DACA Expansion and DAPA Headed to the Supreme Court

01-25-2016

Finally, the Supreme Court has announced that it will hear arguments on the lawsuit, which upheld a block on President Barack Obama’s key executive actions on immigration.  A decision by the Court will be issued before the end of June 2016. Undocumented immigrant families across the United States will learn at that time if they will get an opportunity to obtain temporary legal status and work authorization and avoid deportation. Even if the Supreme Court overturns the present injunction, the Government would need to implement these Executive Actions before January 2017 when President Obama leaves office. These Executive actions will not be binding on the next President, although one of the Presidential candidates has announced that she would continue and expand the Deferred Action immigration programs. Other Candidates have argued that the issue of undocumented immigrants is better resolved by Congress within a comprehensive immigration reform legislative program. While we wait for the Supreme Court to issue its decision in June, we offer a free consultation for persons wishing to learn about eligibility requirements for DAPA as well as other immigration options.

01-19-2020
H-1 B Registration starts March 01, 2020

By: David Gardner

USCIS has announced the formal implementation of the new rule which requires H-1B petitioners to pre-register electronically in order to be eligible to file a petition for the immigration fiscal year which commences October 01, 2020. The earliest date for filing H-1B petitions in April 01, 2020, however the pre-registration period commences March 01, 2020.

09-22-2019 EB5 INVESTMENT AMOUNT INCREASES NOVEMBER 21, 2019 - INVESTORS FROM INDIA RUSH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOWER AMOUNT

By: David Gardner

07-25-2019
NINTH CIRCUIT VICTORY FOR VICTIMS OF INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL

This month, our law firm, together with Co-Counsel Louis A Gordon, won a major victory in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case impacts many immigrants who have suffered from bad or ineffective advice from prior Counsel. The Court in its published decision, Flores v Barr, overturned a Board of Immigration Appeals ruling which denied our client, the Petitioner, the opportunity to have his case reopened because of ineffective assistance of his prior immigration lawyer. 

07-24-2019
FINAL EB5 PROGRAM RULE PUBLISHED TODAY. MINIMUM INVESTMENT AMOUNT WILL INCREASE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 21, 2019

Investors and EB5 industry professionals have been anxiously waiting for the publication of a final regulation regarding the EB5 Program. USCIS has now published the final regulation which modifies the  proposed rule which was announced in February this year.

06-15-2019
E-1 and E-2 Now Available for New Zealand

New Zealand citizens can now obtain E-1 and E-2 treaty trader and investor visas to work in the U.S. These categories, which allow up to 2 years’ renewable stay, are determined by trade treaties secured between the U.S. and the foreign country or by Congressional legislation.

Citizens of New Zealand who are already inside the U.S. may file Form I-129 to change status – a spouse or child of such an applicant should file Form I-539 to change status to match the E-category applicant. 

06-14-2019
Waiting List Announced for Indian EB-5 Starting in July

The latest Visa Bulletin, published by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) earlier this month, confirms industry predictions of a waiting list for Indian-born EB-5 investors. Starting in July 2019, EB-5 visas will be available only to those Indian-born investors who filed their petitions before 05/01/2017. This cut-off date creates a waiting list of approximately two years, which is significantly shorter than the waiting list currently facing mainland Chinese-born investors, which currently stretches back to 10/01/2014.

06-10-2019
Premium Processing Returns to H-1B

Starting June 10, 2019, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will resume Premium Processing for all remaining H-1B petitions. This completes a trial arrangement whereby USCIS allowed limited Premium Processing starting May 20 for H-1B petitions with a Change of Status. The approach was introduced after recent years eliminated Premium Processing altogether, resulting in lengthy delays, with some H-1B petitions remaining under adjudication even after the usual annual start date of October 1.