID-19, rather, it is […]
May 25, 2020|Contributed by: Zachary New
In recent years, employers hiring temporary, high-skilled workers in the H-1B category have seen massive obstacles thrown increasingly in their path. Denial rates have quadrupled in recent years, from 6% in FY 2015 to 24% in FY 2018. New legal requirements also were implemented, and impediments to approval meant that, as some experts stated, no […]
May 15, 2020|Contributed by: Joseph & Hall P.C.
DHS announced that it has extended the flexibilities in rules related to Form I-9 compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic by an additional 30 days, including discretion to defer the physical presence requirements associated with Form I-9, and an additional 30-day extension for NOIs served in 3/20. AILA Doc. No. 20032033
May 13, 2020|Contributed by: Joseph & Hall P.C.
DHS released a pre-publication copy of a Temporary Final Rule that would provide additional flexibility for H-2B employers that are part of the food supply chain and H-2B workers who are already in the country. The rule, which becomes effective on May 14 and remains in effect until September 11, 2020, is similar to an April […]
May 12, 2020|Contributed by: Joseph & Hall P.C.
Per this policy memo found HERE: In order to address situations in which an H-1B FMG is temporarily unable to work full-time due to quarantine, illness, travel restrictions, or other consequences of the pandemic during the declared Public Health Emergency period, USCIS officers will not consider such a failure to work full-time to be a […]
May 4, 2020|Contributed by: Joseph & Hall P.C.
Hearings in non-detained cases are postponed through May 29, 2020. For the operational status of EOIR operations nationwide, please visit the EOIR website.
April 23, 2020|Contributed by: Jennifer Howard
On April 22, 2020, Trump issued a presidential proclamation suspending the entry of certain immigrants into the United States—immigrants the administration alleges “present risk to the U.S. labor market during the economic recovery following the COVID-19 outbreak.” Unfortunately, this proclamation comes as no surprise, following Trump’s “immigration ban” tweet on April 20th and following growing […]
April 23, 2020|Contributed by: Aaron C. Hall, Esq.
Background Over 450 people are currently jailed in the Aurora ICE GEO Detention Center. ICE detainees are held in civil, not criminal, detention. This means that none of them are being held on charges of criminal activity. Many have never been arrested by the police at all. Others have. But those with past arrests fit […]
April 23, 2020|Contributed by: Shana D. Velez
Because the CARES Act includes many different components, there are various answers to this question. First and perhaps most important to many families is whether they qualify for the recovery rebate, also known as the stimulus. Aside from having a qualifying income limit, all people who are included on the 2018 or 2019 tax returns […]
April 22, 2020|Contributed by: Aaron C. Hall, Esq.
We often receive calls from individuals seeking to understand if they are eligible for a special form of immigration relief called Ten-year cancellation of removal. Ten-year Cancellation of Removal is a form of immigration relief available to someone who is undocumented and meets certain eligibility requirements including having accrued 10 years’ continuous physical presence in […]
