For many, the close of each calendar year brings with it holidays and good cheer. For some, however, there looms the possibility of layoffs as employers assess their needs for the coming year. This is now true in the tech industry and its many H1B...
On October 31, 2022, a new final rule on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) went into effect. The implementation of this final rule means that DACA – a program that provides certain temporary protections and benefits to qualifying undocumented immigrants who were brought to...
For people not accustomed to the open displays of merchandise typical in the United States, the opportunity to pick up a few small items could prove tempting. Many newcomers to this country do not realize that seemingly minor crimes can have very serious immigration, as...
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) terminated recognition of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency on August 19, 2022. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in turn, recently issued an alert explaining the immigration impact this loss...
Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the December 2022 Visa Bulletin. The most notable change in the latest visa bulletin is additional retrogression in the employment-based, second preference (EB2) category. All cutoff dates listed refer to those in the final action chart (i.e.,...
Legalization or decriminalization of marijuana at the state level can mislead noncitizens into thinking using marijuana in accordance with state law is legal. Marijuana, however, is a controlled substance under federal law. Therefore, the use, sale, purchase, or even the mere possession of marijuana, in...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced an updated policy regarding medical certification for disability exceptions (form N-648) to make the naturalization process more accessible for applicants with disabilities. The USCIS policy manual clarifies the manner in which medical professionals can properly complete...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that approximately 65,000 additional H2B visas will be made available for the current fiscal year. In addition, the White House is creating an H2B Worker Protection Taskforce designed to protect the integrity of the program and...
Mr. Don Heflin, the Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in India, recently conducted a question-and-answer session to update the public on the state of visa appointments at U.S. consulates in India. Staffing Levels Mr. Heflin noted that staffing levels at the consulates have...
Under U.S. immigration law, if a foreign national applies for a nonimmigrant visa or for admission to the United States as a nonimmigrant, the application often can only be approved if the individual can demonstrate a lack of immigrant intent. There are a few notable...
