Benefits & Relief
Will the Guidance on Extreme Hardship Waivers Allow More Individuals to Become Permanent Residents?
This week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued draft guidance on what constitutes “extreme hardship” for purposes of an immigration waiver. The much anticipated guidance is a component of the Administration’s executive actions on immigration announced in November 2014. Many had hoped that the guidance, and its potential… Read More
Visa Bulletin “Do-Over” Undercuts Visa Modernization
Earlier this month, the immigration agencies took a positive step forward in implementing the executive action promise to reform the visa system when they issued the October Visa Bulletin, informing the public about who would be eligible to apply for lawful permanent resident status in October. But now the… Read More
Restrictionists Continue to Attack H-4 Work Authorization
Save Jobs USA—an organization comprised of IT workers who claim they lost their jobs to H-1B workers—still wants to overturn the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that allows certain H-4 spouses (i.e., spouses of H-1B workers) to apply for work authorization. Although Save Jobs was unsuccessful in stopping… Read More
White House Report on Improving Our Legal Immigration System: Too Little Too Late?
As part of November 2014’s Executive Action announcement, the President issued a memorandum directing the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to recommend improvements to the immigration system. After seeking public input and receiving roughly 1,650 responses, the agencies submitted their recommendations to the White House and on July… Read More
Court Rejects Restrictionists’ Attempts to Derail Work Authorization for H-4 Spouses
Despite immigration restrictionists’ efforts to derail implementation, a new rule went into effect this week allowing certain H-4 spouses (i.e., spouses of H-1B workers) to apply for work authorization. This new policy, announced as part of the Administration’s package of Executive Actions on immigration, permits H-4s to obtain work… Read More
Immigration Appeals Court Reverses Position on Deportation Waivers
In a decision issued last week, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) reversed course and decided that a subset of Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who have been convicted of certain crimes may now have an opportunity to avoid deportation by proving to an immigration judge that their removal would cause… Read More
Immigration Action Provides Certain H-4 Spouses Work Authorization
As part of the package of executive actions announced in November 2014, the secretary of Homeland Security directed the immigration agencies to implement new policies and regulations intended to support U.S. high-skilled businesses and workers. Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued the first of these… Read More
Setting the Record Straight on Immigrant Work Authorization
The anti-immigrant Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) issued a report last week alleging a “huge parallel immigrant work authorization system outside the bounds of the laws.” Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) seized upon it to demand a “full investigation.” Yet the issuance of work permits is not new, huge,… Read More
Why Immigration Helps African American Employment
An old myth about African Americans and immigrants resurfaced on Monday thanks to a series of over-reactions to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) procurement order. In the complicated world of government procurement, the government has to plan for purchases far in advance, even if it ultimately doesn’t purchase… Read More
After Years of Bipartisan Advocacy, DHS Will Expedite Haitian Family Reunification
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week announced a new Haitian Family Reunification Parole program to allow certain Haitians facing years-long waits for visas to come early and work in the United States. The program responds to bipartisan requests from legislators since the devastating Haitian earthquake of January… Read More
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