Immigration

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  • June 2013 State Department Visa Bulletin Rundown

    Greg Siskind on Immigration Law and Policy
    Greg Siskind
    18 May 2013 | 6:02 pm
    Thanks to Nicollette Davis at our firm for summing up the latest Visa Bulletin: June Visa Bulletin Summary: Family 1st - World numbers, China and India advanced 3 weeks to 22 April 06; Mexico advanced 1 week to 15 August 93; the Philippines jumped 7 months to 01 January 00. Family 2A – World numbers, China, India, and the Philippines advanced 3 months and 1 week to 08 June 11; Mexico moved 3 months and 1 week to 08 May 11. Family 2B - World numbers, China, and India moved 1 month and 3 weeks to 08 July 05; Mexico...

  • Immigration Reform Bill Facing Amendment Challenges in Senate

    About.com Immigration Issues
    13 May 2013 | 3:34 am
    The Gang of Eight's proposed comprehensive immigration reform bill has started its formal journey through Congress, and already there have been volleys of poison-pill amendments intended to derail the legislation as it goes through the Senate's committee mark-up process....Read Full Post

  • Letters of the Week: May 13 - May 17

    Immigration Daily Blog
    Webmaster ILW.COM
    13 May 2013 | 10:40 am
    Please email your letters to editor@ilw.com or post them directly as "Comment" below.

  • June 2013 Visa Bulletin

    Carl Shusterman's Immigration Update
    Carl Shusterman
    12 May 2013 | 12:06 pm
    The Visa Bulletin for June 2013 contains great news for those waiting in line under the worldwide employment-based third category (professionals, skilled and unskilled workers). After advancing 5 months in May, worldwide EB-3 jumps forward 10 more months to September 1, 2008. In contrast, the India EB-3 priority date advances only 2 weeks. The EB-3 category for the Philippines moves ahead only 1 week. The worldwide EB-2 category remains current (no backlog), but while EB-2 PRC advances 8 weeks, EB-2 India does not move at all. The Senate CIR bill would eliminate all per-country EB quotas.

  • Will Due Process Protections Be Preserved in Senate Mark-Up?

    Immigration Impact
    Kristin Macleod-Ball
    17 May 2013 | 12:16 pm
    On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its mark-up of Title III of S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. When the mark-up continues on Monday, Senators are likely to vote on amendments addressing immigration courts. These amendments will be crucial in determining whether the full Senate receives a bill that provides due process protections to immigrants in removal proceedings. S.744 would make significant improvements to an immigration court system that, for far too long, has failed to provide thousands of noncitizens with a meaningful…
 
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    About.com Immigration Issues

  • Heritage Report Takes a Cheap Shot At Comprehensive Reform Bill

    19 May 2013 | 3:03 pm
    The Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based conservative think tank, released a report this month -- written by Jason Richwine and Robert Rector -- that projects a $6.3 trillion federal price tag for the comprehensive immigration reform plan Congress is considering....Read Full Post

  • House Members OK a 15-Year Wait For Citizenship in Reform Plan

    18 May 2013 | 12:50 pm
    A bipartisan group of U.S. House members working on comprehensive immigration reform legislation has agreed on a 15-year path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, two years longer than the 13-year proposal in the Senate plan....Read Full Post

  • Immigration Reform Bill Facing Amendment Challenges in Senate

    13 May 2013 | 3:34 am
    The Gang of Eight's proposed comprehensive immigration reform bill has started its formal journey through Congress, and already there have been volleys of poison-pill amendments intended to derail the legislation as it goes through the Senate's committee mark-up process....Read Full Post

  • Immigrant Remittances Recovering From Steep Recession Declines

    13 May 2013 | 3:13 am
    One reliable sign that the U.S. economy is recovering from the Great Recession is the steady increase in immigrant remittances to their homelands over the last five years. According to research released by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, immigrant workers living in the United States are still trying to get back to the income levels they had before the recession took hold late in 2007, but remittances are stabilizing....Read Full Post

  • Comprehensive Immigration Reform Proposal Ends the Diversity Lottery

    6 May 2013 | 12:15 am
    One of the many contentious ideas in the proposed comprehensive immigration reform bill is a largely overlooked provision that eliminates the diversity visa lottery (popularly known as the green card lottery) in exchange for making more visas available to highly skilled, highly educated immigrants in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)....Read Full Post
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    All Kolken & Kolken News and Blogs

  • CONDITIONAL PERMANENT RESIDENCY APPROVED FOR VISA WAIVER CLIENT

    12 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
    Our client is a native and citizen of Italy. She has previously been in the United States on a temporary basis as a J-1 exchange visitor, during which time she met and fell in love with her United States citizen husband. Our client was not subject to the 2-year foreign residency requirement for J-1 exchange visitors. The couple planned to get married in Italy this summer, and our client’s husband intended to petition for her and she intended to visa process, obtain lawful permanent resident status, and reside in the United Stats. Our client recently returned to the U.S. under the Visa…

  • Four immigration officials charged with bribery, fraud

    10 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    "On Wednesday, federal prosecutors announced charges against Anders, Figueroa, Lovingood, Dominguez and a client of Lee's, Mirei Gia Hofmann. The current and former immigration officials were indicted Tuesday on charges including conspiracy, bribery, fraud and misuse of government seals. Hofmann faces a single count of immigration fraud." Click here for more of this US immigration news update.  

  • Immigration Bill Faces Hundreds Of Amendments, Including On LGBT Rights

    8 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    "Some of the potential pitfalls for the bipartisan Senate immigration reform bill came into focus on Tuesday when Judiciary Committee members filed 300 amendments, ranging from worker visa changes to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The 18-member committee will begin discussion Thursday on those amendments to the so-called gang of eight's "Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act." As they do, some tough votes will come up for both opponents and supporters of the bill -- particularly members of the group who drafted it. Senators in…

  • U.S. think tank's immigration study draws conservative fire

    7 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A leading U.S. think tank headed by former Republican Senator Jim DeMint drew fire from fellow conservatives Monday for concluding that the citizenship proposals in a sweeping immigration reform bill would cost taxpayers trillions. The clash underscored divisions within the Republican Party over bipartisan immigration legislation in the Senate backed by Democratic President Barack Obama. The Heritage Foundation, in a report, warned that a proposed pathway toward U.S. citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants would cost $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years."…

  • L-1A Function Manager Petition Approved, Abandonment of Permanent Residence Handled at Border

    5 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
    Our client is a Canadian citizen who is employed as the Senior Lead Hand of a Canadian company that fabricates specialty architectural features. He has more than 21 years of experience in manufacturing and welding, first as a welder, and then as a supervisor. His job duties require him to manage the welding and fitting operations at the company’s production facility. The company wished to transfer our client to its United States affiliate to manage the welding and fitting operations at the U.S. company’s expanding production facility. As a result of his employment on behalf of the…
 
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    Greg Siskind on Immigration Law and Policy

  • King: Immigration Reform a Democratic Plot

    Greg Siskind
    19 May 2013 | 2:50 pm
    There's a reason the GOP leadership is hoping immigration reform finally moves this year. They're brand with Hispanic voters is terrible and they need to show that they're a party that has a place for this fast growing segment of the electorate. So they must have cringed when they saw this story on CNN: A prominent House conservative said Tuesday that the immigration reform bill under consideration in the Senate is part of an ongoing plot to build a massive new Democratic voting bloc. America's growing Hispanic vote is "a huge boon for Democrats. They have known that for a...

  • June 2013 State Department Visa Bulletin Rundown

    Greg Siskind
    18 May 2013 | 6:02 pm
    Thanks to Nicollette Davis at our firm for summing up the latest Visa Bulletin: June Visa Bulletin Summary: Family 1st - World numbers, China and India advanced 3 weeks to 22 April 06; Mexico advanced 1 week to 15 August 93; the Philippines jumped 7 months to 01 January 00. Family 2A – World numbers, China, India, and the Philippines advanced 3 months and 1 week to 08 June 11; Mexico moved 3 months and 1 week to 08 May 11. Family 2B - World numbers, China, and India moved 1 month and 3 weeks to 08 July 05; Mexico...

  • Deal Appears to Have Been Reached by House Gang of Eight

    Greg Siskind
    17 May 2013 | 10:29 am
    There have been multiple news reports in multiple well-regarded publications painting different pictures on the state of play with the House negotiators on a comprehensive reform bill. But a picture is starting to emerge. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday "Bipartisan House Group Reaches Broad Immigration Deal." The report indicates that most of the provisions for a deal have been worked out except some details on guest workers and health care for immigrants. But they also indicated that if they couldn't work out a deal, Republicans might introduce a bill without the Democrats. Also,…

  • Summary of Day's Amendments to Senate Bill 744 - 5/16/2013

    Greg Siskind
    16 May 2013 | 8:38 pm
    Title IV was finished and the Senate Judiciary Committee moved on to Title III dealing with interior enforcement. The EB-5 amendment was passed with little discussion, but is fairly massive - 31 pages - and will profoundly change that program. Here's my summary of the changes passed in today's markup. Next week, the markup will be all week and possibly evenings as well. The goal is to get the bill finished in the Judiciary Committee before the Memorial Day recess. Summary of S. 744 amendments from 5-16-2013

  • Study: Immigration Reform Would Dramatically Help Housing Market

    Greg Siskind
    16 May 2013 | 7:20 am
    Another in the long line of studies touting the benefits of reform.
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    Chris Musillo on Nurse and Allied Health Immigration

  • CAP-SUBJECT H-1Bs HAVE ALL BEEN RECEIPTED

    ChrisMusillo
    20 May 2013 | 7:09 am
    by Chris Musillo The USCIS has confirmed through AILA that all 2013 H-1B cap-subject cases have been receipted in this past week. This is a little quicker than we had expected. If you have not received an H-1B receipt notice the chances are that your case did not win the H-1B lottery. USCIS received approximately 124,000 H-1B petitions during the filing period, including petitions filed for the advanced degree exemption. On April 7, 2013, USCIS used a computer-generated random selection process (commonly known as a “lottery”) to select a sufficient number of petitions needed to meet the…

  • JUNE 2013 VISA BULLETIN

    ChrisMusillo
    15 May 2013 | 7:32 am
    by Chris Musillo The Department of State has just released the June 2013 Visa Bulletin. This Visa Bulletin showed incredible progress in the EB-3 numbers for All Other and China, each of which moved ahead by more than one year. China's EB-2 numbers also improved, moving forward by two months. India's EB-3 finally progressed into 2003, but it looking like a ten year Indian EB-3 retrogression shortly will be with us unless there is Comprehensive Immigration Reform. India EB-2 remained frozen. As MU Law mentioned earlier, we expect the Philippine EB-2 number to remain Current or near Current…

  • TRACKING THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

    ChrisMusillo
    9 May 2013 | 12:16 pm
    by Chris Musillo The Senate Judiciary Committee has begun the arduous amendment process. More than 300 amendments have been filed by the Senate Judiciary Committee membership, many by Republicans looking to stop CIR. The SJC is composed of far less than half of the Senate membership as a whole. The SJC deliberations are expected to last for about two weeks. After which, the SJC will take a vote. Although some members of the SJC are trying to torpedo the CIR bill, it is still expected to pass the SJC. From there the Senate as a whole will act on the...

  • WHAT CIR WILL HAVE IF WE HAVE CIR

    ChrisMusillo
    6 May 2013 | 11:23 am
    by Chris Musillo Comprehensive Immigration Reform is heating up. The Gang of Eight published a bill in April that is the first significant step in immigration legislation. MU Law has been to Washington to discuss the bill with Congressional staff. The bill is 850+ pages and will be amended many times before it ever come up for a vote. While the final version is still a work in progress and it is still an open question as to whether CIR will ever pass, several things are becoming clear. If CIR becomes law it will have these characteristics. Greater H-1B visa...

  • US EMBASSY - MANILA TEMPORARY CLOSED

    ChrisMusillo
    1 May 2013 | 5:13 pm
    by Chris Musillo The US Embassy - Manila Immigrant Visa Unit will be temporarily closed on Monday, May 13, 2013. Applicants with appointments scheduled for May 13 will be contacted to reschedule their appointments. Alternatively, applicants with appointments scheduled for May 13 may contact the Embassy’s call center at (632) 982-5555 or (632) 902-8930 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) to reschedule their appointments. Also, the American Citizens Services unit in Manila will be closed on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 for a regular training day. Regular services will resume on May…
 
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    Angelo Paparelli on Dysfunctional Government

  • Immigration's Minnesota Nice, Sen. Al Franken, Helps Small Businesses and Regular Folks with the I-9 Process

    Webmaster ILW.COM
    20 May 2013 | 8:56 am
    Ever since the people of Minnesota elected Al Franken their U.S. senator, there's been a hole in my comedic heart. The good Senator doesn't keep counsel with me, but I've discerned that he's made a personal vow to never again offer a hint of his former incarnation as one of the nation's most hilarious comedians and sketch comedy artists. In other words, he has adopted a serious mien, a gravitas befitting his membership in that elite conclave of the 100. So far as I can tell, he hasn't said anything really funny since before July 7, 2009 (when he took...

  • No Time for Rich-Whining, CIR Advocates Must Stay Focused on the Senate

    Webmaster ILW.COM
    13 May 2013 | 12:06 pm
    While most of the nation fixated this week on black and brown American heroes in Cleveland, the attention of immigration advocates diverged. They vacillated between delight with the imploding anti-immigration conservative movement and nail-biting over votes on a flood of amendments to the massive, bipartisan Gang of Eight bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Schadenfreude abounded over the fall of Jason Richwine, proponent of the discredited eugenical theory of low-IQ Hispanic immigrants and co-author of an error-filled study, “The Fiscal Cost of Unlawful Immigrants and Amnesty to the…

  • Memo to GCs: If Ever There Is a Time for Immigration Portfolio Management, It's Now.

    Webmaster ILW.COM
    6 May 2013 | 1:54 pm
    Much has been written since April 17 when the bipartisan Gang of Eight senators introduced S. 744, a brobdingnagian immigration reform bill that overlays 844 pages of turgid text on top of the already gargantuan and complex Immigration and Nationality Act. The Migration Policy Institute, the National Immigration Law Center, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) have each offered a helpful analysis of the bill. This legislative leviathan grew to 867 pages on April 30 with the substitution of a “managers’ amendment” (available here as revised and here as redlined, as…

  • The Xenophobes Can't Kill Immigration Reform - But What Should CIR Supporters Do Now?

    Webmaster ILW.COM
    22 Apr 2013 | 7:46 am
    The usual xenophobic suspects made the usual noises after the tragic events in Boston last week. Perhaps the most premature outcry came from electrified-border-fence proponent, Rep. Steve King, Republican from Iowa, who a day after the marathon explosions linked a report (ultimately untrue) that a Saudi national had planted the bombs with King's mission to stop comprehensive immigration reform (CIR): We need to be ever vigilant. We need to go far deeper into our border crossings. . . . We need to take a look at the visa-waiver program and wonder what we’re doing. If we can’t…

  • Article: Arcing toward Immigration Justice: "Illegals" No More by Angelo Paparelli

    Webmaster ILW.COM
    8 Apr 2013 | 7:27 am
    All of us at times become dispirited. As I've viewed immigration over the last 40 years, passionate advocates have come and gone, fortunate foreign citizens have been granted green cards and then naturalized; but the harshness and hard-heartedness of immigration law as a reflection of American cultural norms hasn't really diminished. For example, back in the 1980s I set a personal goal (to help end consular absolutism and introduce a measure of fairness into the visa process). In this, I have utterly failed, and have at times trended toward despondency. Although some of the State Department's…
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    Carl Shusterman's Immigration Update

  • June 2013 Visa Bulletin

    Carl Shusterman
    12 May 2013 | 12:06 pm
    The Visa Bulletin for June 2013 contains great news for those waiting in line under the worldwide employment-based third category (professionals, skilled and unskilled workers). After advancing 5 months in May, worldwide EB-3 jumps forward 10 more months to September 1, 2008. In contrast, the India EB-3 priority date advances only 2 weeks. The EB-3 category for the Philippines moves ahead only 1 week. The worldwide EB-2 category remains current (no backlog), but while EB-2 PRC advances 8 weeks, EB-2 India does not move at all. The Senate CIR bill would eliminate all per-country EB quotas.

  • Pathway to US Citizenship

    Carl Shusterman
    25 Apr 2013 | 11:07 am
    The Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill (S.744), introduced in the U.S. Senate in April 2013, creates a Pathway to Citizenship for over 11 million undocumented persons. (The bill is not law yet. To become a law, a bill must pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives and be signed into law by the President.) Below are the eligibility guidelines (in abbreviated form) for persons wishing to legalize their status, and then to apply for permanent residence and for U.S. citizenship. Eligibility for Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) Status: Must be unlawfully present in the U.S.

  • CIR Bill Would Create New Family-Based System

    Carl Shusterman
    22 Apr 2013 | 1:58 pm
    The Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill which was introduced in the Senate in April 2013 would make significant changes in the existing family-based immigration preference system. The number of family-based preference green cards would fall from 226,000 to 161,000 annually. However, by expanding the immediate relative category, the bill would increase family-based immigration. In addition, all unused family-based numbers from fiscal years 1992 to 2013 would be added to the fiscal year 2015 quota which starts on October 1, 2014. The worldwide level for family-based immigrant visas would be…

  • CIR Bill Would Create New Employment-Based System

    Carl Shusterman
    19 Apr 2013 | 10:10 am
    In addition to creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill (“Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act”) recently introduced in Congress would make significant changes in the legal employment-based (“EB”) preference system. Added to the current 140,000 annual cap on EB numbers would be a recapture of unused numbers from fiscal years 1992-2013 starting in fiscal year 2015 (which begins on October 1, 2014). In the future, unused EB numbers would roll over into the next year’s quota. Gone would be…

  • May 2013 Visa Bulletin Rocks (for Some)

    Carl Shusterman
    10 Apr 2013 | 8:25 pm
    The Visa Bulletin for May 2013 contains great news for a select group of persons who have been waiting in line for years to obtain green cards through their jobs. The worldwide EB-3 category jumps forward 5 months to December 1, 2007. What's more is that EB-3 workers born in the PRC are no longer hampered by the 7% per-country quota. Unfortunately, EB-3 workers born in India are not so fortunate. Their category advances only 2 weeks. And the EB-3 category for Filipinos moves ahead only 1 week. The worldwide EB-2 category remains current (no backlog), but while EB-2 PRC...
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    Matthew Kolken on Deportation And Removal

  • They Were Happily Married For 16 Years. Paid Taxes. Never Had A Parking Ticket. So We Deported Him.

    Matthew Kolken
    17 May 2013 | 6:31 am

  • 50,468 new Immigration Prosecutions in First Six Months of FY 2013

    Matthew Kolken
    10 May 2013 | 7:59 am
    Syracuse University's TRAC Immigration has reported that in the first six months of fiscal year 2013 there have been 50,468 new immigration prosecutions, which is an estimated 9% increase from the previous year. TRAC provides the following a historical perspective: They report that in March 2013 alone there were 7715 criminal defendants in immigration related cases filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. Statistics show that 66.4% of all charges alleged violation of 8 U.S.C § 1325, Entry of alien at improper time or place, and 29.5% of all charges were for violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326, Reentry of…

  • Suggestions for what can be done to ensure Due Process in Immigration Court Proceedings

    Matthew Kolken
    2 May 2013 | 5:45 am
    The true obstacle to due process and fundamental fairness in civil removal proceedings is the harsh consequences of mandatory detention, and the administration's overtly castigatory immigration hold and detention policy that removes aliens from their support network vitiating both their ability and will to fight removal. Current detention policies are penal in nature, and erode an individual’s ability to obtain counsel where an individual may be detained for months if not years while challenging removal. The elimination of the mandatory detention provisions of INA § 236(c), especially as…

  • Infiltration Leads to DHS Opening Civil Rights Investigations into ICE

    Matthew Kolken
    1 May 2013 | 5:47 am
    From DREAMActivist.org: NATIONAL—After being infiltrated and exposed by the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, Immigration and Customs Enforcement will now have to comply with a civil rights investigation by the Department of Homeland Security into five separate incidents of detainee mistreatment. NIYA will make the communication from DHS (with personal case information redacted) available to reporters upon request. In response to infiltration of ICE facilities in Florida and Michigan, ICE has accused NIYA twice of making false allegations. Every single detainee ICE releases because of our…

  • The Dream is Now Trailer

    Matthew Kolken
    4 Apr 2013 | 9:05 am
    I was just followed on Twitter by @TheDreamisNow, an organization that is advocating for common sense immigration reform that includes the principles of the DREAM Act. They filmed a documentary consisting of a collection of stories of undocumented immigrants in America that are desperate to become citizens of the only country they have even called home. The documentary is set to premiere this month in Washington DC, and will then be screened on college campuses and in communities to raise awareness in the hope of garnering support for immigration reform. Pretty moving stuff. I'll be watching.
 
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    ImmigrationProf Blog

  • The Religious Affiliation of U.S. Immigrants: Majority Christian, Rising Share of Other Faiths

    immigrationprof
    20 May 2013 | 4:57 pm
    Over the past 20 years, the United States has granted permanent residency status to an average of about 1 million immigrants each year. These new “green card” recipients qualify for residency in a wide variety of ways – as family...

  • Call for Human Rights, Fairness, and Justice in CIR

    immigrationprof
    20 May 2013 | 12:57 pm
    From the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: An Open Letter to the Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Support of Fair and Just Immigration Reform Over 700 groups and individuals call on senators to commit to human...

  • Hirono's Attempt to Save Families

    immigrationprof
    20 May 2013 | 12:53 pm
    From the Asian American Justice Center: AAJC Joins 200 Groups in Support of Sen. Hirono's Pro-Family Immigration Amendments WASHINGTON--The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, along with two hundred civil rights,...

  • Immigration Reform Effects on Families and Women

    immigrationprof
    20 May 2013 | 11:58 am
    From We Belong Together: TELEPRESSER: Experts to Discuss Effects of Senate Immigration Bill & Amendments on Families, Women Women’s & Immigrant Rights Leaders to Join Deported Mother, Child Separated from Parents to Discuss Needs of Families in Comprehensive Immigration Reform....

  • Enforcing the Border: Jurisprudence Meets the Practice of Enforcement

    immigrationprof
    20 May 2013 | 5:02 am
    As I blogged yesterday, I'm in El Paso, TX all week teaching a course on the enforcement of immigration law at the border. In class, the students and I will discuss several cases, including United States v. Brignoni-Ponce, 422 U.S....
 
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    The Immigration Law Link

  • Gay-Rights Issue Could Derail Immigration Reform Bill

    BradBernstein
    20 May 2013 | 7:39 am
    The already delicate bi-partisan agreement on immigration reform could be canned before it even becomes law due to a proposal to expand gay rights. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has sponsored an amendment that would allow United States citizens who are in long-term same-sex relationships to sponsor foreign partners for their green cards. The combination of sensitive issues like immigration and same-sex marriage have some proponents of the new bill worried that it could be too much for some to support. The Gang of Eight who constructed the immigration legislation…

  • USCIS Announces Integration Grant Opportunity for Immigrants

    BradBernstein
    17 May 2013 | 6:47 am
    A maze of red tape and financial hurdles is what many immigrants and permanent residents are faced with when they begin their journey towards securing a green card. The paperwork alone is a heavy burden for those looking to start a new life in the United States and assimilation can be daunting. But one aspect just got a little easier. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced late last month that they would be offering grant opportunities which promote civic integration, allowing immigrants to prepare for permanent residency and citizenship. USCIS will provide nearly…

  • Who Exactly is the “Gang of Eight?”

    BradBernstein
    16 May 2013 | 6:42 am
    When it comes to terms used in reference to aspects of the United States government, many are used often in the media with little or no description as to what they mean or who they are referring. It’s common to read through an article and stumble upon a handful of unfamiliar words, especially when thumbing through a legal heavy editorial. As immigration reform makes headlines with the advent of new proposals that could potentially alter the future of this country, many are left to flip through the dictionary or frantically google terms in a valiant attempt to keep up. Since we all aren’t…

  • Immigration Reform Not Just a USA Issue

    BradBernstein
    27 Apr 2011 | 9:40 am
    The Wall Street Journal (WSJ 04/27/11 issue) reported that both France and Italy recently called for the European Union to “overhaul its border policy in an effort to stop the influx of migrants unleashed by North Africa unrest, but failed to reach a concrete agreement over how Europe should handle the wave”. Sound familiar doesn’t it? Europe, like the U.S. is having the same difficulty coming up with an updated immigration policy the various countries on the European Union can agree on.  Is this the same Europe that is known for its more liberal interpretation and…

  • ‘Birther’ Bill Dies a Death in Arizona

    BradBernstein
    19 Apr 2011 | 1:00 pm
    This from our exclusive Associated Press newsfeed: Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Monday vetoed a bill that would have required President Barack Obama and other presidential candidates to prove their U.S. citizenship before their names could appear on the state’s ballot. The bill would have made Arizona the first state to pass such a requirement. Opponents had warned the bill would give another black eye to Arizona after last year’s controversy over the state’s illegal immigration enforcement law. Brewer said in her veto letter that she was troubled that the bill empowered…
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    Immigration Impact

  • Will Due Process Protections Be Preserved in Senate Mark-Up?

    Kristin Macleod-Ball
    17 May 2013 | 12:16 pm
    On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its mark-up of Title III of S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. When the mark-up continues on Monday, Senators are likely to vote on amendments addressing immigration courts. These amendments will be crucial in determining whether the full Senate receives a bill that provides due process protections to immigrants in removal proceedings. S.744 would make significant improvements to an immigration court system that, for far too long, has failed to provide thousands of noncitizens with a meaningful…

  • Subtle but Dramatic Progress on Immigration Reform

    Mary Giovagnoli
    17 May 2013 | 11:57 am
    Yesterday was day 3 of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s mark-up on S. 744, the Gang of Eight’s immigration bill. While it wasn’t as exciting as the first two days—no dramatic speeches or vocal disagreement—several important votes were taken to modify the mandatory E-verify program, adding and subtracting protections, safeguards, and reporting requirements. This lack of drama was a good thing, however, because there was far less posturing and far more legislating going on. During mark-up on Thursday, there was far less posturing and far more legislating going on. There were a few…

  • Senate Committee Debates W Visas and E-Verify on Day Three of Immigration Bill Mark-up

    Amanda Peterson Beadle
    16 May 2013 | 1:13 pm
    For the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s mark-up of the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” committee members continued to work through Title Four (specifically regarding the W visa program) and began debating Title Three (about interior enforcement). The senators considered 21 amendments and passed 11 of them with mostly bipartisan support. Four amendments were withdrawn. The adopted changes included Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) amendment to protect children’s social security numbers from identity theft and Sen. Sheldon…

  • The W Visa: Why the Economy Benefits from A Robust New Worker Program

    Paul McDaniel
    15 May 2013 | 1:16 pm
    The Senate Judiciary Committee returns to its task of marking up S. 744 tomorrow, taking up, among other things, possible amendments to the W visa program for new nonimmigrant workers. This new program, blessed by both business and labor, is an effort to acknowledge the need for a more flexible system for meeting the demand for workers in certain occupations and industries that require less-skilled workers. At Tuesday’s hearing, several Senators challenged the idea that the American workforce needed to be supplemented with immigrant labor, but the evidence is overwhelming that there is both…

  • Day Two of Senate Immigration Mark-Up Continues With Temporary Employment Visas

    Amanda Peterson Beadle
    14 May 2013 | 3:15 pm
    On the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s mark-up of S. 744, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” the senators tackled most of the amendments to Title IV after finishing debate on a few border security amendments. The fourth section addresses the majority of non-immigrant temporary visas including those for high and less- skilled immigrant workers, entrepreneurship and innovation programs, as well as a range of miscellaneous visitor visas. The committee members debated 29 amendments. Of the ones considered, the senators approved 15…
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    National Immigration Forum - Press Releases

  • Bipartisan House Group Agress in Principle on Immigration Reform

    17 May 2013 | 11:34 am
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers announced that they have reached an agreement in principle on immigration reform that includes a roadmap to citizenship. The announcement came a day after members of the group had suggested Thursday was a make-or-break moment for agreement. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum: “The announcement by the House represents major progress and gives immigration reform remarkable momentum. Much work lies ahead in both houses of Congress, but the diverse House…

  • Innovative Citizenship Initiative Launches in Los Angeles

    14 May 2013 | 6:15 am
    Innovative Citizenship Initiative Launches in Los Angeles. Employees Attend Free Citizenship Workshop at American Apparel LOS ANGELES — Today, the National Immigration Forum joined American Apparel employees to launch The Bethlehem Project in Los Angeles. Through this innovative citizenship initiative, businesses partner with local immigrant-service organizations such as NALEO, APALC, CARECEN and Catholic Charities to offer their immigrant employees onsite services such as English classes, civics instruction and legal assistance for citizenship applications. Across the country, it’s…

  • Senate Moves Toward Substance in Immigration Reform Debate

    9 May 2013 | 5:43 am
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a markup this morning of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, Congress takes another important step forward as it considers broad, commonsense immigration reform. With about 300 amendments introduced this week, senators are clearly prioritizing a new immigration process as they navigate the debate and move forward in bipartisan fashion. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum: “As senators take up the debate, they must remain…

  • Paul Singer Makes Significant Contribution to the National Immigration Forum Action Fund

    29 Apr 2013 | 11:26 am
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the Senate introduction of bipartisan immigration reform legislation, the National Immigration Forum Action Fund received a strong show of support from hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer to continue the bipartisan effort for common sense immigration solutions. Mr. Singer is the founder and CEO of Elliott Management, and is providing a six-figure contribution to the National Immigration Forum Action Fund’s “Bibles, Badges and Business” project to encourage Republicans and Democrats to support immigration reform that strengthens our nation’s…

  • Representatives Gutierrez and Carter Talk to San Antonio Residents about Immigration Reform

    29 Apr 2013 | 8:30 am
    On Monday, April 29, lawmakers gave San Antonio a front row seat to the latest developments on immigration reform As the Senate moves forward on immigration reform, two members of the House of Representatives group that has been negotiating behind the scenes to develop a compromise immigration reform bill will sat down with San Antonio residents to share some of the latest developments on immigration reform and discussed the path forward for the bill. The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. John…
 
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    Front page feed

  • Schumer-Rubio Amnesty Would Legalize 45 Percent of ICE Criminal Caseload

    Jessica Vaughan
    20 May 2013 | 12:54 pm
    One of the most alarming effects of the Schumer-Rubio amnesty, if enacted in anything close to its current form, would be the legalization of tens of thousands of illegal aliens who have already been a public safety threat in their community. The eligibility criteria established for the amnesty and most of the new guestworker provisions excuse a wide variety of criminal behavior, including gang membership, drunk driving, vehicular manslaughter, identity theft, and immigration fraud (see this analysis). In addition, the bill offers amnesty to those who have repeatedly and flagrantly violated…

  • Migration Hurts Both Migrants' Health and the Nation's Environment

    David North
    20 May 2013 | 10:34 am
    One of the more obscure arguments against more migration appeared — of all places — above the fold on the front page of Sunday's New York Times. That is the red carpet of America's print journalism. The lede of Sabrina Tavernise's report from Brownsville, Texas, was exactly on target: Becoming an American can be bad for your health. The headline was equally pertinent: read more

  • Charlie Rose on White House Crisis Management and Immigration

    Jerry Kammer
    20 May 2013 | 8:08 am
    Friday's Charlie Rose program included discussion of how the Obama administration's triple whammy – controversies involving Benghazi, the IRS, and the Justice Department – could reverberate in the attempt to pass immigration reform legislation. Here are comments of Bloomberg's Al Hunt, the Washington Post's Karen Tumulty, and CNN's Jessica Yellin: read more

  • Immigration and Trust in Government: R.I.P. Part 2

    Stanley Renshon
    20 May 2013 | 7:38 am
    Trust in government represents a leap of faith on the part of Americans, especially when it comes to large, complex, and extremely consequential policy legislation like the immigration bill now before Congress. That leap of faith actually consists of dual parts of hope and confidence. Trust rests on the hope that our leaders are acting in good faith and putting forward immigration proposals in the public interest and not primarily partisan policy proposals. It also depends on confidence that an expectation of fairness and evenhandedness in the policy debate process has not been misplaced.

  • Key Amendment to S.744 – Do the Amnestied REALLY Need to Pay Back Taxes?

    David North
    17 May 2013 | 1:25 pm
    Amidst the swirl of confusion, obscure parliamentary moves, and partisanship, as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up some 200 proposed amendments to the Gang of Eight's S.744, one vote is likely to be crucial. read more
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    VISANOW Global Immigration

  • Announcing VISANOW’s Deferred Action Case Giveaway

    Meghann Keesler
    20 May 2013 | 3:30 pm
      We are excited to announce the launch of our “Win A Free Deferred Action Case” Sweepstakes! The winner will receive a free DACA case to be prepared and filed by our experienced immigration attorneys, and all fees paid by … Continue reading →The post Announcing VISANOW’s Deferred Action Case Giveaway appeared first on VISANOW Global Immigration.

  • The Impact of Budget Sequestration on CBP

    VISANOW Global Immigration
    15 May 2013 | 2:30 pm
    by Jennifer Zimberg, VISANOW Immigration Attorney Will CBP budget sequestration increase border traffic?   A budget sequestration went into effect on March 1, 2013 for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Although the CBP is not the only agency that … Continue reading →The post The Impact of Budget Sequestration on CBP appeared first on VISANOW Global Immigration.

  • How Can I Prepare Myself for Immigration Reform?

    Laura Hayes
    14 May 2013 | 3:59 pm
      Immigration advocates around the country are extremely hopeful that a path to citizenship will be available soon. Once the immigration reform bill passes, undocumented immigrants will be able to walk the path to full U.S. citizenship through the Registered … Continue reading →The post How Can I Prepare Myself for Immigration Reform? appeared first on VISANOW Global Immigration.

  • Can I Hire Someone with an EAD Card?

    VISANOW Global Immigration
    10 May 2013 | 2:50 pm
    by Jenny Terlinden, VISANOW’s Customer Support Supervisor Recruiters and HR professionals often ask us if they can employ individuals who hold Employment Authorization Documents (EAD cards).  The short answer is “yes.” EAD cardholders do not require employer sponsorship to work—they are independently … Continue reading →The post Can I Hire Someone with an EAD Card? appeared first on VISANOW Global Immigration.

  • Employers Must Use New I-9 Form

    VISANOW Global Immigration
    9 May 2013 | 12:30 pm
    by Caroline Tang, VISANOW’s Senior Manager of Legal Services In light of comprehensive immigration reform discussions, we have been hearing more and more about the importance of employment eligibility verification. The USCIS has already been at work to develop and implement … Continue reading →The post Employers Must Use New I-9 Form appeared first on VISANOW Global Immigration.
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    The Asylumist

  • American Lawyer Assists Australian Asylum Seekers

    Jason Dzubow
    15 May 2013 | 6:04 am
                        Michael “Dan” Mori is a former Marine Corp attorney who gained fame defending Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks, an Australian national captured by the Americans in Afghanistan.  With Mr. Mori’s help, Mr. Hicks accepted a favorable Alfred plea (basically meaning that he did not admit guilt, but agreed that there was enough evidence to convict him). He was sentenced to seven years in prison for supporting terrorists, a charge that he denies. All but nine…

  • In Defense of Muslim Asylum Seekers

    Jason Dzubow
    8 May 2013 | 7:40 am
                        Since the Boston bombing, we’ve heard much talk about restricting access to asylum (and immigration) for Muslims. Opponents of reform have wondered aloud how the Tsarnaev brothers entered the U.S. and why their father received asylum in the first place (the brothers obtained derivative asylum based on their father’s application). One commentator called for a halt to student visas for Muslims; another for an end to all Muslim immigration. As Ben Franklin said,…

  • Would the Last Eritrean to Flee the Country Please Turn Out the Lights

    Jason Dzubow
    1 May 2013 | 7:22 am
                        There’s an old joke from the Soviet era where Leonid Brezhnev is talking to his deputy. Brezhnev says, “If we lift the Iron Curtain and allow our people to leave the U.S.S.R., the only ones who will be left here are you and me.” The deputy responds, “Speak for yourself.” Repressive regimes often prevent their people from leaving. If the doors were open, everybody would go. The classic example of this in today’s world is North Korea. The…

  • CIS Uses Boston Attack to Condemn Asylum, Immigration System

    Jason Dzubow
    24 Apr 2013 | 6:05 am
                        The “low immigration, pro-immigrant” group Center for Immigration Studies claims that the “United States has naturalized at least a few thousand alleged terrorists in recent years.” As evidence for this dramatic claim, CIS lists exactly four (four!) examples of naturalized foreigners who engaged (or attempted to engage) in terrorist acts, including Dzhokhar Tsarnaev who is charged in the Boston Marathon bombing. Hmm… There’s something…

  • Immigration, Asylum Reform and the New Terrorism

    Jason Dzubow
    19 Apr 2013 | 7:12 am
                        The situation is still developing in Boston.  As of this writing, one terrorist is dead; another is on the loose, and a third man–dubbed “an accomplice”–is in police custody. There are still many unanswered questions about the men’s motivation and what connections, if any, they have to other terrorists. One thing we do now know is that the two men who placed the bombs are from Chechnya. Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation. It has been…
 
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    ImmigrationDirect Blog

  • Immigration Fact of the Week May 17

    Eric Ramos
    17 May 2013 | 3:33 pm
    Question: What are Dual Intent visas? Answer: They are nonimmigrant visas that allow people to apply for permanent residency. Nonimmigrant visas are specifically for foreign nationals who wish to remain in the U.S. for a only temporary period of time. However, there are some nonimmigrant visas that allow for Dual Intent, which means that someone can be admitted for a temporary period but he or she can also apply for a Green Card during that time. Green Cards are also known as immigrant visas. The H-1B visa is an example of a dual intent visa. Look for a new Immigration Fact of the Week every…

  • Juez Permite que Arizona siga Negando Licencias de Conducir para Soñadores

    Eric Ramos
    17 May 2013 | 2:14 pm
    Por ahora Arizona continuará negando licencias de conducir a beneficiarios de la Acción Diferida, pero la demanda en contra de la política de la gobernadora Jan Brewer sigue en pie. Ayer, el Juez Federal de Distrito David Campbell negó una medida cautelar para la orden ejecutiva de la gobernadora Brewer que evita que los beneficiaros de la Acción Diferida obtengan licencias de conducir. En una declaración, la gobernadora Brewer dijo lo siguiente: “Esta parte de la decisión no es sólo una victoria para el estado de Arizona — es una victoria para los derechos de los estados, el…

  • Judge Allows Arizona Driver’s License Ban for DREAMers to Continue

    Eric Ramos
    17 May 2013 | 12:03 pm
    Arizona will continue to deny driver’s licenses to Deferred Action recipients for now, but the lawsuit against Governor Jan Brewer’s policy still stands. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge David Campbell denied a request for a preliminary injunction on Brewer’s executive order that prevents Deferred Action recipients from getting driver’s licenses. In a statement, Gov. Brewer said the following: “This portion of the ruling is not only a victory for the state of Arizona — it is a victory for states’ rights, the rule of law and the bedrock principles that guide our…

  • This is the Summer for Immigration Reform

    Eric Ramos
    17 May 2013 | 8:30 am
    “You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered.” - Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States Immigration Reform Bill S. 744 is currently making its way through Congress.  Authored by the “Gang of 8”, a bipartisan group of senators, it has become a topic of intense debate. Senators Schumer and McCain have already met with President Obama at the White House to discuss their legislation and, according to Senator Schumer,…

  • Votación Sobre Reforma Migratoria Continúa

    Eric Ramos
    16 May 2013 | 2:37 pm
    (USCIS.gov) El Comité Judicial del Senado continúa la votación sobre las enmiendas al proyecto de ley de la reforma migratoria. Las enmiendas discutidas esta mañana se trataron de temas relacionados con empleo. La enmienda del senador Patrick Leahy (D-VT) hace que el programa EB-5 sea permanente y que haya una mejora en la eficacia del programa para los inversionistas y los operadores del centro regional extranjeros. La enmienda del senador Al Franken (D-MN) requiere que el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional cada año presente un informe sobre la tasa de error del sistema E-Verify, junto…
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    Immigration News | Get the latest immigration news and headlines

  • New Union Opposes Immigration Reform Bill

    Abby Keane
    20 May 2013 | 3:15 am
    On May 20, a large union of more than 12,000 federal immigration officers announced its opposition of the new immigration reform bill proposed by the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" senators who authored the legislation. The group represents a large number of employees in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who specifically deal with immigration. Made up of the National Citizenship and Immigration Services Council and the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, the union members would play a large roll in granting citizenship…

  • Immigration amendment prompted by Boston bombings

    Abby Keane
    15 May 2013 | 5:47 am
    A new amendment in the immigration reform debate was passed unanimously on May 14. The new law allows more monitoring of foreign students, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to implement the "real-time transmission" of student visa information to databases used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents across the country in light of the recent Boston bombings. The amendment was proposed by Sen. Charles Grassley​, R-Iowa, and prompted by an alleged accomplice of the accused Boston bombers who was in the country on an expired student visa.

  • Immigration debate heats up

    Abby Keane
    14 May 2013 | 8:14 am
    Conservative members in the House of Representatives are standing firm on their opposition to a comprehensive immigration reform plan, and on May 14 they made it clear that they weren't faltering in their opinions. Amnesty continues to be the main cause for debate between Senate and House members, and House conservatives refuse to sign a bill that allows this freedom for the 11 million immigrants who do not have U.S. citizenship.  The path to citizenship in the Senate's draft of the bill would take almost 13 years, with provisional status to be granted…

  • Immigration reform will prevent ‘visa overstays’

    Abby Keane
    13 May 2013 | 9:08 am
    While border security is a main concern for senators working to revamp the nation's immigration system, a less likely problem- immigrants who come to the U.S. legally but stay long after their visas expire- is another issue that government officials aim to end with new legislation. The proposed bill may adapt a system similar to Australia's, where passports are scanned upon arrival and exit of the country. The proposed U.S. Senate bill envisions a similar entry-exit system at airports and seaports to be enacted within the next five years. "We have nearly…

  • Immigration bill could pose a problem for those avoiding taxes

    Abby Keane
    13 May 2013 | 7:30 am
    The immigration reform bill, if passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives in the coming months, would require immigrants seeking citizenship to pay back all owed taxes. While requiring tax payments would give an answer to critics who say that legalization would be a form of amnesty for those who broke U.S. law by entering the country illegally, there is still no way to determine who owes what. There would have to be a secure honor system in place, since many immigrants do not have any paperwork or work history documentation.  A recent report from the Internal Revenue…
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    ImmigrationDirect

  • I-130 Family Petition Process

    Abby Keane
    16 May 2013 | 4:12 pm
    Form I-130 is the Petition for Alien Relative. This is the first step of the family petition process. Form I-130 is necessary when a U.S. citizen or permanent resident wants to get a Green Card for an eligible family member. This form is not filed by the person who is seeking the Green Card. It [...]

  • What is the V visa?

    Abby Keane
    14 May 2013 | 10:44 am
    The V visa is a nonimmigrant visa that Congress created through the Life Act. Congress enacted the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act (Life Act) on December 21, 2000. The Life Act stated that certain people who had previously not been able to do Adjustment of Status would become eligible. This meant that certain people who [...]

  • SEVIS II

    Abby Keane
    9 May 2013 | 11:01 am
      Over 580,000 students come to the U.S. annually and all of these students must register in a government system designed to track their entry, departure and legal status. While the current system is flawed and complicated, a new one is soon to be launched: SEVIS II. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) [...]

  • Reason to file I-601a

    Abby Keane
    8 May 2013 | 3:49 pm
    Form I-601A is the Application for the Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver. This form is necessary when immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are applying for their Green Card and they are not eligible for Adjustment of Status. Immediate Relatives This is the immediate relative category: The Spouses of U.S. citizens The Unmarried children under the age [...]

  • Graduate Programs in the U.S.

    Abby Keane
    3 May 2013 | 4:00 pm
    To become a student in the U.S., you will need to get a student visa. There are two types of student visas: the F-1 visa and the M-1 visa. The F-1 visa is for students who are looking to enter college or a university, a high school, a private elementary school, seminary, conservatory, or any [...]
 
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    Immigration Nation: by Jeffrey L Robbins

  • BALCA: “May Be Assigned To Various Unanticipated Sites” Confuses People!

    Jeffrey L Robbins
    26 Apr 2013 | 1:05 pm
     Matter of Oracle America, Inc., BALCA Case No.: 2011-PER_00963. When reading the following excerpt from the case, please note that the NOF (Notice of Filing) is not an advertising or recruiting tool.  It is intended to give notice to existing employees, who then “may submit to the Certifying Officer documentary evidence bearing on an application for permanent alien labor certification,” which “may include information on available workers, information on wages and working conditions, and information on the employer’s failure to meet the terms and conditions for…

  • BALCA: Failure To Provide Copy Of Prevailing Wage Request No Basis For PERM Denial

    Jeffrey L Robbins
    23 Apr 2013 | 7:05 am
    Matter of SAP America, Inc., BALCA Case No.: 2010-PER-01250.     In light of the foregoing, we find that SAP’s failure to produce “a copy [of] the prevailing wage request for the prevailing wage determination” did not constitute a “substantial failure by the employer to provide required documentation” under Section 655.20(b).  Accordingly, we find that the CO erred in denying SAP’s application.  We thus reverse the CO’s denial and remand the matter to the CO for certification.   Filed under: Immigrant Tagged: BALCA

  • BIA Defines “Approvable When Filed” For Grandfathering Under INA Sec. 245(i)

    Jeffrey L Robbins
    22 Apr 2013 | 2:32 pm
    Matter of Butt, 26 I&N Dec. 108 (BIA 2013).          In determining whether a labor certification is “approvable when filed,” we consider the regulatory requirements that the application must be (1) “properly filed,” (2) “meritorious in fact,” and (3) “non-frivolous.” 8 C.F.R. §§ 245.10(a)(1)–(3), 1245.10(a)(1)–(3). A “properly filed” labor certification is one that is submitted to and accepted for processing as a completed application by the correct local office on or before April 30, 2001.  See 20 C.F.R. §§ 656.21(d), 656.30(b)(1).  Date stamping…

  • Buyer Beware: E-Verify’s Hidden Costs

    Jeffrey L Robbins
    28 Feb 2013 | 12:33 pm
    From The Hill Legislators looking at mandatory E-Verify proposals should proceed with caution: if implemented incorrectly, E-Verify could cause job losses to U.S. citizen and work authorized individuals, massive economic hardship, and lead to widespread workplace rights violations. Filed under: Employers Tagged: E-Verify

  • Five Things Economists Know About Immigration

    Jeffrey L Robbins
    29 Jan 2013 | 1:26 pm
    From The Washington Post. 1. It’s really good for immigrants 2. It’s very good for the economy as a whole 3. It increases innovation 4. The typical native-born worker probably benefits 5. Low-skilled immigrants probably don’t see any effect   Filed under: Immigration Policy
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    Canada Immigration Lawyers and Information

  • Finally! The Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program Will Re-Open – But With A Twist

    Gianpaolo Panusa
    18 May 2013 | 9:46 pm
    As many of you are painfully aware, the sponsorship program for parents and grandparents has been suspended since November 2011. That’s right – since 2011 Citizenship and Immigration Canada have not been accepting sponsorship applications from citizens or permanent residents to bring their parents and grandparents from their home countries to Canada. This has caused a lot of hardship for many families. There’s the physical separation that is sometimes difficult to overcome.  It can cost a lot of money to travel overseas, and if a parent or grandparent is from a country that…

  • Working in Canada Just Got Tougher: Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Coming

    Gianpaolo Panusa
    29 Apr 2013 | 10:09 pm
    As I’ve mentioned in the past, if you want to immigrate to Canada and you qualify, you should begin the process immediately, as rules seem to change often these days, and it seems increasingly more difficult to qualify. Following the public outcry after the Royal Bank hired foreign workers from India to replace Canadians.  Some of those workers were in Canada to train for jobs that would be outsourced to India.  Canadians lost their jobs at the Royal Bank and the public backlash was fierce. The government has moved quickly and today announced a series of reforms that will be…

  • New Federal Skilled Worker Guidelines Released

    Gianpaolo Panusa
    18 Apr 2013 | 8:36 pm
    As you may know, the Federal Skilled Worker Program has been suspended since July 1, 2012 (except for arranged employment applications and those under the PhD. class).  Today, CIC announced that the program will commence on May 4, 2013. It is still a points system, and 67 points (out of a possible 100) is still required in order to apply to the program.  Points will be awarded for language, education, age work experience, arranged employment in Canada, and adaptability. To be clear, you can not apply until May 4th, but you should definitely start taking steps now in order to get ready…

  • Video Tutorial: Supplementary Information Your Travels IMM5562

    Gianpaolo Panusa
    16 Apr 2013 | 8:04 pm
    Here’s another addition to my video tutorials that cover immigration form completion. As always, you should complete these forms in accordance with CIC instruction guides. As well, forms do change over time so check to see if there is a later version of this form (the date is often in the left corner of the form). These videos are meant as general information and not legal advice – your situation is unique and may require a different approach to the forms. If you find these videos useful, all I ask is that you link to them or share them on your social network. Thanks! Video…

  • Meeting at the Border Without a Visa: The Haskell Free Library and Opera House

    Gianpaolo Panusa
    15 Apr 2013 | 8:09 pm
    Photo by Jimmy Emerson When one thinks of a border between two countries, one imagines large gates or fences, tight security, a number of border officers and line-ups on either side. However, this border is different. Located at Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House straddles the Canadian and USA border.  In fact, the border between the two countries is indicated by a thick line on the floor across the library’s reading room. Was this a mistake in construction, accidentally built where it was not supposed to be? No – it was…
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    My Access Australia

  • Australian Visa Refusal & Cancellation – Migration Review Tribunal

    Peng Cheng
    30 Apr 2013 | 3:45 am
    Has your visa application been refused or your visa cancelled? If you have been refused an Australian visa, one of the options for a review of this decision may be to apply to the Migration Review Tribunal (‘MRT’). The MRT will re-assess the application to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements for the visa, [...]The post Australian Visa Refusal & Cancellation – Migration Review Tribunal appeared first on My Access Australia.

  • Accountants & Auditors – Australian Permanent Residency 189 & 190 Visas

    Peng Cheng
    1 Apr 2013 | 12:22 am
    As a qualified accountant or auditor, you may be eligible to apply for Australian permanent residency through the Subclass 189 or 190 visas. Did you know that you may be able to apply without the sponsorship of an employer? And that DIAC may be able to process this application quicker than if you had lodged [...]The post Accountants & Auditors – Australian Permanent Residency 189 & 190 Visas appeared first on My Access Australia.

  • Temporary Work – Subclass 400 Visa

    Peng Cheng
    30 Mar 2013 | 7:12 pm
    The Subclass 400 Temporary Work visa is a new visa which was introduced on 23 March 2013. This visa allows the holder to temporarily work in Australia in a highly specialised and non-ongoing role. If you need to work in Australia in a highly specialised, and you only need to perform this role for a period of [...]The post Temporary Work – Subclass 400 Visa appeared first on My Access Australia.

  • ENS / RSMS Processing Times & Decision Ready Applications

    Peng Cheng
    11 Mar 2013 | 4:10 pm
    I have received an update from DIAC in relation to processing times for ENS and RSMS applications. This update is current as at 4 March 2013. According to information provided by the Migration Alliance of Australia (MIA), the below information relates to decision-ready applications only. Note: Please don’t ask me to predict the processing time for [...]The post ENS / RSMS Processing Times & Decision Ready Applications appeared first on My Access Australia.

  • Subclass 836 & 116 – Carer Visa

    Peng Cheng
    10 Mar 2013 | 6:47 pm
    Are you an Australian citizen or permanent resident who suffers from medical conditions, and needs assistance with the practical aspects of daily life? Are you unable to obtain the assistance that you require from services that are available in the Australian community? If you find yourself in this circumstance, then you may be able to [...]The post Subclass 836 & 116 – Carer Visa appeared first on My Access Australia.
 
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    WordPress.com News

  • Customizing Comet: Beau and Arrow Events

    Lauren Orsini
    20 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    Who doesn’t love “Before and After” home improvement shots? It’s always amazing to see how just a couple of changes, like a coat of paint or a quick do-it-yourself project, can transform a living space dramatically. It’s no different when it comes to WordPress.com blog themes, in which a little customization can go a long way. Today let’s take a look at Beau and Arrow Events, a wedding inspiration blog run by Ellen and Kate, two San Diego-based event planners. You’d never know that this chic blogazine is running on Comet, one of our sparest themes. Here’s how the bloggers…

  • Freshly Pressed: Friday Faves

    Cheri Lucas Rowlands
    17 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    An ode to a father, a story of growing up with two mothers, a request for a cloak of visibility, and a reflection on goodbyes. Here are four Freshly Pressed standouts from this week — all quite personal pieces that have resonated with many readers. Go ahead and dive in: Why I Don’t Diet — An Ode to My Father My father spent his years fighting his size, wishing he was smaller, weaker, less of a giant. He was taught to hate his body, and he was ashamed of the amount of space he took up. But he passed his strength to me, and I won’t squander my inheritance. I will not let…

  • New Theme: Snap

    Nate Schaumburg
    16 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    Happy Theme Thursday! Sharing and managing your work online should be easy, and today I’m thrilled to announce a new theme from our friends at The Theme Foundry that helps you do just that! Snap is a responsive, lightweight, and minimalist theme that makes it easy to feature your projects. Snap’s clean grid based blog layout and configurable page templates also make it incredibly flexible. Snap: Home Page Read more about Snap in the Theme Showcase, or test drive it for yourself by going to Appearance → Themes in your Dashboard.

  • Widget Visibility and You

    Christopher Finke
    15 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    Since the dawn of time, humankind has yearned for control. While we can’t give you more control over most of your life, we can give you more control over your widgets. And today, with the new widget visibility tool, you can configure your widgets to be shown or hidden only on certain pages. Widgets are a way to add new content (like your Twitter stream, a tag cloud, or a link to your blog archives) in the sidebar, header, or footer of your site. To see the widgets you have available to you, log in to your WordPress.com dashboard and click on Appearance » Widgets. To add a widget,…

  • Websites for the Greater Good: Non-Profits on WordPress.com

    michelle w.
    14 May 2013 | 11:47 am
    All kinds of organizations make their home on WordPress.com: small businesses, municipalities, religious organizations, schools, community groups. We also provide an online HQ for quite a few non-profits, from the global to the hyperlocal. They turn to WordPress.com for an easy-to-use, low cost solution that gets them an effective web presence without diverting thousands of dollars from their missions: helping others. Here are just a few of the organizations that call WordPress.com home, and some of the ways they’ve used WordPress.com to create compelling sites that tell their stories…
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    EB5 Visa - Which EB5 Blog

  • EB-5 Regional Center List – USCIS Approved Regional Centers

    Stephen Parnell
    17 May 2013 | 10:19 am
    EB-5 Regional Center List – USCIS Approved Regional CentersNew alphabetical list of EB-5 Regional Centers approved by USCIS It is important to keep in mind the following points when considering EB-5 Regional Centers from this list. Which have had I-526 petition refusals? Which have had I-829 petition acceptances and which have had refusals? Which have been the subjects of court action? Which have repaid $500,000 in full? Which have not? If you would like to be sent detailed information on your EB5 Visa options, a report from a leading EB5 Immigration attorney, or would like a briefing…

  • E2 Visa Causing Heartache for Families

    Stephen Parnell
    13 May 2013 | 1:41 pm
    E2 Visa Causing Heartache for FamiliesSadly every year there are many reports in local newspapers throughout the USA of families who legally immigrated to the USA many years ago who have operated small businesses employing US workers, have paid US taxes on their company profits and earnings, indeed have done everything right but then find themselves in the awful position of having to leave the USA and return to their old country or see their children having to leave the USA when they reach the age of 21, even though those children have grown up in the USA and have no affiliation or contacts…

  • EB5 Visa Information Can be Confusing Without the Facts

    Stephen Parnell
    1 May 2013 | 8:50 am
    EB5 Visa Information Can be Confusing Without the FactsIt is understandable, when you are looking to get detailed information on the EB5 visa as the best option to obtain permanent residence in the USA for you and your family, that you hope to get both the best and the clearest advise available, and you probably also hope that there is consistency in that advice, particularly if it comes from some well-known EB5 visa Attorneys. We were recently contacted by a family who had looked into the EB5 visa for some time and were getting to the stage of planning their timetable on the application…

  • How Long Will My EB5 Visa Application Take?

    Stephen Parnell
    26 Apr 2013 | 4:06 am
    How Long Will My EB5 Visa Application Take?This is a question that is often asked by immigrants considering the EB5 visa and one where the answer can change a lot over a few months. For many of you planning to apply for permanent resident status in the USA using the EB5 visa, the timing of when you need to start your application process can be an issue for you if you want to start your life in the USA on a particular date. As an example, if you want your children to begin school in the USA at the start of the new school year (2014), which in many states begins in August 2014, you may be…

  • Is Your Choice of EB-5 Regional Center Good or Bad?

    Stephen Parnell
    24 Apr 2013 | 4:21 am
    Is Your Choice of EB-5 Regional Center Good or Bad?At first glance for many of you considering the EB-5 visa, this might seem a very strange question. After all, America is a country that is all about choice and you might understandably feel that the more choice the better. Going back only a few years those immigrants who were considering the EB-5 visa as their best route to America had only a limited number programs to look at and if one of their main considerations was I-829 approvals their list of options became even smaller. However, with The United States Citizenship and Immigration…
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    Emigrate.co.uk News

  • Canada to lure Silicon Valley techies struggling with immigration issues

    Kate Welch
    20 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    Canada’s minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism arrived in the Bay area last Friday determined to spread the message that his country is open for business. In a Vancouver interview before he left, Jason Kenney told the media that the dysfunctional US immigration system is now common knowledge worldwide, adding that he... Emigrate UK - Emigrate.co.uk News

  • Australia plans to admit 190000 immigrants in 2013

    Anna Rowlands
    17 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    Australia’s Federal Budget, announced last Monday, saw no change in expected immigration numbers at 190,000 for the year 2013/2014, the same number as in the previous year. Prospective skilled migrants will welcome the news, as the rumours that the category would be cut down have proved unfounded. In recent months, negative comments... Emigrate UK - Emigrate.co.uk News

  • Merkel urges Germans to accept immigration policy changes

    Kate Welch
    16 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    In a game-changing speech delivered earlier this week German chancellor Angela Merkel urged the German people to face up to the hard facts of essential changes in immigration policy. Merkel’s speech at a government-backed conference focused on Germany’s demographic challenges and the social legacy of unchecked immigration over... Emigrate UK - Emigrate.co.uk News

  • Kiwi lifestyle and higher wages lure highly skilled Brits

    Anna Rowlands
    15 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    Just as figures were released showing a dramatic fall in the number of UK immigrants, more than 2,000 skilled job-seekers arrived at the first Down Under Live jobs fair in Newcastle. The Christchurch rebuild, billed as the ‘world’s largest construction project’, is in dire need of skilled engineers, construction workers in all... Emigrate UK - Emigrate.co.uk News

  • Canada ramps up search for skilled immigrants in specific trades

    Helen Young
    14 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    Canada’s state and national governments are ramping up their search for skilled workers, targeting the USA as well as the UK, continental Europe and other world nations. The Canadian immigration office now considers itself part of a global competition to gain the most skilled tradespeople and entrepreneurs, a contest it’s determined... Emigrate UK - Emigrate.co.uk News
 
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  • UNLAWFUL PRESENCE AND CITIZENS OF CANADA

    ashautsova
    20 May 2013 | 10:51 am
    UNLAWFUL PRESENCE FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS UNLAWFUL PRESENCE AND CITIZENS OF CANADA Unlawful presence is usually starts to run when a person, who is not a US citizen or US permanent resident overstays their visa or authorized stay. It does not start to run for holders of D/S I-94s, such as F-1 or J-1 students, for whom a USCIS officer or an Immigration Judge has  not rendered a decision as to termination of their status and that they have to leave the country. However, the question remains as to the validity of status for those who came in the US without a visa, such as citizens of Canada who…

  • F-1 Travel During Cap-Gap Extension

    ashautsova
    16 May 2013 | 2:48 pm
    F-1 Travel During Cap-Gap Extension Author: Alena Shautsova Holders of F-1 status who applied for H1B change of status and were selected for the next fiscal year, have their status automatically prolonged until October 1: the first day when they can legally accept employment in H1B category. Many of them, however, would like to visit their home country before they start the new work life. Can they do so and come back in F-1 status? Apparently, no they cannot. It means that if an F-1 holder travels internationally during the cap-gap extension period, he/she will lose the F-1 status.  Is…

  • Asylum Clock Settlement

    ashautsova
    14 May 2013 | 7:30 am
    Author: US Asylum attorney Alena Shautsova Asylum clock issues have been preventing many applicants for asylum from receiving EAD and being able to support themselves while their cases being considered by Asylum Officer or Immigration Court. Sometimes, the wait time for EAD can be as long as several years. Imagine, during all this time the person is not able to legally work and have to accept jobs below minimum pay, hide from authorities and being stressed out every time the judge asks about his/her job situation. We recently announced that there was a Class Action lawsuit filed in connection…

  • Defenses Against Removal And ICE Hold

    ashautsova
    13 May 2013 | 4:15 pm
    Author: New York Deportation attorney Alena Shautsova You just learned that your loved one was arrested and ICE put a hold on him/her. What do you need to do? The first thing to do would be to consult with Criminal defense and Immigration attorneys. Very often, when an undocumented person or a permanent resident get arrested for criminal charges, the immigration authorities file an Immigration detainer: a document stating that upon release from the State or Federal custody, the person should be held up to 48 hours for ICE to come and take the person into their custody as they have a reason to…

  • Amendments to Immigration Reform Bill

    ashautsova
    8 May 2013 | 2:04 pm
    Today, American Immigration Lawyers Association published a list of amendments to Immigration Reform Bill filed by different senators. You can view the list HERE. Initially, the Immigration Reform bill was introduced by a group of eight senators (the “Gang of Eight”) and contained revolutionary proposals such as provisional waiver status, changes to asylum regulations, changes in employment and family immigration areas. The proposed amendments contain additional changes to the existing Immigration laws, including proposal to recognize marriage between same sex partners for…
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