A new non-precedent decision from the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) provides a broad interpretation for the meaning of "related entities" in the context of multiple H1B filings for the same beneficiary. In Matter of S-S- Inc., the AAO found that the absence of a legal...
This morning, President Trump is expected to sign a bill that will reopen the federal government through March 23, 2018. This bill will also extend various immigration programs, including the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) regional center program, for the same time period. Copyright © 2018, MURTHY...
On February 6, 2018, President Trump ordered the creation of a National Vetting Center, saying it is needed "…to better identify individuals seeking to enter the country who present a threat to national security, border security, homeland security, or public safety." The center, which will...
In what has become almost routine, the federal government is teetering on yet another potential government shutdown. The deadline for passing a spending bill to extend government operations is midnight on Thursday, February 8, 2018. Failure to pass such a bill would result in the...
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued an updated directive on border searches of electronic devices belonging to individuals entering or exiting the United States. The directive provides guidance on operating procedures for CBP agents searching travelers' electronic devices. The directive states that the searches...
Most months, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, Charles Oppenheim, provides visa bulletin explanations and predictions. For the February 2018 Visa Bulletin, Mr. Oppenheim forecasts how the new in-person interview requirement, which was recently implemented for most...
This evening, the Trump Administration sent Congress a proposal for an immigration reform bill that would provide relief to 1.8 million "dreamers" (i.e. undocumented foreign nationals brought to the United States as children), while also providing funding for a U.S. / Mexico border wall and...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) that, for the upcoming fiscal year 2019 H1B cap season (i.e. H1B lottery cases to be filed starting in April 2018), no procedural changes from last year are anticipated....
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has added a couple of new features to the I-94 website for the benefit of foreign nationals traveling pursuant to the visa waiver program (VWP). The website now makes it easier for VWP travelers to track the number...
This afternoon, Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate came to an agreement on a stopgap bill to fund the federal government through February 8, 2018. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to approve the bill and send it to President Trump to sign...
