November 15, 2010|Contributed by: Koby L. Polaski, Esq.
The United States Department of Justice announced last week that it reached a settlement agreement with Hoover Inc., the well-known manufacturer of vacuum cleaners, over allegations that Hoover imposed illegal obstacles in the I-9 process upon its lawful permanent resident employees. According to the Department of Justice’s report, Hoover required all permanent residents to produce a […]
November 2, 2010|Contributed by: Linda Shindler
On September 9, 2010 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a lower court’s finding that Hazelton, Pennsylvania’s “Immigration Relief Act Ordinance” is unconstitutional. The Court found that the section of the ordinance addressing employment contained provisions that went beyond requirements found in the federal legislation. In addition, the local ordinance did not clearly define who was an unauthorized worker. While the […]
November 1, 2010|Contributed by: Lindsey Lovgren
On November 23, 2010, the new fee schedule for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application and petition filing fees will go into effect. The new fee schedule was published on September 24, 2010, and shows that filing fees will increase by an average of 10{b6b8f04f7bd4b863c4cfed8339fd19419bda3e071c79bc5ac8c810cb9c52e30f}. Petitions and applications for businesses will be affected by […]
October 21, 2010|Contributed by: Koby L. Polaski, Esq.
Because of its heavy reliance on foreign workers, the technology industry recognizes the importance of immigration reform. Although the industry agrees it should be easier to hire the workers they need, CEOs remain divided on how policymakers should reform the country’s broken immigration system. Some say that the entire system needs to be reformed, while others in […]
October 16, 2010|Contributed by: Amber Blasingame, Esq.
As the election draws near, political candidates and their supporters work frantically to sway American voters with the hot topics de jour: the economy, health care, environmental concerns, immigration, etc. A recent popular combination of hot topics matches immigration issues against environmental concerns: If you are for immigration reform then you are against the environment, […]
October 14, 2010|Contributed by: Aaron C. Hall, Esq.
Lower rates of immigration to the United States are a major contributing factor to the sluggish housing market. The troubles of the housing market have long been blamed on excess inventory, but Fortune reports that a a drop in immigration has demonstrably hurt demand. According to the Fortune article, households headed by those foreign born […]
October 8, 2010|Contributed by: Koby L. Polaski, Esq.
Twenty-six New York City business owners have been indicted for their involvement in a criminal scheme that smuggled Chinese immigrants into the U.S. to work at restaurants and other establishments. According to yesterday’s indictments, six of the defendants smuggled immigrants form China to the United States from April through October. Eighteen of the defendants allegedly harbored […]
September 24, 2010|Contributed by: Amber Blasingame, Esq.
Effective November 23, 2010, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has increased government filing fees in all benefit categories. DHS proposed an increase in fees on June 11, 2010, and the final rule was published in the Federal Register today, September 24, 2010. The final rule increases most immigration benefit fees by a weighted average of 10 percent. DHS […]
September 20, 2010|Contributed by: Koby L. Polaski, Esq.
In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Former Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed his opinion regarding many immigration-related issues. Powell focused his interview, however, on the benefits provided by undocumented immigrants, economic and otherwise. Powell recognized immigrants as the force moving the United States forward, and specifically credited them as performing essential work in […]
September 10, 2010|Contributed by: Lindsey Lovgren
The Vital Statistics Office in Puerto Rico started issuing new, more secure certified copies of birth certificates to U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rica on July 1, 2010, due to a new birth certificate law in Puerto Rico. After September 30, 2010, all certified copies of birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010, will be […]
