U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Attn: BEC Inquiries, 844 N. Rush Street, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL  60611

Mail sent to the BECs immediately prior to their closing was forwarded to the Chicago NPC. Any further correspondence sent to the BEC will also be forwarded to the Chicago NPC.
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Appeals on Backlog Cases to be Filed with Chicago NPC
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If a BEC case was denied either by the Dallas or Philadelphia BEC, the appeal is also filed with the Chicago NPC. The address is as listed above, but it should be put to the Attn: BEC Appeals.
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If a case is currently on appeal, it will be tracked by the Chicago NPC. If the appeal results in the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) issuing a decision that requires action by the DOL, the Chicago NPC will carry out the instructions.
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Tracking information for appeals cases is available through the Public Disclosure (PDS) system and will continue to be available until all cases have completed the BALCA appeal process.
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OFLC to Process any Remaining Backlog Cases Pending at BECs
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If a case was not completed prior to the BECs' closing, which is very unlikely according to the DOL, then it will be completed by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) personnel. Our experience has been that all of the BEC cases filed by the Murthy Law Firm were adjudicated prior to December 21, 2007.
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Conclusion
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This final wrap-up information regarding the BECs is appreciated. The Herculean task of managing and adjudicating over 360,000 labor certification filings from all across the U.S. has been completed. There is now a much more uniform system under PERM, which provides significantly faster adjudication overall. Although PERM audits can cause delays, this system generally is far more efficient, compared to the earlier LC system.
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3. Oral Declaration Unacceptable Proof of Citizenship at POE
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice in the Federal Register that affects citizens of the United States, Canada, and Bermuda entering the U.S. at land or sea ports-of-entry. As of January 31, 2008, one will no longer be able to establish his/her identity and citizenship to the satisfaction of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers by oral declaration. Until that date, current CBP procedures still allow for citizens of these countries to provide any proof of identity and citizenship, including an oral statement. Starting January 31, 2008, these individuals will be required to submit documentary evidence.
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Evidence Acceptable to CBP
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The CBP is in the process of amending its field guidance procedures requiring only documentary proof of identity and citizenship for U.S., Canadian, and Bermudian citizens. Most individuals are already complying with the new requirement by providing documentary evidence of identity and citizenship, such as passports, birth certificates, or drivers' licenses. Some Canadian and Bermudian visitors, as well as returning U.S. citizens, however, are utilizing current CBP instructions that allow CBP inspectors at ports of entry to accept oral declarations, depending upon the circumstances. If a CBP officer is not satisfied with an oral declaration of citizenship and identity s/he may request documentation to support one's oral statement. These procedures require CBP officers to exercise a high level of discretion which raises concerns about vulnerability.  
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Conclusion
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The DHS has stated that this new CBP rule is not part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), about which MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers were informed in a series of articles, including most recently our September 14, 2007 article, Temporary WHTI Accommodation Ends Sep 30, 2007. Accordingly, the amendment to the CBP instructions does not require rule making and a comment period. However, the DHS will address comments on the new CBP requirement in its final rule concerning the WHTI. These comments include a general unease regarding significant delays at the land and sea ports-of-entry if oral declarations are disallowed. The CBP intends to rely on its overall operational experience in processing travelers at land and sea ports, while also meeting the security objective underlying the new document-only requirement.
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4. FBI Unveils Plan to Improve Biometrics Database
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The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has recently announced plans to build the word's largest computer database of peoples' physical characteristics. The project will cost $1 billion and will enable the U.S. government to identify individuals living in the United States and abroad. The agency already has access to biometric data on many individuals. This data includes fingerprints, digital images of faces, and palm prints. In the next several years, the FBI will also be able to identify individuals based on iris patterns, scars, and other unique physical information. The database will be used to identify terrorists and criminals, as well as to inform employers who request notification whenever their employees undergo criminal background checks that reveal criminal history.
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DHS to Consolidate and Use Information Available
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Many departments within the U.S. government have already been performing background checks based on biometric information collected from various individuals, including millions of Iraqi and Afghan detainees, Iraqi citizens, and foreign nationals who need access to U.S. military bases, visitors to the U.S., and individuals applying for immigration benefits. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), for example, has millions of sets of fingerprints of individuals who have applied for admission to the U.S. or other immigration benefits. Currently, the tracking of terrorists and criminals based on this biometric information is not as fast and error-free as desired. If the new tracking system is successful, the biometric information will be collected and stored in one place, allowing for quicker and more efficient identification by all departments of the U.S. government.
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Conclusion
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The new comprehensive biometrics database and tracking system is still in the first stage of planning. Advocates emphasize the importance of a single storage place to be used by multiple agencies that will increase the speed at which criminals and terrorists are identified and caught. Critics, however, say that, because there is no evidence yet that the new system will reliably match terrorists and criminals against a vast database, it is premature to plan such a costly and comprehensive system. We at the Murthy Law Firm will watch for new developments and share updated information with our readers, as it becomes available.
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5. Spare Batteries and Travel
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Although this topic is not related to U.S. immigration law or policy, we recognize that it is a change in government policy that potentially impacts many of our readers. The U.S. Department of Transportation revised rules with regard to traveling with spare lithium batteries, effective January 1, 2008. Spare batteries are those that are carried outside the device they are meant to power. Spare batteries may not be included in checked luggage. Within certain limits, they may be packed in carry-on bags. Travelers should read details on the DOT WebSite to be certain they comply with the new rules.
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6. Reminder : Murthy Teleconference Series - Jan 09, 2008
Topic : H1B Cap Season - Fiscal Year 2009
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The next teleconference in this monthly series offered by the Murthy Law Firm to guide employers and HR managers and benefit their employees is scheduled for January 09, 2008. This teleconference will address important matters regarding the filings of H1Bs for the fiscal year (FY) 2009 cap season, including: meeting the requirements for filing, how the H1B cap works, the importance of planning ahead, avoiding RFEs, and more. We at the Murthy Law Firm will address these topics in the upcoming teleconference, which will not be held on the 1st Wednesday, but instead on January 9th, to allow everyone time to return to work and catch up after the holidays.
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Please feel free to share this announcement with your employer. We plan to begin a series teleconference for the broader immigrant community in the near future.
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Employers can find more information at : http://www.murthy.com/teleconference.html.

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7. MurthyDotCom : Do You Know How We Can Help You?
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While we at the Murthy Law Firm provide the immigrant community with a wealth of free information on our WebSite, we also want MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers to know how our firm is prepared to help them with their U.S. immigration matters. We have a page dedicated to explaining how we can assist in various nonimmigrant and immigrant cases. This page also provides links to other areas on MurthyDotCom that offer client service information.
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MurthyChat : The next session MurthyChat will be Monday, Jan 07, 2008, 9:00pm Eastern Time (U.S.). Please check the chat page for any necessary changes to the schedule. Meanwhile, search the chat transcripts for answers to your questions. 
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MurthyForum : Consider joining those who have discovered the value of this service. Our message / discussion board is visited daily by one of our attorneys.
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MurthyDotCom - MurthyBulletin - MurthyChat - and MurthyForum - Your ultimate U.S. immigration resources on the Internet all start with MURTHY!
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8. Important Processing Times and Dates
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Processing Times : For links to processing times for the USCIS Service Centers, district (or local) processing times, the Administrative Appeals Office, Department of State visa bulletin, and Department of Labor dates for the processing of labor certification applications.
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